How to keep your bull bar clean

Bull bars are more than a practical add-on. They add instant muscle to your vehicle, giving it the edge it needs to stand out.

However, bull bars look their best when clean, new, and undamaged. Of course, looks aren’t everything, but if you are as passionate about 4x4s as we are, you’ll want to keep yours in tip-top shape. Here’s how to extend the lifespan of your bull bar through proper care and maintenance.

Step 1: Know your material

What kind of material are you dealing with? What is the finish? Most bull bars are crafted from steel or some other alloy.

If your bar’s finish is shiny chrome, you will have a much tougher time keeping it clean. Chrome finishes are prone to scratches. Even mud splatters, dirt, and other debris can cause stand-out blemishes that take some time to remove. What’s more, you’ll need to invest in a good-quality polish – a little elbow grease is the only way to maintain your bull bar’s mirror-like shine.

If you have a Bocar bull bar, maintenance is a whole lot easier. Our Stockade series is crafted from ultra-durable black steel. The matte-black textured powder-coat finish doesn’t demand the fuss of shiny chrome, which means one less thing on your to-do list.

Bull bar cleaning tips

Step 2: Remove loose debris

The next step is removing dirt, leaves, twigs, and other loose debris, starting with larger pieces and working your way down.

Dislodge as much as you can with your hands. Then, use a brush to wipe away dried mud, dirt, dust, or sand. Don’t worry too much about using force – bull bars are made tough, and it’d take more than some cleaning to cause any real damage.

Step 3: Hose down the dirt

In good old carwash fashion, it’s time to put the garden hose to work.

Use the hose’s pressure to wash away any leftover dirt and grime. You may need a sponge or cloth to aid this process. Pay special attention to the smaller nooks and crannies, which can attract a build-up of dirt – especially if you haven’t cleaned your bull bar in some time.

When you’ve finished with the hose-down, give your bull bar a good wipe with a clean, dry cloth or towel. Remove as much water as possible.

Step 4 (optional): Shine and polish

Autosol or a similar polish can help restore your bull bar’s shine. If you have a powder-coated bull bar, you can skip this step.

Apply the polish to a microfibre cloth and polish the bar using small, circular motions. If you see a black residue on the cloth, keep polishing. This means your bull bar has a protective coating that prevents chemical corrosion. If you don’t see a black residue, stop polishing immediately to avoid permanent damage.

How often should you clean your bull bar?

There’s no hard and fast answer to this question. How often you should clean your bull bar depends on what you’re doing with your vehicle. If you’re always driving off-road, in the bush, or on the beach, you’ll need to clean your bar regularly – in some cases, once a week or more. You can stretch the time between cleans if you drive mostly on paved city or suburban roads.

How to clean your bull bar properly

The easy way out

Powder-coated steel makes the process of keeping bull bars clean a lot simpler. That’s just one of the reasons so many hardworking Aussies choose Bocar.

Perfect for your super-charged workhorse on the job or your liberating ride on a weekend adventure, Bocar’s products deliver ultra-tough performance and captivating good looks. If you are ready to level up your vehicle, shop Bocar’s tried-and-true range of the industry’s best bull bars today.

Published at: 20-04-2022
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