You expose yourself to 375 hours of cancer-causing UV rays each year in your daily commute.

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports:  “A recent study from the St. Louis University Medical School revealed that nearly 53 percent of skin cancers in the US occur on the left, or drivers’ side of the body. Researchers believe the increase in left-sided skin cancers may be from exposure to UV (ultraviolet) radiation while driving. With approximately 208 million licensed drivers in the US, people need to take precautions wherever they can.” (Sun Safety for Drivers, 2010)

Over the course of 1 year, the average commuter spends 375 hours in their car (45 minutes each way x 2 ways x 250 days per year) exposed to potentially deadly UVA rays.

In speaking with our customers, my partner and I learned about a very serious and under-served need for our customers – skin protection through UV blocking window film.  Many of our customers don’t realize that they have the ability to protect themselves and their passengers through the use of 3M window films.  @ The Car Wash is a proud 3M Authorized Dealer, and offers the full spectrum of 3M window films – including Crystalline, a cutting-edge window film that can that can block up to 99% of UVA rays while maintaining a nearly invisible appearance. (3M, 2017) In Virginia customers need to be wary of where they get their tint done because there are certain shades that are not legal to have. Since we only sell top of the line 3M materials we can ensure that you are protected from the sun and from trouble.

You should be aware that your factory tinted rear windows are completely insufficient for keeping your kids safe from UVA rays.

If you’re like me, then you and your family spend a lot of time in your car. However, you may have had no idea that the vast majority of UVA radiation (associated with about 90 percent of all skin cancers) (Sun Hazards in Your Car, 2013) penetrates your factory tinted rear windows.  Fortunately for consumers 99% of this radiation can be blocked (Automotive Window Solutions, 2017)by virtually invisible 3M window film.  Personally, I had no idea until my partner and I got into the car care business.

Many of our clients, friends with young children among them, assume that their tinted rear SUV windows offer sufficient UV protection for their children.  In researching the topic, I became aware that this is not the case – despite their nearly opaque appearance, the rear ‘privacy glass’ sold standard on most modern SUVs and minivans doesn’t even block half of the UVA light coming into their vehicle.  Indeed, the un-tinted front windows block essentially zero UVA light – fully exposing the driver and front seat passengers to harmful UVA rays. So that means your rear and side windows are exposing your children to these harmful rays every time you drive.

@ The Car Wash is a 3M Authorized Dealer, and offers the full spectrum of 3M products – we can help keep you and your kids safe from unnecessary excessive UVA exposure during your long car rides. The film can be applied to all the side and rear windows and offers a significant amount of protection that you never have to think about again. You could apply sunscreen every time you get in the car, but as anyone with a family knows that would be the last priority on your list before any trip in the car.

The same rays you want to protect your family from also damage the interior of your car. Heat and sun exposure can deteriorate your seats, trim and even carpets if they are exposed regularly, which most cars are. The temperature of your car when you first enter is often blistering, but tint cuts that heat entering your car and keeps your interior cooler than the outside. This can also increase your efficiency by wasting less gas cooling your car down from the start and keeping it cooler passively while you drive. We’re beginning to see a lot a benefits for the small price you pay.

Applying aftermarket window film is the best way to protect your skin in your car.

The average American spends 92 minutes per day driving, and the factory-tinted rear windows provide only a fraction of the protection that after-market tint can provide.  Further, the privacy glass of your SUV / minivan, is really just that – privacy glass.  What little protection the privacy glass provides inures only to those in the rear of the vehicle, leaving the driver and front-seat passengers fully exposed. Some cars don’t even come from the factory with privacy glass. Most compacts and sedans have normal glass all the way around. Getting a tint will not only protect you from the sun, but it you can choose a shade that gives you the right amount of privacy and improving the look of your car. By applying a quality tint to your windows, the resale value of your car can often rise.

@ The Car Wash is a proud Authorized 3M Dealer, and is the area’s only Authorized 3M dealer.

For more information, please visit our site, a good car wash in Fredericksburg.