An automotive influencer has warned motorists that scraping ice or brushing the snow off their car this winter could lead to the paintwork being damaged.
The TikTok user @chickthattints often posts short videos about her car and motorcycle, giving advice to other drivers.
In one of her most popular videos, @chickthattints warns drivers that the winter ritual of removing snow and ice from a car could harm the paintwork, but also shared a solution.
She advised: “You probably have one of these [snow brushes] for weather like this, and you probably use it like this. Well, let’s see what it does to the paint on the car. Let’s pretend to get the snow off and, now look. We’ve scratched it, we’ve scratched the paint on my car.
“Well, I have paint protection film so, in theory, if we heat it up a little bit, all of those scratches should come off or disappear. So, let’s heat it up for a little bit, just like putting it in the sun, and look, not a single fine scratch.”
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In the video, @chickthattints brushed the bonnet of her car and revealed that it produced a number of small scratches.
Whist this can make the car look less desirable, and potentially reduce its value when the driver comes to sell the model, the TikToker explained that her car is coated in a special material.
Paint protection film is a thin and clear coating that can be applied to vehicles in order to make it more resistant to damage such as scratches and protect against rust.
With over 100 likes, many viewers were curious to learn about this unusual winter tip and left their own suggestions in the comments:
One viewer wrote: “Use a leaf blower [to clear the snow].”
Another suggested: “Ceramic [bodywork coating] is better.”, referring to another type of coating motorists can use to protect against scratches.
