Strange Cleaning Question

MsMiranda · 09-25-06, 04:14

Hi all,

I have a few interesting questions. I write for an online publication and they have asked me to write a piece on car cleaning ... but there's a bit of a twist.

They'd like me to explain how to clean items such as eggs, shaving cream, silly string, pumpkins, wet toilet paper, toothpaste, and any other item a young kid might throw at my car during Halloween festivities, off my car!

If anyone has any tips or special products needed to clean such products off a car without damaging the paint, I'd really appreciate the info!

If you'd rather email or PM, please do - research on this subject has come up a little dry online, and I don't know if I'm ready to subject my Subie to the Halloween madness for research sake!!

Thanks in advance!

- MsMiranda

Grouse · 09-25-06, 04:26

Those products will likely damage the paint by themselves, at that point it is simply a basic autopian wash and maybe a claybar.

click the link in my sig. besure to give credit to autopia where it is do.

chml17l · 09-25-06, 04:38

Egg shells can crack and chip the paint. No amount of regular cleaning will repair this kind of damage. Depending on the severity, repainting may be your only option.

MsMiranda · 09-25-06, 04:53

Autopia will definitely appear with the article .. all resources I use are listed at the end of the piece!

I know it's not an easy piece ... any product suggestions would be great too (brands etc.)

Thanks again!

- MsMiranda

DaGonz · 09-25-06, 05:28

Eggs thrown at a vehicle: the force of the throw and the rotation of the egg as it is thrown will cause the eggshell too shatter , and the paintwork to chip. The conntents of the egg itself arehighy acidic and will etch the paintwork

Silly string should be removed as soon as possible, as a combination of silly string and warm temperatures will cause staining of the paintwork.

As a matter of fact, the sale of Silly String was banned in my community after a Labor Day parade where silly strting was sprayed on fire trucks and police cruisers in the parade. One police cruiser had to be repainted due to the damage!

Shaving cream will also etch paint if left on the finish for any length of time.

If you live in a neighborhood where the little "darlings" tend to be "merry pranksters"

, your best bet is to keep the car in a garage!

jaobrien6 · 09-25-06, 05:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by chml17l

Egg shells can crack and chip the paint. No amount of regular cleaning will repair this kind of damage. Depending on the severity, repainting may be your only option.

Yup, this happened to me one halloween... the shells chipped the paint and the primer, it was down to bare metal in some spots.

Most of the stuff on the list isn't that hard to clean off the car at all, a normal wash will take it right off, usually. The problem in most of these situations is that the paint can get stained or etched if the substance sits on the paint for too long. In these situations, getting it washed off ASAP is the most important thing.

MsMiranda · 09-25-06, 08:26

Thank-you all for the info/advice/suggestions so far!

Keep 'em coming! (please

)

- MsMiranda

benvegas · 09-25-06, 10:30

However, TOILET PAPER will not hurt your car! (Unless it is used)

MsMiranda · 09-26-06, 07:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by benvegas

However, TOILET PAPER will not hurt your car! (Unless it is used)

LOL I'm talking about wet, balled up toilet paper projectiles that'll dry on your car over night!

Mind you ... used TP would just be disgusting ... I don't think I'd be able to use my car after that ....

- MsMiranda

bjackson8 · 09-26-06, 08:10

I have personal experience with silly string on the interior of a car. (My interior got hit at my wedding on a 110 degree day)

If it has melted in the heat, about the only thing you can do is sell the car, nothing that I tried would remove it.

MsMiranda · 09-26-06, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjackson8

I have personal experience with silly string on the interior of a car. (My interior got hit at my wedding on a 110 degree day)

If it has melted in the heat, about the only thing you can do is sell the car, nothing that I tried would remove it.

Yikes

was it the die from the string - like a colour left on the fabric, or just something chemical in the stuff that left an oil-like stain?

I guess you have a constant reminder of your wedding day every time you drive, eh? That's not so bad ...

- MsMiranda

Lightman · 09-26-06, 10:06

Since there isn't a specific set of cleaning products geared toward the items you've described as potential attackers to your paint, I'd recommend steering the article toward a proper autopian wash, talking about the potential damage those items can inflict, and in the event of abovementioned items coming into contact with the paint, stress that the best answer is to wash ASAP. I don't think there are any miracle fixes you might be looking for, like taking peanut butter to remove gum from hair, etc...