Washing question

[Accumulator]

Heh heh, I keep tagging along posting caveats to what Setec Astronomy posts.



And hey, Alessia, you sound like anything *but* a "dumb nag" Keep those Qs coming as it's better to ask than to jump in blindly and make things worse.

First you should wash at least that area to get any grit off. Then try some isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) on a soft cloth. Or you can try some bug and tar remover from the auto parts store. You have to be very gentle and let the solvent do the work. If you're at the auto store, you might try some clay on it, but if it's still sticky one of the solvent approaches is best IMO.

Some Bug & Tar removers are, surprisingly enough, abrasive; they're not just solvents, but also have something else it 'em. Not sure which ones are safe/not as I don't use them, but I'd sure figure this out first.



I kinda think Stoners Tarminator oughta be safe, but that's just a guess.



Note that all these solvents will remove any wax/etc. that's on the paint.

Yeah, I usually use a pretty good MF, but in this case I kind of figured we'd be lucky to get away from paper towels. My friend Jr. always uses grunge MF's because she grossed out by the bird stuff and can't bring herself to use anything good...it's bad enough she's got to put away the towel in her trunk with stuff on it.

Yeah, I have pals who are the exact same way and it drive me nuts :hairpull Then I'm the guy they come to with their "hey, look at this..." after they do some damage; gotta get out my magic wand again Last time this MKII was here I gave the owner a nice MF for such stuff...I can't find it but I can find really nasty cheap ones scattered throughout the car. Perhaps he'll take me seriously when he runs out of clear, which will be any day now.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Oops...I meant to note that after any solvent you should refresh your LSP. I don't use tar and bug stuff much mostly because the new stuff doesn't seem to work. I do have an almost-empty can of the old Turtle Wax stuff that was great, that just seems to be clear solvent. Are you sure it isn't a can rust issue that you've run into?



BTW Accumulator, Jr. is very gentle with the grunge towels and I never seem to have to polish anything for her (from that)...OTOH she's a bit less vigilant (and a lot shorter!) and I frequently have to point out bird stuff that she has let go for too long, sometimes with a bad result. I did give her some better grunge towels last time.

 

[Accumulator]

.. I do have an almost-empty can of the old Turtle Wax stuff that was great, that just seems to be clear solvent. Are you sure it isn't a can rust issue that you've run into?

Nah, it wasn't anything like that, it was the product itself. E.g, since you mentioned TW, their old stuf (and I guess I mean *decades old* version) was a thick milky-white product that was definitely abrasive. IIRC, so was my stuff from the old "Snap" line, remember them? Oh sheesh I'm dating myself here and maybe I'm just *too* out-of-date to be relevent on this topic



The One Grand tar remover I used last was nice and safe. Since then I've just used AI/VGNew Car Prep or other pro-type solvents.



What about people just buying a pint of PrepSol or a can of 3M Adhesive Remover? I'm always saying how every household needs the 3M stuff anyhow...

Jr. is very gentle with the grunge towels and I never seem to have to polish anything for her (from that)...OTOH she's a bit less vigilant (and a lot shorter!) and I frequently have to point out bird stuff that she has let go for too long, sometimes with a bad result. I did give her some better grunge towels last time.

Heh heh, sounds like you have a good pupil there

 

[Alessia]

Heh heh, I keep tagging along posting caveats to what Setec Astronomy posts.



And hey, Alessia, you sound like anything *but* a "dumb nag" Keep those Qs coming as it's better to ask than to jump in blindly and make things worse.







Some Bug & Tar removers are, surprisingly enough, abrasive; they're not just solvents, but also have something else it 'em. Not sure which ones are safe/not as I don't use them, but I'd sure figure this out first.



I kinda think Stoners Tarminator oughta be safe, but that's just a guess.



Note that all these solvents will remove any wax/etc. that's on the paint.







Yeah, I have pals who are the exact same way and it drive me nuts :hairpull Then I'm the guy they come to with their "hey, look at this..." after they do some damage; gotta get out my magic wand again Last time this MKII was here I gave the owner a nice MF for such stuff...I can't find it but I can find really nasty cheap ones scattered throughout the car. Perhaps he'll take me seriously when he runs out of clear, which will be any day now.

Well I think I'll try the rubbing alcohol with water a 50 to 50 ratio is what I read.

Did some searching online and someone recommended that mixture, someone else said WD-40 but I don't think my father has any in the garage.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

E.g, since you mentioned TW, their old stuf (and I guess I mean *decades old* version) was a thick milky-white product that was definitely abrasive.

I have a cylindrical can of the TW tar remover, with the flip top, which IIRC is a turpentiney clear product. I also have a newer aerosol can which I remember going on white, but that might have just been aerosol foaming. The aerosol is probably from the 90's, but the other stuff is probably from the 80's, and I've been using that stuff since the '70's. I guess it had to do with the shapes of the cars back then, I seemed to get a lot more tar on the sides of my old Buick than I do now...of course, I used to drive a lot more back then, and probably wash less often.

 

[Accumulator]

Setec Astronomy- Yeah, the flip-top can was around for a few versions and yeah on the turpentiney smell too. WOnder if I just had a bad can :nixweiss And yeah, there was a time when I did more driving than detailing too, then I got the Jag

Well I think I'll try the rubbing alcohol with water a 50 to 50 ratio is what I read.

