Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[andy]

Well someone thought it would be funny to write stuff on my car using deodrant/ anti-persperant.

Tried cleaning it off but it has left awful marks. It doesn't look like it has taken the paint off though.

So yeah any ideas what I could try using?

[mrscleannw]

Hi Andy. Welcome to Mrs. Clean!

Well that?s a new one on me. It?s fairly well known that depending on the length of time and the temperature, common products such as tree sap, eggs, shaving cream, break fluid, and now deodorant will damage a cars paint job.

The newer paint finishes using a polymer-based clear coat are much more resistant to these types of paint damage.

I?d try using a little bit of denatured alcohol on the portion of the paint damaged by the deodorant. (Test this first in an inconspicuous place). This may help remove any remaining residue from the deodorant.

Then purchase a ?clay bar? from an automotive supply store. A clay bar is a trick that professional car detailers use to remove embedded contaminants from your car?s paint surface.

If those tips do not help remove the stain, it is likely that the surface is damaged, possibly permanently due to a chemical reaction from the ingredients in the deodorant.

After you try removing the stain with alcohol, if the damaged area remains you can try the following methods to improve the appearance of the cars paint.

Wash: Wash your car using cold water and a high quality neutral pH cleaner made for automotive paint. You should never use detergent, dish soap or hot water to wash the car as it will strip the paint.

Polish: Purchase a high quality pure polymer or silicone based polish. Please note this is not *wax*, polish is different as it restores the paint, reduces the appearance of scratches, and creates a very high shine

Wax: Purchase carnauba wax as the final step to restore your car?s paint job. Carnauba is one of the hardest waxes available and is a water repellant, surface protectant, and will keep the shine from the polish on the paint for much longer.

I hope that helps.

[Momma]

The clay bar that Mrs Clean is referring to is a compound that contains a mild abrasive. Be careful when using these types of products. You can discolor or even remove the paint on your car if you polish for too long or too hard in one area.

Using one of these car waxing compounds should do the trick. They are also great for removing paint from slight fender bumps, small scratches, and those circular swirls from washing and drying your car.