PURPOSE: To provide a protective film which has outstanding protective performance, can be easily peeled off and is suitable for use as a temporary surface protective film for an automobile body, consisting of a double structure composed of a water-soluble film layer and a wax coating layer.

CONSTITUTION: The surface of an automobile body 1 composed of a substrate (a) having a coat (b) on its surface is undercoated with a water-soluble resin compsn. (e.g. polyvinylpyrrolidone) to form a water-soluble film layer (C). After drying the layer (c), a wax coating agent is applied to the surface of the layer (c) to form a wax coating layer (d), thus obtaining a surface protective film 2 having a double-layer structure. The surface of an automobile body having surface protective film 2 can be protected through the wax coating layer (d) from being damaged and stained by dust, iron powder, etc. during transportation and outdoor storage. The wax coating layer (d) adheres to the layer (c). However, the layer (d) is lipophilic and the layer (c) is hydrophilic so that the wax cannot pass through the layer (c) to directly affect the coat (b).