Big time tree pollen problem...how to fix?

zoomzoom3 · 05-06-08, 10:13

OK here's the deal, my wife's Hyundai Santa Fe really needed to be cleaned up since it sits outside all the time. Tree pollen around here has been horrendous since we went from winter straight into summer practically overnight. It hadn't been washed in about 2 weeks and had about a 1/16" layer of pollen covering it. It was so bad that you couldn't hardly see any silver (car's color) only greenish yellow. I figured since this stuff was so bad I needed a strong shampoo, so I washed with CG's Citrus wash & a grout sponge. After I was done with the first wash, there was a greenish yellow haze all over the paint still, so I gave it another go with the Citrus wash, but the haze is still there. I've never seen pollen do anything like this, so what do you all think I should do next to get rid of it? I was thinking of using clay and then a polish with UDM & Pinnacle XMT #1. Will that get rid of the haze?

Mark77 · 05-06-08, 11:20

It sounds weird, pollen is annoying but easy to get rid of usually. How does it feel on the paint? Can you take a picture? You could always try clay, paint cleaner or what ever on a small area first and see if it works.

spendyg · 05-07-08, 11:53

I live in the DC Metro area and can attest to the bad pollen this time of year. Any vehicle that I leave parked in my driveway will get the same thing you describe if left unwashed for any lengthy period of time. I'm not sure if it the trees around my home or just the sheer quantity, but after having an experience or two of what you are describing, I try not to go without washing the exposed vehicle for more than a few days.

Polishing will remove the haze. I think I used Megs. 80 on my application for removal.

bill57 · 05-07-08, 08:23

According to a post in a previous thread (search "pollen"), Matrix Micro Coating is a product that pollen doesn't stick to. I have not used it yet, but intend to try it.

WashCrazy · 05-07-08, 08:52

I washed my car and a day later it had a nice layer of pollen on it. Spring is here!

zoomzoom3 · 05-07-08, 09:26

Well, I used the blue clay magic bar on it and that did the trick.

The pollen has been so bad here that I'm going to have to power wash the deck and siding on my house, it's all coated with green. It's been bad this year b/c one day it was flurrying and then the next, BAM 80 degrees.

fergnation · 05-07-08, 09:49

I can't believe just how bad the pollen is this year. I have seen it collect immediately on cars this spring. I work around a bunch of trees and it seems to just be in the air constantly.
I can wash a car and the opposite side by the time I am done will already have it on the paint. I love the fact that I can use ONR because it is so damn easy to wash a car now. But trying to keep so many black cars perfectly clean has been a bummer this year do to the pollen.

Also, I showed up to a Drophead Coupe that had little white flowers totally covering it today. We had some wind yesterday that blew most of the Dogwood blooms off the branches. To add to it, last night it had rained a little bit and then was kind of sunny this morning. The blooms had gotten wet and stuck to almost every inch of this car. I had just detailed it the day before because it was going to be filmed yesterday. Now today I spent another seven hours on it just trying to get those damn white petals off of it. Those things act like they were put on by glue and allowed to dry under a heat lamp.