Some awful substance on the paint.

[RavenFan_94]

Ok, so I am driving home and few cans of something falls out of the rear of a contractors truck. By some act of pulp fiction, the cans missing me. It was like a Star Wars movie when the stars go zooming by...

Anyhow some clear liquid is all over the car, completely covering the front of the nose the windshield, hood you name it. I tried to clean it off, used the clay bar and the stuff is going nowhere.

I used acetone on the windshield and it took it away withouth incident. Can I use acetone on the painted surfaces of the car? Any affect on the clear coat?

 

[RavenFan_94]

I searched the Web pretty well regarding acetone and automotive finishes without luck. There is tons of info about adding it to gasoline to increase fuel mileage. Not so interested in that right now.

 

[HSSSTOY]

..I would not use acetone on paint finish. Try using a car wax!!

 

[ViperTony]

Try washing the car with Dawn dish soap...it takes off wax maybe it'll help?

 

[grcforce327]

Try a strong cleaner wax like Meguiars!Available at Advance auto and other stores too.

Meguiar's Direct Cleaner Wax - Liquid

 

[RavenFan_94]

Thanks. I had some Meguiars cleaner wax on hand. No way Dawn is getting it off. I'm scared of the acetone on the clearcut. There seems to be conflicting advice on the Web. Oh well, off to the body shop on Monday. This hurts.

 

[vip06]

Try simple green thats purple. Mix with little water and let soak on the area then use a good scrub brush and some pressure. It took black paint of my white pickup beter than the body shop did. Then wash the area good and re wax it

 

[xjrguy]

Try WD40.

I got chewing gum all over the rearend of my Cobra due to the back tire.

I put some WD40 on a rag and it took all of it off, and no paint problems.

Now, I know your substance is different than chewing gum, but WD40 didn't mess up my paint and it's worth a shot.

 

[RavenFan_94]

good call, I'll try the WD... I want to use the acetone but I know I am just asking for a problem.

 

[toomanymodz]

If the WD works, then you'll want to wash that off with Dawn dish soap. Then re-wax it. Good luck.

 

[29OUTLAW]

Detatured alcohol should take it off and it will not remove the paint.

 

[dave6666]

Do NOT use acetone! It will REMOVE your paint!

Try 3M Adhesive Remover.

 

[plumcrazy]

goo gone might work too but i bet WD40 does it for ya

 

[GBS]

As already sugguested I would dry denatured alcohol. You could even try it deluted with water instead of full strengh. It will take all the wax off you paint so you will need to wax it afterwards.

 

[Dave Moore]

Try that "Bug and Tar" remover stuff...unless you have clear bra on the car

 

[RavenFan_94]

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions. Goo gone, bug and tar remover won't budge it. WD-40 looks like it may break it up but it takes about 10 minutes of work per quarter size area and I have to do a 25% of the car.

Alchohol is next, then off to the to the body shop in the morning. T

 

[Kmrumedy]

Any chance you can find one of those cans that went whizzing by and figure out what s on your car?

 

[VIPER 93]

Paint thinner should work, I have used it in the past.

 

[Nader]

Not sure I would put paint thinner on a car. I would just get the right answer from a body shop before putting something that might ruin the paint job all together.

 

[adg44]

Holy crap there is some horrible advice being given here.

If your clay bar didn't work, you need to move onto a solvent. There are only a few solvents that you should use on your paint.

You want to start with the least strength product first and then move on up there.

A great spot cleaning product for tar and other sorts of things is Stoner "Tarminator". It's not too harsh, and it's in an easy to use spray can:

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That will probably be the easiest to find locally (Advance auto parts, etc).

Next I would try Automotive International/ValuGard New Car Prep:

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You can buy that here: New Car Prep - quart - Automotive International

Finally, and the strongest solvent you'll find, is 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner. I just ran out of mine (I've had it for 5 years though), and it will pretty much remove anything you have on your paint. Some words of caution, it contains xylene, which soem studies show can micro-crack the clear coat. You can't see it with your bare eyes, but under microscopes, some people have noticed this. I have used it and never seen a problem, so I don't think there is much to worry about.

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You can purchase it directly through 3M, or you may be able to find it locally, or have it ordered through a paint/detailing supply shop.

3M Aerospace : 3Mâ„¢ General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, 08984, 1 Quart (US), 6 per case

Good luck, and just remember, don't do anything you aren't sure about. If you can't wait to order a product above, or just want to get it done, take it to a detailing shop.

- Anthony

 

[SylvanSRT]

i would definetly try the cleaner/wax first

 

[RavenFan_94]

Thanks Guys. Anythony I will go with your suggestions. I'm guessing that acetone is beyond what I should put on clear coat? It took the stuff of the windshield really quick.

I wish I would have stopped to get the cans. The stuff was clear so I figured it to be water or something harmless till it dried like contact cement. I appreciate the feedback, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[adg44]

Thanks Guys. Anythony I will go with your suggestions. I'm guessing that acetone is beyond what I should put on clear coat? It took the stuff of the windshield really quick.

I wouldn't. I think either of the three products above will remove the substance from the paint.

How far away are you from Northern VA? If you want to head down this way, I have all those products at my house.

- Anthony

 

[Bobpantax]

I have used odorless mineral spirits on small areas to remove stubborn spots. I have also seen body shops do the same thing. However, if I were you, since your problem involves 25% of your car, I would not experiment. I would just bring the car into a competent high end body shop who have handled similar incidents. You will probably see them pull out the 3M product referred to above or a can of mineral spirits ( which is also a weak paint thinner ) and remove the offending substance. It must be some form of fast drying glue.

 

[RavenFan_94]

Yeah for sure. Thanks for the thoughtful posts guys. I'm going to take it into the body shop in the morning.

 

[adg44]

Yeah for sure. Thanks for the thoughtful posts guys. I'm going to take it into the body shop in the morning.

Careful with body shops - often times they don't have a lot of detailers. I would find a high end detailing store and take it there. Just my $.02...

- Anthony

 

[RavenFan_94]

Thanks Anthony. I appreciate your advice.

 

[ViperTony]

Raven, any chance you could go back to the scene and try to find those flying cans just to see what actually landed on your car? It may help whomever you take your car to.

 

[RavenFan_94]

Was about 6 hours into the drive in North Carolina. The scene of the crime will never be found. Bummer.

 

[dave6666]

Holy crap there is some horrible advice being given here.

*** is your problem? All you did was basically repeat what everybody else has been saying, but with pics and links.

And now it's word, because YOU said it?