First, clean the vehicle magnet itself with soap and water. That's pretty easy. No special detergents, special cleaning techniques. Don't hit it with a high pressure washer, but other than that, soap and a hose are more than enough to keep it clean.

More importantly, clean UNDER the magnet. That's where the real problem is. You need to wash the place on your vehicle where the magnet sits, as well as the back of the magnet, to remove any dirt, debris, dust, and little specks. Let it dry completely, and then reapply the magnet.

What happens when dirt gets under the vehicle magnet is that it acts as an abrasive. Because the magnet is not specifically attached to the vehicle, as you drive down the road, the magnet moves ever so slightly. If there's ever dirt or small pieces of debris — think a single grain of sand or dirt — underneath, it will act like an abrasive and rub the clear coat off your car. Once that clear coat is gone, then it starts rubbing off the paint, and the damage can be pretty extensive.

High heat can be a problem. With the summer we've been having, especially here in Indiana, heat can cause big problems with magnetic signs. Essentially, the magnet will weld itself to your vehicle. When you try to remove it, the magnet will break apart and leave part of itself on the vehicle. The only way to remove it is to scrape it off, which can damage your clear coat and paint. We've seen it happen a few times, usually when someone has never removed their magnet for six months to a year.

But, if you follow our recommendations about removing the magnet once a week and cleaning both the vehicle and the back of the sign, you'll prevent this from happening.

Finally waxing isn't necessary. The nice thing about magnets is that waxing is not necessary in caring for your sign. Cleaning is the only thing that's necessary.

Caring for a vehicle magnet is pretty simple. Just some basic cleaning is all you need. Your vehicle magnet can serve you for quite a while if you can follow these basic steps. And if you have any questions, your SIGNARAMA professional will be more than happy to help guide you through what you need to know in owning a vehicle magnet. They’re actually very easy to own, just follow these basic steps, and your sign can last you for a long time.

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