Vehicle wraps create brand awareness with repetitive exposure, but in the summer heat, the graphics may fade or peel, leading to a poor representation of the promoted business. It is important to ensure the proper care is taken.

With this in mind, the following are four tips for protecting vehicle wraps against the potentially detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to sunshine:

1. Install graphics vertically, not horizontally.
When vehicle wraps' graphic panels are applied horizontally, the configuration of the seams leaves them more susceptible to the effects of heat damage and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Graphics should always be applied vertically, such that they can better withstand the damaging rays of a summer sun.

2. Use wrap-safe car waxes.
A car wax is key in maintaining and enhancing a vehicle's bright appearance, but any regular wax containing petroleum distillates will damage a graphic wrap. It is important instead to invest in a wrap-safe wax for use after every wash. Some brands offer UV protection for additional prevention of fading in sunlight.

3. Apply protective sprays.
In addition to choosing the right car wax, UV protective sprays should be kept at hand. It is a good idea to get into the habit of applying them regularly for an extra coating of protection, particularly in extreme heat.

4. Keep out of the sun whenever possible.
Whenever possible, a wrapped vehicle should be parked inside a garage—or at least in the shade—to limit its exposure to sunlight. In open lots and other scenarios where parking in the shade is not possible, the vehicle's direction should be changed each time it is moved, so as to‘distribute’sun exposure as evenly as possible.