Introduction
There are certain things you should know about the car you want to buy, like how it drives and whether or not it's reliable. But there are also some factors that aren't as obvious: how easy or hard it is to keep clean, for example. If you're a person who likes to take care of your vehicle or if you have kids who love playing in dirt, this might be an important factor for you. In this post, we'll explore some popular car colors and what they're best suited for—specifically when it comes time to wash them!
White is the easiest color to keep clean over time.
The easiest color to keep clean over time is white. It's the best color for hiding imperfections and scratches, as well as water spots.
White also hides dirt easily, so you don't have to worry about black or grey making it look like you have a dirty car.
Black is the hardest car color to keep clean.
The reason black is often the hardest car color to keep clean is that it shows dirt, grime and stains more than other colors. It's popular in part because it looks good but also because it hides imperfections well. Black cars are a status symbol for many people. This makes them more susceptible to damage from road debris, bird droppings and bug splatters than other colors (and also means they're more expensive to repair).
Black paint molecules absorb 95% of light reflected from the surface of a vehicle, but since there are no pigments in black pigment (just carbon-based colorants), there's nothing for sun rays to bounce off of.* In other words: Your car will look like new for longer if you drive around in red or yellow instead of black.
The best car color to hide imperfections is actually not red.
Red is a great color to hide imperfections, but it’s not the best. If you want to cover up flaws in your car, red is a solid choice because it’s bright, which means that it will catch the eye and draw attention away from whatever area needs to be hidden. However, there are other colors that are equally effective at this task.
Not only is red not the easiest option out there (we already covered that), but many people find it difficult to keep their cars clean. For starters, most red cars tend to be low on the ground and therefore exposed to dirt more often than higher vehicles like trucks or SUVs with raised suspensions and larger wheel wells that protect them from potholes and rough terrain. Even worse: if you live in an area where mudslides happen regularly—or if you park outside during rainy weather—you may find yourself spending an unhealthy amount of time cleaning those wheels!
Plus, because red paint tends toward glossiness rather than matte finish (which hides blemishes better), applying protective coatings can be tricky when working with such vibrant hues; this issue becomes compounded if your vehicle isn’t brand-new anymore since its existing wax might have worn off over time (especially if you don't wash very often). So while we still recommend choosing red as your go-to color choice for aesthetic reasons alone—it looks awesome!—we also advise being aware of its drawbacks before making any final decisions about repainting your ride's exterior
Gray and silver are also pretty easy to keep clean, though they show road grime a bit more than white.
Gray and silver are also pretty easy to keep clean, though they show road grime a bit more than white. Gray is used in the design process because it’s neutral and hides dirt well. Silver is technically a metal, which means it can be harder to maintain than other colors, but like gray and black cars don’t get dirty as quickly as white cars do.
Blue and green are pretty easy to maintain compared to other colors on this list, like orange.
While there are many shades of blue, green is one of the most common colors on the road. If you have a car in either of these colors, you're going to find it a lot easier to keep your car clean than if it was red or orange.
Blue and green cars show road grime much less than white does—but they do show some of it. For example, if you drive through a puddle or splash some mud on your hood or windshield, it will likely show up on your car's finish because blue and green are not as reflective as white paint.
Choosing an easier car color will save you time and money in the long run
The easiest car colors to keep clean are white, gray, silver and blue. They’re easier to keep clean because they don’t show dirt as easily as other car colors. The hardest car colors to keep clean are red and orange because they show stains very easily.
Choosing an easier color is also a great way to save time and money in the long run. You’ll be able to spend less time cleaning your vehicle, which means you won’t have as many opportunities for accidents (and paying for repairs).
Conclusion
The bottom line is, white cars are by far the easiest to keep clean. Black cars are the hardest, as they show grime more easily and don’t hide imperfections well at all. Red—or any other bright color that requires frequent cleaning—isn’t ideal, but it can still work if you have some time and patience. Gray, silver and blue are great options if you want something that looks good without being too much trouble to maintain. Green or orange could work for someone who doesn’t mind putting in a little extra effort every once in awhile!
