how to remove wet paint from car?

[tonycarguy]

I have this nagging fear in my mind that one day, I'll drive over a spill of wet paint and get it all over my car. I see dried paint on the road everywhere here (careless contractors!!!). Assuming you weren't able to find the guilty party, what is the best immediate course of action? I was thinking...

1. If I'm near my house, drive home and hose off the car ASAP

2. If I'm not near my house, find the closest carwash.

anything else?

 

[brandini]

Goo-gone

 

[John_K]

I have twice seen it come out of trash trucks as they run their compactor.

John

 

[440Magnum]

I can honestly say that in 30 years of driving, I haven't encountered wet paint on the road more than once or twice, so it isn't likely to happen.

If it does, water is good if it happens to be water-based paint, goo-gone or kerosene if its oil based.

The good news is that its not likely to actually adhere very well to your car's paint (usually clear-coat these days), so even if it dries it will come off with some gentle scrubbing in most cases. This is especially true if you periodically wax your car.

 

[mechanicx]

This very thing happened to my brother's '09 Accord not too long ago. He was driving on the freeway and there was wet paint on the road that fell off a truck. The paint was white and his car is black. There was little white specs all over the front bumper, hood, and windshield. He waited too long to clean it off. Which is weird because he washes the car all the time, at least once a week. It was hard getting the paint specs off, and haven't gotten them all off. It's like the paint bonded/melted into the clear coat.

 

[brandini]

In that case a clay bar or polish may be needed.

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I can honestly say that in 30 years of driving, I haven't encountered wet paint on the road more than once or twice, so it isn't likely to happen.


I haven't encountered a wet paint spill yet, but I see dried spills ALL the time. It seems like every 50 or 100 miles I encounter another one. That's why I got paranoid

 

[mechtech2]

I have never seen wet paint on the road, either.
And I work as a painter since the shop has been 'O'Hared'.
But water based paint should be removed with warm water and soft rag.
Other solvent based paint is probably best left to dry, then buffed or rubbed out.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: brandini
In that case a clay bar or polish may be needed.


It would not buff out easily. The black paint of the car must get hot enough that the white paint bonded into the clear coat some.