In this episode of “Adventures in Detailing” we will be tackling the problem of contaminant removal.
“I’ve got spots all over my car. What do I do?”
The first step is identifying your contaminant.
- Do you know where the spots came from?
- If you don’t, are the spots like rings? If so, they might be hard water spots, usually from sprinklers or another source of city water where the minerals have set into the paint.
- Are they rust colored? If the spots are industrial fallout, they will stand out the most on white paint & on silver you will probably be able to see them. On most other colors, you may not even notice they are there. What is “industrial fallout”? Either you’ve been under metal appliances or piping or there’s been some construction somewhere in the area & the cutting or grinding of metal has caused little metal particles to drift on the wind & find their way to your vehicle.
- Are they a different color? Colored spots are usually paint overspray, often from someone spray painting a fence or house or something similar somewhere in the area. The wind picks up or shifts & all of a sudden your vehicle is covered in spots.
- Did you park next to bushes or trees? Yellow or clearish spots could be pollen or tree sap.
- Are the spots black? If they aren’t black paint over spray and you traveled over a newly paved road, you could have tar on your paint, especially if the spots are located on the sides behind the tires.
- Is the contaminant white or yellow behind the tires or in the wheel wells? Is there just as much splatter as spots? Chances are this is road paint that you went over before it was fully dry.
- Are the spots irregular, hard & rough? Maybe off white or sand colored with maybe a little black speckle? This could be concrete, or cement if not hardened.
“So what can I do about them?”
Now that we (hopefully) know what they are we have a better chance at taking care of them expeditiously.
- Hard water spots? A store bought chemical wash (automotive water spot remover for paint. remember to follow the instructions**) is probably best. Though for light spots, you can probably get away with a white vinegar solution (maybe 50% vinegar/50% water) or a rubbing compound or compound wax. Tougher spots might require first the chemical wash & then a rubbing compound. If you can’t get it done with that combination, it’s quite possible your paint has actually been etched by acid rain or something similar. Consult a professional.
- Industrial fallout, paint over spray, still not sure what your spots are? Try the claybar with lubricant.
- tar-like unknown substance? try a degreaser first, then claybar, acetone (carefully**), & compound. If none of those work, consult a professional.
- sap? Try a sap removal product or a citrus cleaner. Step up to acetone if you need to.
- road paint? Try to peel it off or use claybar. If you have a lot or it’s too difficult I would suggest taking it to a professional. This job may take too long & the fumes from a strong solvent could be hazardous to your health. If it doesn’t peel off or come off easily with claybar, let a professional handle it.
- cement? This is the one that you are most likely to scratch your paint with. If you decide to tackle it yourself though, use some white vinegar to try to melt the lyme & break up the concrete. This could be a very time consuming procedure. You can also try to pick it off by getting under an edge & lifting up away from the paint. This is another one that I find most people will prefer to take to a professional.
Feel free to contact me if you decide to do any of these & need suggestions or directions.
As always, best wishes & happy detailing!
**Perform this procedure in the shade & neutralize the solution afterwards with soap & water and wipe dry. On a dark colored paint wipe softly when you apply the solution. It may still leave light scratches. Use a rubbing compound to remove the scratches.
