Minimize Mud Inside & Outside Your Vehicle This Spring
Combat That Muddy Mess With NAPA
It’s always a relief when winter gives way to spring and the weather warms. As the temperature rises, the birds start singing, bees begin to buzz and beautiful blossoms open to take in the sun’s rays. But spring also means rain and melting snow, and that turns roads and parking lots into miserable, muddy pits. Before long, all that mess ends up on the side panels of your vehicle and in your interior.
Keeping your ride tidy inside and outside during the spring is a tough challenge. Mud can damage the exterior paint and corrode the undercarriage, as well as clog air filters and other vital components. It can cause permanent unsightly stains in the interior upholstery, leading to pesky odors and diminishing the resale value of your prized ride. Fortunately, the NAPA experts came to the rescue with a practical guide to protecting and maintaining the interior and exterior of your vehicle this spring.
Dirt Defense Inside Your Ride
When it comes to keeping your vehicle interior clean and odor free, a reliable floor mat is your first line of defense. NAPA is proud to offer WeatherTech products—an industry-leading name in interior protection. WeatherTech offers an extensive range of sturdy, leakproof floor mats and liners designed with a raised lip to keep muddy debris, pet messes and liquid spills trapped inside the mat and off the fabric of your interior. When it’s time to clean these rubber floor mats, simply remove the mat, shake it out or rinse with a hose, dry and reinstall. So, if you are searching for the best truck floor mats, head down to your local NAPA Auto Parts store.
WeatherTech floor mats come in a variety of designs so you can choose the one that works for your exact sedan, minivan, SUV or truck. Check out the WeatherTech AVM Floor Mats—a cut-to-fit option—or go with the WeatherTech DigitalFit Floor Liner, which is laser-measured and engineered to fit your specific vehicle year, make and model. The tool-free installation is fast and simple. Best of all, these mud guards are constructed with zero latex, cadmium, lead or PVC, so they are 100% recyclable.
If you need maximum mud defense throughout your interior, check out WeatherTech’s pet barrier systems for keeping Fido in the back and shop for seat protectors to keep your fabric, vinyl or leather seats blemish free. NAPAonline.com offers sleek seat covers fabricated of durable neoprene and sophisticated leatherette from top brands like Coverking, Saddleman, Carhartt and Northern Frontier.
Let’s face it, despite all your best efforts, the interior of any vehicle is going to get dirty from time to time. The best defense against deterioration is a good offense: deep interior detailing using professional car care products. Consider investing in a reliable wet/dry vac, like this two-gallon option from Milwaukee Tool so you can get those damp, muddy messes cleaned up fast. Also, don’t forget to stock up on supplies from NAPAonline to deep clean your upholstery and protect your interior surfaces.
Stay Safe in a Muddy Mess
It’s spring, and whether you’re sticking to the paved road ahead or getting off the beaten path, it can come with a lot of risk. Rocks and debris left behind by melting snow become lodged in the tread of tires and present a safety hazard. A spinning tire can send trapped rocks flying, causing damage to vehicle paint and windshields. Larger tires can often mean larger projectiles.
Pickup truck mud guards, also known as mud flaps and splash guards, attach to the inside of the lower area of your wheel wells closest to the ground and keep debris from flying up and scratching your vehicle’s paint or denting your body and trim. You can find mud flaps for SUVs, pickups and flatbed trucks that are subtle like these Trail Armor mud flaps from Bushwacker or showy and oversized like these Rock Tamer mud flaps.
Fender flares work much the same way, but they fit over the entire outer edge of your wheel well. These riveted style fender flares from Lund RX add a bulky, aggressive profile to your pickup or SUV. Or upgrade your trim with a streamlined classic look with these Stainless Steel Fender Flares from Carrichs. Whichever you choose, fender flares keep the mud from flying and the mess mastered, thus keeping you and other drivers safe.
When it comes to spending a perfect spring day, make sure you are prepared for anything the trail can throw at you. Getting stuck in the mud is almost a guarantee, so let our NAPA experts help you invest in a reliable winch for your mudding off-road vehicle. While you’re browsing NAPAonline.com, also check out our selection of LED light bars and emergency first aid kits. NAPA has everything you need to get dirty the safe way!
Maintain a Mud-Free Shine
At the end of a long, fun day of playing in the mud or driving on muddy roads after the first thaw of spring, it’s very important to wash your vehicle thoroughly. Just like with your undercarriage, the paintwork of your vehicle can deteriorate if mud or salt is left on it for extended periods of time. You can use a high-pressure hose nozzle or pressure washer to remove as much mud as possible from the exterior of your Jeep, SUV or pickup.
When it comes to paintwork, our NAPA experts know that the best offense is a good defense. So, give your vehicle a barrier of protection against mud and moisture before you get out on—or off—the road. A ceramic car wash not only fills in existing swirling and micro scratches on your paint, it also offers hydrophobic technology, which repels water and protects against harmful UV rays. With a properly applied ceramic coating and routine ceramic car washes, you can preserve the luster of your vehicle paintwork for years to come.
NAPA carries ceramic kits and soaps like Chemical Guys HydroSUDS that work with your existing ceramic coat. Sign up for NAPA Rewards to get 1 Point for every $1 you spend. Collect 100 points to automatically save $5 on your next order. Sign up now to save on all your mud fighting products and accessories, and get ready to have some good, filthy fun this spring!
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
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More than 90 years ago, the National Automotive Parts Association ("NAPA") was created to meet America’s growing need for an effective auto parts distribution system. Today, 91% of do-it-yourself customers recognize the NAPA brand name. We have over 6,000 NAPA Auto Parts Stores nationwide serving all 50 states with a unique inventory control system that helps you find the exact part that you need.