The Affordable Product That Can Help Maintain Your Car's Rubber Seals

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The various rubber seals in and around your car are vital for keeping the many cruds and contaminants of the world firmly outside of your vehicle. Whether it's rain from a storm, dust and pollen in the spring, or even harmful fumes and smoke from a fire, it's all on those rubber seals to keep it away. It should go without saying, then, that it's of the utmost importance that you keep them maintained.

Without proper upkeep, your car's rubber seals will start to wear and crack. Not only does this mean you could start getting water on your head when driving in a storm, but it could also increase the potential of hazards like ice accumulation on windshields, sudden electrical surges or mold growth inside the car. Thankfully, you don't need anything particularly fancy or expensive to keep those seals strong and supple. The only thing you do need is a can of spray-on silicone sealant.

In addition to keeping your rubber seals clean with some plain old water and a mild soap, a periodic spray of silicone sealant will go a long way toward keeping them strong for years to come.

Normally, the rubber seals on your car are regularly subjected to wear and tear from both the intense heat of the sun and battering by the elements. As environmental damage wears the seals then and heat dries them out, they become rigid and cracked. Water and fumes can already start seeping in at this point, and if they take any more damage, they'll break completely.

Spraying on a silicone sealant has two major benefits for your rubber seals: first, they help to keep the rubber material firm, yet supple. It's kind of like applying Chapstick to your lips; the seals are able to hold their form against the rigors of use, but are still flexible enough that they won't be damaged by small impacts or dried out by sunlight. That brings us to the second benefit: the protective layer. Spraying on a silicone sealant creates a protective film between the seals and the world, helping them to better repel water and contaminants.

You can get a can of silicone spray off of Amazon for around $9. If you'd prefer a brand you know a little better, WD-40 makes its own silicone lubricant spray, which you can find for a similar price at hardware stores like Home Depot. Make sure you use the specialist silicone spray, though, as WD-40's usual multi-purpose spray can damage rubber seals.