Salt Help!!!!

**theleachster** · 01-03-2006, 08:57 PM

Hello,

I recently parked my car on the lowest level of a parking ramp over New Year`s Eve. I was on-call at the hospital, so I didn`t get back to my car until 12 hours later when I found a mini-disaster. Salty water from up above had been dripping onto my car the whole time, leaving spill and spatter from the roof, down the windshield, and onto the hood. I went to a spotless car wash the next day and it barely touched it. What can I do? I know I`m not a professional or weekend detailer, but I couldn`t find answers anywhere else on the web!!

**CharlesW** · 01-03-2006, 09:14 PM

If you don`t have a way of bucket washing the vehicle, I think I would consider finding a professional in your area that does hand washes to get it cleaned up as soon as you can.
Touchless washes don`t do much and the washes with brushes usually leave some marring behind. In your case, some marring might be better than leaving the salt. Tough call.

Charles

**GregCavi** · 01-03-2006, 09:23 PM

find a buddy with a pressure washer, preferably under 1500 psi. remember to use the lightest setting possible and dont get to close to the paint. Be careful!

Greg

**Brenton** · 01-04-2006, 05:25 AM

Adding to ^^, use a slick, expensive soap and a nice mitt. It costs more to go to a hand car wash, but can be worth it.

**Bigs** · 01-04-2006, 07:20 AM

Oh man I would have flipped... Sorry to hear about that. The auto wash didn`t even work... wow... I would follow the above comments... You could also go to those do it yourself pressure washes... But be carefull with those... They are powerful. Let it soak for a while and do the rest of the car in the meantime.

Good luck!

**CharlesW** · 01-04-2006, 08:33 AM

The pressure wash would be better than leaving the salt residue, but my experience with pressure washers, (All of them), is that they still leave a film on my vehicles no matter what soap or how long I use them.
That`s why I recommended a bucket wash. Either by yourself or by a professional.

Charles

**GregCavi** · 01-04-2006, 08:57 AM

Thats a good point Charles! he might want to go to the coin op and spray off and then proceed to wash at home with a 2 bucket system.

Greg

**Mikeyc** · 01-04-2006, 12:22 PM

If this happened in a parking garage there`s an excellent chance that this is not salt at all. It could easily be lime which has leached out of the cement. I believe this may be the case if a car wash did not remove it. If it`s lime I would try some clay, polish, or maybe a vinegar solution. If those don`t work I believe TOL sells a cement remover that you could try.

**crobinso** · 01-05-2006, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesW

my experience with pressure washers, (All of them), is that they still leave a film on my vehicles no matter what soap or how long I use them.
That`s why I recommended a bucket wash. Either by yourself or by a professional.

Charles

Thanks, Charles. You just saved me several hundred dollars.

Charles :drunk:

**CharlesW** · 01-05-2006, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by crobinso

Thanks, Charles. You just saved me several hundred dollars.

Charles :drunk:

Glad it helped.
Pressure washers have their place, but they aren`t a cure-all and probably not for everyone.
I have a 6 hp, gas engine, 2200 lb. unit that is handy for cleaning decks, house siding, boats, docks, driveways, but doesn`t get used on the vehicles. It would probably be good to do wheel-wells with, but I don`t even use it for that. I just go to the DIY spray wash and hit the wheel-wells once in awhile. Actually, it is usually at the lake where it will be used. Other than cleaning the boats, it wasn`t a very necessary investment. (But I just had to have one.)

Charles

**theleachster** · 01-07-2006, 01:54 PM

Thanks for all of your input. MickeyC takes the cake, however. I tried his vinegar idea, since I don`t have access to a pressure wash, and it did the trick almost instantly. Thank you so much!!!