How to Clean an OEM Car Bra?

Nopstnz8

Nopstnz8

Member
Hey guys... I have an OEM car bra that I bought from a member on my car's forum, and I've already used it once, where I vacuumed it on the inside before using, but now that I just did full paint correction on my car, I want to clean the car bra properly so that when I use it, I don't get any swirls or scratches. What is the best way to clean these things? I'm mainly concerned with the inside since the leather part is fairly obvious. Can I throw it in a front load washing machine on cold, then let it air dry, or do I have to hand wash it, then air dry?
 
if your worried about swirls and scratches why are you going to use the bra? to clean turn inside out use some apc and scrub brush then rinse.
 
+1 on above cleaning and use



Auto Mask

Porsche invented the fabric auto mask (the so-called car bra) in the late sixties, when the factory still individually road tested every car, and because they used the local roads around the factory, a temporary fabric mask was put on the car, to protect the new paint.



It was never intended to be permanent, because no matter how careful you are, no matter how clean you keep your car, the fabric bra will eventually cause a tremendous amount of paint damage as they trap dust and road grit and vibrate in the wind with the action of machine driven sandpaper.



They should be removed if it becomes wet or if water becomes trapped between the cover and the paint as it will cause the paint to become opaque or clouded. It will also cause uneven fading because the paint underneath them is not exposed to sunlight like the rest of the vehicle.

 
I've used a vinyl bra , but it was several years ago and I never kept it on for a long time. I used to tape off the area of the hood where the end of the bra stretched across it with blue painters tape and then I installed the bra. The tape prevented marring from friction and debris.
 
Is it really that bad if I keep my car spotless and only put it on after I wash the car in my garage, and have cleaned the bra? I only plan to use it when I go on long commutes, like to and from school to home, or on drive up Pacific Coast Hwy at night when I would normally get a lot of bugs. I'd be taking it right off when I got home. If I were to clean it before each use, then wait for it to dry, would I be fine since this bra would only be temporary for up to a few hours? I'll have my car coated with a few KSG layers beforehand.



A clear bra isn't worth it for my OEM bumper because it already has it's fair share of rock chips and scuffs on the bottom. I'm only using the bra to prevent excessive bug splatters from those drives, and the extra chips.
 
lostdaytomorrow said:
I think that's a great idea to use it on your long interstate drives. The It should work well for you like that.
Click to expand...



Yeah, that's what I figured too. I can't honestly see how much worse it can be than a car cover as long as the surface of both are completely clean, and I take it off when I complete the drive. Thanks for the input.
 
You *will* end up getting paint damage. Clean car, interstate drive, whatever... it doesn't matter. Eventually it WILL damage your paint. Not if, when.
 
A lot depends on the fit of the bra. Keep it tight. Flapping/moving at speed is the biggest cause of marring. As mentioned you can add some tape or microfiber towel swatches at vunerable areas.



I used a bra for years before I went to a clear bra. Never had a problem.



At the track:

standard.jpg
 
Brad B. said:
A lot depends on the fit of the bra. Keep it tight. Flapping/moving at speed is the biggest cause of marring. As mentioned you can add some tape or microfiber towel swatches at vunerable areas.



I used a bra for years before I went to a clear bra. Never had a problem.



At the track:

standard.jpg
Click to expand...



Yeah I'm pretty sure mine isn't flapping, so I don't see what the big deal is if it's stationary.
 
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