Did you know that your car has enemies? All that shiny red, white, blue, black, or purple paint has detractors that you might be unaware of. No, we’re not talking about internet trolls, or jealous neighbors. These enemies are impersonal forces that need to be dealt with, and dealt with properly. Enemies of the paint they are. And these enemies can cause damage – sometimes irreparable damage – to the finish on your ride.
Just so you are aware of what foes might be lurking around the corner (or in your driveway), here is a list of enemies to the paint on your car, truck, or SUV and what you might do to avoid or amend them.
1. Too much sun
Too much time in the sun is neither good for your skin or your car’s finish. In Denver, a city that is warm and bright, well, really warm and extremely bright, UV rays can cause oxidation and fading of the paint, later leading to cracking. So…
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Avoid parking in direct sunlight
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Amend by keeping your car in a garage, carport, or parking structure.
2. All that ice
On the other hand, we also have a climate where snow and ice is the norm instead of the sun and heat, you know what it is like to scrape your windshield. Scraping the paint? Not such a good idea. You can cause a lot of damage to the paint finish with that scraper or with a broom or brush. Just clean the windshield and windows, nothing else.
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Avoid scraping and chiseling on painted surfaces and try not to brush directly against the paint surface.
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Park in a garage or carport. If that is not an option, you can buy a windshield ice cover, and also allow your car to warm up before clearing snow and ice and be gentle. Scratches caused by rough snow and ice removal are a pain to repair.
3. Tree Sap
Dripping maple trees are good for syrup, not so good for your car’s paint finish. The sap may not damage the paint directly, but it can be difficult to remove if left for long.
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Avoid tree sap by paying attention to where you park. Maple trees, pine trees, and any others that tend to be sappy should not be used as parking shelters.
4. Bird droppings
Those little bird bombs can be corrosive to your car’s clear coat. If they are left on for long, they will eat into the surface and cause damage.
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Avoid by, again, paying attention to where you park.
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Clean bird spots as soon as possible with quick detailer or a product designed to emulsify contaminants like bird poo. Be careful to avoid rubbing or abrading the paint.
5. Bug guts
Just like tree sap, bug splatter on your hood or bumper can be tricky to remove if left for too long, and they can damage the clear coat. If the guts get enough time to bake into the clear.
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Avoid damage from bugs by keeping a coat of wax on the paint. This makes removal easier. Do not rub or abrade the surface.
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Clean the deposits as soon as possible with bug and tar remover.
6. Road tar
You can find this sticky, black substance on the bottoms of your doors and rocker panels once it has been slung by the tires from the ground. Tar will not directly damage the paint, but careless removal might.
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Avoid problems with road tar by keeping the paint waxed. This helps with removal.
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First clean the entire vehicle to remove dirt and debris. Follow up with bug and tar remover and a fresh coat of wax.
7. Rail dust
“Rail dust” is a term used to describe dust that has high iron content which, when deposited on your paint surface, can cause a rusty orange discoloration. The dirt embeds itself into the paint and begins to corrode. The condition is common around railroad tracks (where track debris mixes with the dust on the road), thus the name. But the condition can be present anywhere. It even occurs with brake dust from metallic brake pads.
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Avoid contamination by keeping the paint waxed and washed regularly.
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Remove the deposits with a clay bar after washing or by letting me see the car.
8. Regular Dust
Rail dust is not the only dust that hurts the paint. In fact, regular old dust is more common and causes more damage. Think of a dirt road, would you drag a rock from said road along your paint? That's essentially what you're doing when you wipe dust off a car.
Avoid dry dusting the paint with a cloth or even a “duster”. A car should always be cleaned with soap and water after rinsing off the dust, dirt, and debris. Also, do not rub the dust with your finger. Tracing a smiley face or “wash me” will etch lines into the clear coat that can only be corrected out.
Rinse and wash with soap and water. If the paint is scratched by fingers in the dust, call me.
9. Water spots and acid rain
Yes, acid rain is a thing. Pollutants in the air cause cloud condensation to have a lower pH level. That means the rain can be acidic – a problem for your car’s clear coat. Water left to dry on the surface, combined with the sun’s rays, can etch the paint. This can happen with certain types of hard water as well.
Avoid acid rain damage by washing your car as soon as possible after it rains. This is especially necessary in urban environments where pollution levels are higher. A coat of wax, Ceramic/Graphene coating, and/or clear bra will help water to bead off the paint and protect acid rain from easily digging in.
Wash and wax often. A clay bar may remove deposits. If damage has occurred to the clearcoat, I may need to correct the paint surface.
10. Eggs, shaving cream, and silly string
These prank-related car paint poisons all cause damage and discoloration to the paint surface.
