By Haroun Adamu
With pretty much anything—clothing, walls, floors, and so on—dark colors hide stains very well. So, consumers tend to go darker, especially when choosing manual work clothes or painting walls.
But what about your car?
Unlike clothes, darker colors do the opposite of concealing dirt and require more frequent washes to keep clean as a result.
This article will show you the best car colors to hide dirt and scratches as well as the worst ones. Let’s get to it.
Best Car Color To Hide Dirt
Car colors that are similar to common surface contaminants like dust and sand show the least dirt and are less strenuous to clean. Think of it like a camouflage effect. Aside from colors, the reflectivity and brightness of your car’s surface also help to hide contaminants.
If you’re looking for a car color that conceals dirt, here are your options:
Gold
No shade resembles dirt quite like gold. So it’s no surprise that it’s the best car color to hide dirt. It resembles the color of dirt, dust, debris, and mud that could stick to a car from driving on paved and dirt roads alike or just sitting in the garage.
Gold is also very bright, making it even more difficult for people to see the contaminants on it. Plus, the color’s pretty flashy and stylish, too, so you really can’t go wrong here.
Silver
Silver is another glamorous color that easily hides contaminants. It can make dirt, dust, and debris blend on its surface thanks to its lightness and high reflectivity. The color is also pretty common amongst car owners and does not look bad by any means.
Champagne
This shade of gold will show minimal dirt on your car while keeping its class. Like gold, champagne works superbly in hiding dirt, dust, and debris as it closely resembles these contaminants.
Light Metallic Gray
Light metallic gray is neither bright nor dull. But like silver, its lightness can do a great job concealing most contaminants that could make your car look nasty.
Light Brown
Light brown is not the first shade that comes to mind when considering a car color. But if you’re all about concealing dirt, it does a pretty good job.
White
White is not nearly the best color for hiding dirt, but it still does an okay job compared to several other colors (as you’ll see in the next section).
White paintwork can hide contaminants like dust, dirt, and water spots from polluted rainwater or impure water. It reflects the light that falls on it, giving it some sort of distraction from the contaminants and creating an illusion that the car is clean.
As already mentioned, white color does have its frailties. Mud and clay are two contaminants that tend to be very noticeable on a white car.
Worst Car Colors To Hide Dirt
Dark colors are the worst at hiding dirt. They create a stark contrast between the dirt and the car’s paintwork, making stains very obvious.
Here are some dark car colors to look out for:
Black
Black is arguably the most stylish car color you can get, especially with a matte texture. But black is also the darkest car color, which does not help hide contaminants in any way.
Most dirt is light brown and would stand out on any black paintwork. So, rainwater spots, dirt, and bird droppings would be very evident. The only exception would be road tar which is also black.
Red
Any buildup of dust on a red car would be very obvious because it is very bad at hiding dirt. However, it is not as bad as black since it can still hide mud quite well. It probably does a better job at hiding mud stains than most lighter colors.
Dark Blue
Like black, dark blue is another color that cannot really conceal any dirt.
Best Car Colors To Hide Scratches
Dirt is not the only thing you should worry about when choosing a car color. You also have to think about scratches.
Unlike dirt, it’s easier to prevent scratches to a large extent, but anything can happen. Even if you manage not to brush any obstacles, you may inadvertently leave swirl marks if you do not properly wash your car.
Working on such scratches takes time, effort, and money too. So it helps if you can limit their visibility.
Like dirt, lighter colors are the best for hiding scratches, especially white, silver, and light grey.
On the flip side, dark colors like black, navy blue, and dark grey show scratches more, especially in the light of day.
How To Keep Your Car Color Clean And Shiny
Whatever car color you have, you can keep it clean and shiny with regular maintenance. Here’s how:
Wash Your Car
Many car owners prefer to wash their cars themselves. If you’re one of them, you need to ensure you’re doing it the right way, as cleaning your car’s exterior wrongly can do more harm than good.
Ensure your microfiber wash mitt or towel is sufficiently clean before using it to wash your car. This will remove any tiny rocks and debris that may be difficult to perceive.
Always have a separate bucket around when washing your car for rinsing your wash towel or mitt. This will reduce the chances of you transferring any debris into your washing water and accidentally scratching your car.
Dry Your Car
The importance of drying your car properly cannot be overemphasized, especially if you want it to remain bright, clean, and shiny. Drying your car properly after washing will prevent water spots, which may ruin its appearance.
Wax Your Car
Waxing your car periodically can do fantastic things for its shine. It can even make a slightly faded paintwork look as good as new.
Besides making your car look glossy, wax provides an extra layer of protection against dust, dirt, and other contaminants that may cause discoloration or fade. Plus, it minimizes damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
There’s More To Choosing a Car Color Than Hiding Dirt
A color that hides dirt and scratches is undoubtedly a plus for car owners. But there are other factors to consider when choosing a car color.
The most important factor by far is personal taste. If you’re not a fan of bright colors, there’s no point in getting one. If you’d also like to get the most money when selling your car, consider getting a popular color, as they’re in much higher demand.
Whichever car color you do get (or already own), ensure to wash it properly and regularly to keep it in top condition.
FAQs
What Car Color Hides the Most Dirt?
The car colors that hide the most dirt are gold and silver. Their light hues closely resemble most vehicle contaminants, allowing them to sort of blend in with the debris. Of the two colors, gold does a better job of hiding dirt, but silver is more common and easier to get.
What Car Color Is the Hardest to Keep Clean?
The hardest color to keep clean is black because stains are too visible.
Are Black Cars More Difficult To Clean?
Black cars are not more difficult to clean. Cleaning one is just like cleaning any other car color. Black just shows more dirt and may require more frequent washes.
What Color Helps a Car Hold Its Value the Best?
The color that helps a car hold its value the best is yellow. Yellow cars depreciate at a 70% slower rate than the average neutral-painted vehicle. Though among the least popular car colors, it’s often used on sports cars and low-volume vehicles that tend to hold their value well.
Do White Cars Show Dirt More?
White cars show more dirt than their silver and grey counterparts but less than darker colors like black.