Did some searching online and someone recommended that mixture, someone else said WD-40 but I don't think my father has any in the garage.

I've never quite understood the point of diluting the IPA/rubbing alcohol, but see if the weaker mixture gets the job done.



I've never used WD-40 for stuff like this as I don't want it to leave its [whatever] behind on my paint, just one more thing that then needs cleaned off IMO. Not that I'm opposed to WD-40 in general the way some people are.

 

[Alessia]

Well I'm so paranoid after reading so many posts on here about removing my clear coat, I figure warm water and rubbing alcohol mixed with even parts should do it. My brother suggested that as well, but he's not a detail fanatic either, so what does he know? lol



If not, I'll just use straight rubbing alcohol and pour it on the trouble trunk, let it sit for a couple of minutes and then gently wipe away. :shocked lol

 

[Mark77]

How did it work out? I have noticed that sometimes tree sap can be taken off by just a normal wash. Like Accumulator said, WD-40 is not anything I would use on my paint, it leaves a greasy oily surface that just attracts dust..

 

[Alessia]

It hasn't (yet)

I got so busy with some school stuff and work (bartending at night) that I get home late, sleep in a tiny bit and hit the books. lol



I might tonight, I have so much tree sap on my car it's not even funny.

I'm still paranoid that just by rinsing with water alone and then using the mitt to wash the car, the sap and anything it has caught will scratch the car with one swipe of the mitt. :nervous2:

I've been reading too much on here and wanting my car to be perfect like most of yours are. lol

 

[GoudyL]

Nah, it wasn't anything like that, it was the product itself. E.g, since you mentioned TW, their old stuf (and I guess I mean *decades old* version) was a thick milky-white product that was definitely abrasive.

The TW Liquid Bug and Tar remover works well in my experience. Very good for removing scuffs from paint as well. IMHO it's like KIT scratch out, but with solvents etc. Good stuff.

 

[David Fermani]

Yeah, it's a great wax stripper, surface marrer, defect filler and has a great chemical smell that will even give the front bumper & rocker panels of your car an instant migrain. Oh, I almost forgot, it also removes bugs and tar too.

 

[Darkstar752]

The TW Liquid Bug and Tar remover works well in my experience. Very good for removing scuffs from paint as well. IMHO it's like KIT scratch out, but with solvents etc. Good stuff.

Hahaha! Goudy you should come to a detailing meet, while everyone else is having fun professionally correcting cars, you can just stand there using TW Bug and tar to repair scratches with a rag so everyone can laugh at you.

 

[Accumulator]

OK..so am I the only person who ever had the TW stuff mar?



If so, I'll chalk it up to either a bad can or faulty memory (but gee, it seems so clear :think: :nixweiss ) and I'll quit badmouthing the stuff.

 

[David Fermani]

No, Accumulator - It's garbage and should be removed from your arsenal all together. So many better products and processes out there.

 

[Accumulator]

No, Accumulator - It's garbage and should be removed from your arsenal all together. So many better products and processes out there.

OK, roger that.



I don't think I've actually used it since the early-mid '80s but I didn't want to knock something if it's OK stuff.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I don't know what you guys are talking about I had some that was basically just mineral spirits, was great on tar...just like a can of mineral spirits would be.

 

[GoudyL]

I don't know what you guys are talking about I had some that was basically just mineral spirits, was great on tar...just like a can of mineral spirits would be.

As per the MSDS, that pretty much the main ingredient(s). It's a milky/chalky white fluid, and so has some clay in it as well. I think if you let it stand for a while, the clays can settle out to the bottom of the can, so I always shake it up before using. Just dab it on, let it soak into the tar for a couple of seconds, and wipe off.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I can tell you the stuff I have is nothing like what they sell now, I've had the can for over 20 years, maybe 25..can you say VOC? There's no chalk/clay in mine.



Ok I was just down looking at it...the spray can I have is clearly newer than the one I'm talking about...and the spray has a copyright of 1980 (that doesn't mean it's that old, just that it isn't any older than that). So the flip top can might be 30 years old.

 

[GoudyL]

I can tell you the stuff I have is nothing like what they sell now, I've had the can for over 20 years, maybe 25..can you say VOC? There's no chalk/clay in mine.

Well in that case, no wonder its going to be so effective.:hifive:



If we look at current formulation of the liquid TW Bug and Tar Remover, we see that it contains plenty of solvents (including water soluble solvents), which is why its so effective at removing tar/bugs etc.



ww.turtlewax.com/res/msds/T525.pdf

Ok I was just down looking at it...the spray can I have is clearly newer than the one I'm talking about...and the spray has a copyright of 1980 (that doesn't mean it's that old, just that it isn't any older than that). So the flip top can might be 30 years old.

:2thumbs:

Geez, my car care library's oldest items only date back to the early 1990s.

 

[Accumulator]

The stuff I was talking about was the whitish/milky/chalky stuff. It was *after* the clear stuff that seemed OK, which I think is what Setec Astronomy is talking about. Eh...who knows if we'll ever get to the bottom of this one :nixweiss



Old products...heh heh, I still regularly use a few from the '80s and the last time I checked it my old can of Pro wax from the '70s was still OK (ah..the smell of that stuff..I was 17 again for a moment there..).