I think I`ve met my match

**Snowballz** · 05-06-2016, 01:23 AM

Today I was going to detail a Ford focus. It was filthy with what looked like just the usual road grime. It definitely is not road grime. A normal wash with a pressure washer didn`t do anything. I tried clay next, nothing. Grabbed a mild abrasive, meguiars ultimate compound and tried by hand, nothing. I only have a random orbital at the moment, so I tried that. It started to break it up after holding it in the same spot for about a minute. I ran to the store and grabbed some all purpose and a bug and tar foam pad. After a lot of elbow grease and spraying it 4 times, scrubbing, and rinsing, it was coming off. It is doing a number on the paint as far as swirls though.

What else can I try? The all purpose seemed to eat into whatever it is on the paint. I`m most likely running out to pick up a rotary in the next day or so (I know how to use them) and need to find some foam pads.

If it helps, it looks like dark red clay, very similar color to tar after you remove the black chunks with a clay bar

**Nautical** · 05-06-2016, 06:06 AM

Try some Tarminator or another type of tar remover and see if that does it. Not sure if that`s something that would be available locally given your location, though.

**Mike lambert** · 05-06-2016, 06:54 AM

You need to get that off before you go at it with a machine, you`re just clogging up your pads and grinding it into the paint. Try 90 percent alcohol, if it is some kind of sap that will work. At the grocery store you can find a citrus cleaner , try that also with your apc. Good luck!

**ShaneB** · 05-06-2016, 07:13 AM

Make sure to give whatever cleaner you use plenty of time to dwell. Tar removers need a few minutes of dwell time to really be effective

**Justins00ss** · 05-06-2016, 07:25 AM

Honestly get some iron-x and a medium grade nanoskin pad for your machine. The nanoskin pad will make quick work of it.

**Accumulator** · 05-06-2016, 11:44 AM

For the second time within *one minute* I`m gonna mention Decontamination Chemicals like ValuGard`s "A" and FK1119....I`m generally all about chemical cleaning as opposed to aggressive mechanical cleaning.

**Snowballz** · 05-07-2016, 06:17 PM

Thank you all for the advice so far. I went out and got Rustoleum Wax and Tar remover. I washed the car to get rid of any loose surface grit and then followed the directions on the bottle. After letting it sit for 5 minutes and wiping it dry, it didn`t do a thing!

Here`s a picture to show you what I`m trying to remove. You can see the front fender is clean after scrubbing the hell out of it with super clean and a bug scrub pad. I`m going to need to hit it with compound and polish later once this crap is gone.

**ShawnF350** · 05-07-2016, 06:47 PM

That looks like Artillary or Shotgun Fungus. Someone just had an issue with it the other day.
I think they said baking soda and water works on removing it.

**Snowballz** · 05-07-2016, 06:57 PM

A fungus would make sense with how much rain we get out here. Going to give this a try, thank you!

EDIT: I just used it and it removes those few spots in the picture quite easily. It didn`t change a thing on the brown staining.

**DBAILEY** · 05-08-2016, 01:39 AM

Is it dried concrete slurry water? Like Accumulator has mentioned already the FK1 FK1119 is acid based and may take care of that. There are concrete specific removers based on muriatic acid. Romix Back-Set Concrete remover is one that I know of

**Snowballz** · 05-08-2016, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by DBAILEY

Is it dried concrete slurry water? Like Accumulator has mentioned already the FK1 FK1119 is acid based and may take care of that. There are concrete specific removers based on muriatic acid. Romix Back-Set Concrete remover is one that I know of

I looked into buying the FK decontamination kit but they can`t ship it by air. Unless someone knows where to find it on Oahu, I can`t do that one. Something like megs all wheel cleaner is still too strong for paint even if it`s wet right? I don`t want to ruin the finish

**EXPDetailing** · 05-08-2016, 10:17 AM

It looks like it needs an iron remover, to me. When brakes go metal-to-metal, the aftermath shows up much later on the paint.

**Accumulator** · 05-08-2016, 11:37 AM

Snowballz- The shipping restrictions sound like a hassle! Ford dealers oughta have the ValuGard stuff available. Do the guys at PakShak have anything that might work?

I`d be really careful about any outside-the-box approaches. Wheels are generally have a *much* sturdier finish than conventional clearcoat and products that are safe for wheels can be *VERY* bad for regular clearcoat.

Originally Posted by DBAILEY

Is it dried concrete slurry water? Like Accumulator has mentioned already the FK1 FK1119 is acid based and may take care of that. There are concrete specific removers based on muriatic acid. Romix Back-Set Concrete remover is one that I know of

I`m pretty sure that the FK1119 is the *alkaline* step, not the acidic one. Forget the pn for their second/acidic product, I don`t use it as a guy who worked for FK warned me not to.