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Avoid damage by keeping your car waxed so that the enzymes and chemicals in these contaminants will not quickly eat into the paint. You might also want to avoid actual enemies who might pull one of these pranks.
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Clean off the contaminants as soon as possible – hopefully before it dries. If the concussion of an egg scratches or chips the paint, a body shop may be needed for repairs.
11. Spilled drinks
Coffee and cola are acidic and could, possibly damage paint. At least, some folks believe so. Cars of the past were affected by more materials than those of today. Modern clearcoats (from the factory) are pretty tough. But placing anything on your paint surface, like a coffee cup, is not a good idea anyways.
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Avoid setting items or spilling liquids on the paint. If you want the paint to last, treat it with respect.
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Clean as soon as possible to prevent contamination (coffee and soda are more detrimental to interior surfaces).
12. Fuel drippings
Gasoline dribbled on the paint surface when you are filling up will sometimes cause staining. This is more common with a panel that has been repainted than with a factory finish. Still, it is good practice to clean up fuel spills on your car.
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Avoid spilling fuel in the first place.
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Wipe off or blott the surface carefully with a towel. Do not rub and scratch the paint. If the paint does stain, I may be able to correct the clear to remove the stain. Otherwise, repainting may be necessary.
13. Brake fluid and other chemicals
As with spilled drinks, chemicals do not usually tarnish the clear coat finishes of today’s cars – unless left untreated for long periods of time. Brake fluid is detrimental to re-painted surfaces and to older cars.
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Avoid leaving spilled brake fluid or other chemicals on the paint surface.
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Blott with an absorbent towel and cleaning with soap and water.
14. Line paint and overspray
These contaminants are among the most difficult to deal with. If you drive over a freshly-painted white or yellow line on the road, or if you drive through (or park near) a cloud of paint overspray, the resulting deposits can be tricky to remove.
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Avoid driving over traffic lines that have been recently painted or parking near any outdoor spray painting.
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I may need to correct the paint in order to fix the issue. Light overspray may be treated with a clay bar, soap, and water. Heavier overspray or line paint may need far more significant work to avoid permanent clear coat damage.
15. Marring and scuffing
Whatever term you choose, one issue is caused by some kind of impact or abrasion that makes a slight impression or smearing of the surface of the clearcoat. The other issue relates to the same type of incident that instead leaves behind material from the other object. So, in one case, the clear coat is damaged; in the other, a mark is left behind, for instance, by contact with a yellow post (where yellow paint is rubbed onto the clearcoat).
Avoid running into yellow posts and watch where you park.
I may need to professionally correct the damaged area.
16. Swirl marks
This problem refers to marks left behind by a coarse or dirty towel when washing or waxing your car.
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Avoid using coarse bath towels to dry your car after washing or towels that remain unclean after the last car wash. Also, avoid a lot of circular motions when washing or waxing.
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Use soft microfiber towels to dry the paint surface after washing. If swirl marks are present, a coat of wax might fill them in. Otherwise, I will need to correct the paint.
17. Rock chips
This problem can be tough to avoid. Rock chips happen when rocks and, well, stones are flung at your car’s paint by your tires or by other vehicles. Most of the time, stone chips extend below the surface of the clearcoat and cannot be remedied at home. Paint Protection Film can protect against this issue, if you have it installed before exposure to rock chips.
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Avoid driving quickly on gravel roads or driveways. Other than that, don’t drive too closely to other vehicles and hope to stay out of the asteroid belt.
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Apply a bit of touch-up paint with a small brush. Stay in the lines. This is not a solution; it is only a temporary cover-up intended to disguise stone chips. The only real remedy is to have the panel repainted.
18. Abrasives
Using anything abrasive on your car’s paint is a no no. This includes plastic brushes (intended for tires and wheel wells), paper towels, SOS pads, fingernails, and the like. If you need to remove sap, tar, or any other foreign substance from the paint surface, follow the tips listed in this article or let me look at the vehicle. Otherwise, you could cause damage that is costly to repair.
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Avoid the abrasive approaches above. Use appropriate cleaners and methods to remove contaminants on your clearcoat.
19. Dish soap
What? Dish soap? Yep. Dish soap is not a suitable cleaning agent for an automobile. It can strip off any protective coatings on your paint.
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Avoid simply, using dish soap to wash your car. It may be cheap and available, but it is not recommended.
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Simply use a pH balanced car wash soap to clean the exterior of your car.
Many confrontations with the enemies of your car’s paint can, and should, be handled on a regular basis. As your car’s caretaker, you can clean most contaminants yourself with a little research and the proper materials.
On the other hand, if the problems are significant, or if you find that your (mild) treatment is not working, don’t hesitate to invest in professional detailing from Sargents detail.
