Little Black Dots

[GothamAuto]

I am hoping to get some answers on this issue once and for all.

I occasionally get a customer bring me their car that is covered in these little black dots. I know that it is something organic, but I have not been able to find an answer for what they are.

They are little black dots that are raised up from the paint and are stuck to the surface. You can pop the black part off, but it leaves behind a small brown residue that is very difficult to remove. I have heard that it`s seeds from a maple tree, and I have heard that it`s residue from when they make mulch. Washing doesn`t work, claying doesn`t work, it just pops the seed(?) off. Alcohol doesn`t work. Paint thinner doesn`t work....

Does anyone know what I am talking about? Anyone else ever see this?

[Poorboy]

yes, it is a northern problem and it is a type of sap. I usually do an APC wash and then polish with Pro Polish. An abraisive polish won`t due here, it must be a chemical polish / paint cleaner. :)

[JohnHenry]

Sounds like Artillery Mold to me.

Artillery Fungus - Tips & Tricks for Pressure Washers (http://sunbrite.stores.yahoo.net/fungusremoval.html)

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/artfungus/artilleryfungus.htm

I treated them like road tar for decades until I realized that the specks appeared in places one would not expect to find tar. Regardless of what they are, they`re a bear to remove.

I use the old car wash, fingernail, mild polish routine.

Good luck!

[Mr. Gloss]

I have that on my car. It`s from the honeylocust trees that surround the parking lot.

The gardener calls it slime flux.

[Dubbin1]

Sounds like Artillery Mold to me.

Artillery Fungus - Tips & Tricks for Pressure Washers (http://sunbrite.stores.yahoo.net/fungusremoval.html)

Artillery fungus disease factsheet (http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/artfungus/artilleryfungus.htm)

I treated them like road tar for decades until I realized that the specks appeared in places one would not expect to find tar. Regardless of what they are, they`re a bear to remove.

I use the old car wash, fingernail, mild polish routine.

Good luck!

I agree with it being artillery fungus.

[Mr. Gloss]

There are different scenarios. Where I park there is no mulch, it`s river stone.

Ask the customer where they park. That may lead you to the answer.

[GothamAuto]

Riverstone? Just looked it up. It looks like it`s, well, stone. Can you elaborate a little?

The Artillery Fungus sounds spot (no pun intended) on. I have had a couple of cars like this in over the years, and I always HATE working on them. Thanks to JohnHenry for the answer. The next car that came in was about to "accidentally" go up in flames.

On a side note. The last car that came in on Friday that had this stuff on it was parked next to another car that had it all over as well at a local performance shop that I do work with. One of the guys that worked there owned the other car and took care of it, good coat of wax, regularly clayed it, etc. The dots came right off his car. GO WAX!

[Mr. Gloss]

I can elaborate. Stone mulch makes a difficult habitat for Artillery fungi to exist. Most vehicles in the parking lot have the black dots on the paint. The parking lot is populated with the honeylocust trees. (Tree Islands)


Lately, the appearance of Artillery fungi has been associated with wood mulch (versus bark mulch) and the increased use of wood products in potting media. Composting of these products prior to incorporation into media is encouraged to prompt the growth of beneficial antagonistic organisms. Also, the use of gravel mulch, stone, pea gravel, and black plastic next to buildings instead of using wood products will help reduce the problem. If wood products are used, the addition of about 3 cm of fresh mulch to cover old mulch each year may lessen the problem. Use of bark products, rather than wood products, may also lessen the fungal spread.

Taken from the website provided by John.


I`ll get a close up picture if I can find a ladder.