How to Repair a Car Cover: Easy Tips & Advice

Your car cover protects your vehicle from weather, debris, tree sap, animals, and other vehicles, but what happens when it’s your car cover that needs repair? An unsightly hole in your car cover could mean that moisture, dust, and other damaging elements can get trapped between the cover and your car.

Luckily, repairing your car cover is a simple process. At CarCovers.com, our covers are made from rugged polyester; however, if they sustain any damage, they can be repaired easily with a patch kit, though it is also crucial to understand how to protect your car cover from damage. Here are some ways to make your cover and car last as long as possible.

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Covering Newly Painted Vehicles

When your car has just been painted or repainted, it needs time to cure. The general rule for letting a car’s painted exterior cure is to leave it be for one month. If you don’t, the paint can also transfer onto your cover from the curing process, ruining both your paint job and cover.

Remove Your Cover Carefully

When you’re taking off your car cover, be mindful about how you do it. Ripping off your car cover puts both your vehicle and the cover at risk; you can easily scratch or ding your paint job when you pull off the cover too quickly, or you could rip your car cover needlessly.

Where you store your cover when it’s not in use is also crucial. High-quality car covers often come with their own special storage bags so you can keep your cover free from the same elements that threaten your vehicle, including dust, dampness, and UV light.

Use Gust Straps in High-Wind Locations

You need to take particular care with your vehicle and car cover when you live in a place with extremely high winds. The best car covers have gust straps and extra anchoring grommets so you can secure the cover tightly around your vehicle.

Strong winds can yank a cover right off your car and rip it in two if they’re powerful enough. To prevent wind from creeping into the space between the cover and the car’s exterior and pulling it completely off, attach the requisite straps to their anchor spots and pull taut.

What Causes Rips in Your Car Cover?

Over time, your custom car cover takes the brunt of the damage and wear that would otherwise be inflicted on your exterior paint job. This inevitably means that you will see some tears. You need to take care when you wash your custom car cover, as they should only be cleaned in gentle cycles or hand washed. Check the car cover’s specification if you’re unsure how to launder it.

One of the key steps in cleaning your car cover without damaging it is to avoid the dryer. A heated drying cycle can cause your car cover to shrink, and then it won’t fit your vehicle as well. It can also cause textural changes in the synthetic fabric that may scratch your car.

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How to Repair Your Fabric Car Cover

Custom and semi-custom car covers fit your vehicle’s dimensions exactly and protect it from damage. Whatever kind of vehicle you have—SUV or sedan—there’s a car cover that can protect it. If you have small tears in your custom car cover, there are a few simple steps you can take so your cover will continue to protect your exterior for years.

• Buy a Patch Kit

A patch kit is an essential accessory to prolong the life of your car cover. The kit should come with two or more polyester patches with self-adhesive backing. Ensure that the patches can be cut to size and are the same color as your cover.

• Turn Inside Out

Flip the car cover inside out. After locating the tear, put the cover on an ironing board or another flat surface, so the fabric is smooth. Wrinkles in the fabric may mean permanent wrinkles in your repair job.

• Cut Wider Than the Hole

Once you’ve found the hole, cut a repair patch measuring one inch wider than the tear on each side so when you stretch the cover over your car, the seams won’t rip.

While some car cover’s can be easily repaired and brought back to life, it’s important to be aware of some non repairable damages:

• Wear and tear from severe abrasive conditions
• Contact with chemicals such as bleach
• Car accidents
• Improper installation
• Improper usage

For more information regarding our return policy and product warranty, feel free to contact us and our car cover experts will be happy to assist you.

Shop Our High Quality Car Covers

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Protect Your Vehicle with a Quality Car Cover

Fixing your custom car cover isn’t as complicated as you might think. This protective barrier between the elements and your car takes a beating, and it’s normal for it to get tears periodically.

If you have a quality car cover and pay attention to minor details like washing and storage instructions, your vehicle will keep its pristine paint job for decades. Explore CarCovers.com for the best custom and semi-custom car covers for your vehicle’s specific make and model.