Used Oven Cleaner

**soup** · 06-11-2002, 11:06 PM

I have a question for those who may be able to help.

I used Oven cleaner to scrape off another vechicles paint off of my car over a year ago. My paint looked perfect afterwards. Recently it has deteriorated after 1 year later to looking horrible. Is this normal that the paint would look fine until a year later, or do you thing somebody hit me in the exact spot while I was parked again.

This is important because I have used Oven cleaner a little more recently on my other car and my paint looks normal 3 months past, but I am worried it may be messed up 1 year from now. Any suggestions? Thanks

**VetteToVair** · 06-11-2002, 11:15 PM

what exactly did you do/use?

**samiam513** · 06-11-2002, 11:22 PM

Did you use the oven cleaner on just one area? If so, and only that specific area has dulled or whatever then you have your answer.

**soup** · 06-11-2002, 11:24 PM

I applied easy off oven cleaner and wiped away the other person`s paint off the car.

I am worried that the effects dont appear until a year later, and am wondering if there is anything I can do to protect the area from deterioration. I waxed over it after washing the oven cleaner off, and this was about 3 months ago. Thanks.

BTW-I know I probably shouldnt have used oven cleaner, now.

**medic** · 06-12-2002, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by Silver

I applied easy off oven cleaner and wiped away the other person`s paint off the car.

I am worried that the effects dont appear until a year later, and am wondering if there is anything I can do to protect the area from deterioration. I waxed over it after washing the oven cleaner off, and this was about 3 months ago. Thanks.

BTW-I know I probably shouldnt have used oven cleaner, now.

I doubt the oven cleaner had anything to do with it if you didn`t see any effects between when you applied it any a year later. The effect should be gradual and something you can notice. Pics would help if you can post any.

Btw, what was the logic behind oven cleaner in the first place? Not criticizing, just wondering if there was some reason you chose oven cleaner to take off paint.

**shaf** · 06-12-2002, 12:51 AM

Originally posted by medic

Btw, what was the logic behind oven cleaner in the first place? Not criticizing, just wondering if there was some reason you chose oven cleaner to take off paint.

I know it works for totally stripping the paint off of plastic model cars (enamel) if you screw up... like I did once. :p Can`t remember where I learned that. The only thing is, it`s corrosive as heck and will dissolve bare metal quickly! Probably good for Saturns.

**soup** · 06-12-2002, 01:21 AM

Btw, what was the logic behind oven cleaner in the first place? Not criticizing, just wondering if there was some reason you chose oven cleaner to take off paint.

I read somewhere that somebody used it with good results, so I decided to try it, and it worked great.

I want to take any steps that may prevent anything from happening to my new car if posssible. The paint still looks great on my new car about 3 months after, but if anyone has any recommendations of what can be done to prevent anything from possibly developing, that would be great.

**Redcar GUY** · 06-12-2002, 01:30 AM

Originally posted by 4DSC

Probably good for Saturns.

LOL easy on the Saturns.....

**imported_Intel486** · 06-12-2002, 01:50 AM

Can you descibe what it looks like a little better or even get a picture of it?

It could be just normal oxidation. Have a detailer look at your car and maybe use a buffer to polish it up some.

I don`t know anything about oven cleaners. Anyone else? They are probably acidic though. You think?

**soup** · 06-12-2002, 02:00 AM

Can you descibe what it looks like a little better or even get a picture of it?

I could probably get a picture sometime tomorrow to put up, but basically it looks like somebody took a SOS pad and rubbed really hard and scratched up all the gloss off. It is in the area where the car had previously been hit and where I removed the other paint. It also could be that somebody hit it again, but I dont want to take any chances on my new car, so I am asking for any advice since I had since applied Oven Cleaner to my new car after debadging it.

It just seems weird that it would look good for so long but all start to fall apart after over 1 year later, but I cant deny that it also looks to be in the exact spot where I applied it back then.

Anyways, I am not concerned with this as it will have to be repainted, but what I am concerned with is to prevent anything like this from possibly happening with my new car that I have applied it to. Maybe if Oven cleaner is acidic, something to apply to neutralize the acidity or possibly something of that manner to try to prevent this from happening again, if in fact it was from the oven cleaner. thanks

**Jngrbrdman** · 06-12-2002, 07:53 AM

Maybe it burned off the clear coat and left just the dull paint behind? Does it look oxidized? Have you tried other paint cleaners since the oven cleaner stuff?

**Ken B** · 06-12-2002, 12:21 PM

maybe some chemical eat it away slowly and got activated by weather conditions... I guess it is time to try that ABC system to make sure you strip and neutralize anything left behind by the oven cleaner.

:bounce

**BradE** · 06-12-2002, 12:43 PM

Well it`s really impossible to say without seeing it but I can tell you this. Most oven cleaners are based on caustic soda and lye, both are very, very corrosive. These products are considered toxic should not even come in contact with your skin much less a car finish.

The other type of "non-toxic" cleaners contain very strong alkalis which can also cause extensive damage to the finish.

Basically you have started a chemical reaction on your cars finish that you never stopped. Yes the problem will continue to get worse. Exposure to oxidizers (heat and water) accelerate the reaction and degradation faster. Since this conditon has been left for so long it probably is attacking the film former/binder of the clear and will eventually break apart the resin system and cause coatcoat failure. If the spot apperars cloudy then sorry, it`s already destroyed and it`s repaint time.

**soup** · 06-12-2002, 12:50 PM

All the clear coat is gone on the older car and it looks like the paint was getting chipped all over the place.

I think i might try to neutralize it with some baking soda and water, to prevent anything from happening on my new car. Any comments on this?

**BradE** · 06-12-2002, 12:52 PM

Baking Soda and water is not going to do the job, you will probably have to take the new car to a professional shop and have it decontaminated. After 3 months chances are the damage might already be done.