# How long till I can wash my car after a new paint job **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** civic, honda\ **Created:** [June 26, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327 "2017-06-26T04:10:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bchondacivic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47774/32.png) [@bchondacivic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bchondacivic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/1 "2017-06-26T04:10:29Z")
Hi I was just wondering how long do I have to wait to wash my car after a new paint job. People recommend 15-30 days 60-90 days but it doesn’t say anything about how hot it is outside. The painter who painted my car said I could wash it the next day. I live in Bakersfield,CA and the weather here has been around 110 for a week. So I’m just wondering how long do I have to wait in this kind of weather. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 4:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/2 "2017-06-26T04:31:34Z")
I would think your painter knows best. Here you will get more different answers and get more confused. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/3 "2017-06-26T04:34:48Z")
You can wash it right away no problem, just don’t wax it for a month or two. And keep the bugs off the fresh paint. With the paint used now you can be color sanding and buffing in a couple hours, so washing is not a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 11:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/4 "2017-06-26T11:33:52Z")
Depends on the paint. Agree with @kurtwm2010 I’d take the advice of the painter over anything we might say. The painter knows what he used, we don’t. But don’t wax it for about 6 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/5 "2017-06-26T13:38:41Z")
The paint has cured, and washing is not a problem. If you cover the surface, residual outgassing that takes place in the first month or two won’t happen because the wax inhibits the process. After that, outgassing slows down enough that waxing is no longer a problem. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/6 "2017-06-26T13:42:06Z")
Here we go again. Someone pays someone to do something and then doubts their advice. So they go to a forum and ask complete strangers the same question who don’t know the type of paint used or the preparation that was done. Plus have no idea if the forum replies are even correct. I am going to get more coffee now. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/7 "2017-06-26T13:51:59Z")
I don’t see any reason to second guess the painter. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/8 "2017-06-26T14:38:31Z")
Most paints are now urethane base and you can wash and wax them within days. The older enamel or lacquer paints you needed to way a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-long-till-i-can-wash-my-car-after-a-new-paint-job/105327/9 "2017-07-04T03:24:05Z")
I might not be remembering the exact numbers here, but the last time my wife’s car needed paint work, I believe they said we could wash it by hand in a week, wash it at the touch-free car wash in a few weeks, and wax it in 60 days.