[VW2010]

Here is a simpler way. Coconut oil. Just rub the oil, leave it for few minutes and wash it with your usual shampoo or wash liquid.

Voila the tar dirts are a goner.

[basky]

Any of the above mentioned solvents or a combination will work. Just be aware that the lighter solvents penetrate faster and do not provide enough lubrication. Be patient and gentle. Use a soft cloth and avoid using force which will result in scratches.

Kerosene is light. WD-40 penetrates fast and can be harsh on the painted surface. Coconut oil is safe but slow in action unless mixed with Kerosene. Diesel is my choice as I have used all these items and more.

Very Important: Along with the removal of the tar spots, you will be removing all the protective coatings and waxes on the paint. Make sure you reapply the sealants and waxes to continue protection of the painted surface.

Happy DIY

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

You don't need the washing powder, i use plain diesel. Use a cloth to apply a layer, leave it for few minutes and wash it off with good ol car shampoo and lot of water. Reason why i said no to washing powder is, there is a chance that it will leave swirl marks unless you are extremely careful.

I agree with this. I suggest not using any washing powder (or Soap) as the chemicals will take the glaze away from the paint. It's happened before to me and I advise against it. Diesel should be good enough.

[mmxylorider]

I have been using diesel all along and it is working out most convenient (and cheaper as compared to WD40). Most of the stains are on the front bumper with some streaks on the front doors. Once in a month I do an inspection and that's about it.

Off topic - what is the best way to remove dried oil paint (used on wooden doors) drops from the body. One of the building residents got some work done in his house with the result the rear hatch of the Estilo has noticeable splatter.

[VW2010]

Off topic - what is the best way to remove dried oil paint (used on wooden doors) drops from the body. One of the building residents got some work done in his house with the result the rear hatch of the Estilo has noticeable splatter.

I can recommend something but you will have to try it before you actually throw virtual flamethrower at me.

This layer of paint actually sits above the clear coat. The best way to do is coconut oil or some lubricant over the drops and using mild scratching action with fingers. The chances of you screwing up the paint is very minimal and these spots usually come out post the finer or nail action. Again since you know the pressure you can be sure to not apply more pressure to damage your clear coat.

It has worked for me and i am sure it will work.

The second method is to soak it in oil and then slowly work around it with a foam.

[amit_purohit20]

One of the shopkeeper in our building premises painted their ceiling with white distemper paint and sprayed all the fine paint particles onto my car bonnet and windshield. The paint has hardened by now, although very fine drops but its easily visible when one comes close to the car.
How can I remove these paint drops DIY?

[fine69]

Using only diesel has worked for me all this while. I dip a soft cotton cloth in diesel and wipe across the lower portion of the car, leave it for about 5-7 mins (2-3 mins don't work for me) and then again wipe it off using the same cloth (dipped in diesel one more time). A shampoo wash to follow and bling returns!

In case the tar spots don't go in one attempt, one might want to repeat the diesel application twice or thrice. Some of the spots were so hard to go that I had to rub them hard the third time to remove them. I had failed on using the diesel technique before and I think I posted about it too but repeated attempts gave me the desired result for those hard to go spots.

[ayadalam]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Having used kerosene, diesel etc. I find that the best solution is WD-40. Spray it over the area. Leave it for a couple of minutes. Wipe clean the area. I always keep of can of WD-40 in the car.

Thanks Biju for the wonderful information. Was just going through WD-40 website that lists an amazing 2000+ benefits of the product as recommended by many users of the product.

A quick question. Which variant based on your experience is ideal for our conditions, "Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant" or the "Rust Release Penetrant Spray" ?

For the benefit of the forum, I'm attaching the list of benefits of WD-40 as per their website.

Thanks

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by fine69

Using only diesel has worked for me all this while. A shampoo wash to follow and bling returns!

The same has worked for me all along.
However this can be done once in-a-while.
Doing this regularly will certainly damage the protective layer of the paint.

[lurker]

Without a shade of doubt, Kerosene is more mineral based and heavier than diesel or the even lighter petrol and that is the reason it is used for both lubrication and has properties of penetration since it tends to stick around more than diesel. You can get superlative results with Kerosene but it is diesel that is more commonly available.

Key constinuent of WD-40 and similar lubricants is Kerosene and not diesel. the base of WD-40 is stil Kerosene to which some other chemicals have been added to enhance the properties of penetration.

Silicone as a lubricant has a small downside in that it is harmful to Microprocessors and IC's etc if it manages to contaminate those parts. And it tends to last forever, so spray with caution.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

Off topic - what is the best way to remove dried oil paint (used on wooden doors) drops from the body. One of the building residents got some work done in his house with the result the rear hatch of the Estilo has noticeable splatter.

I too had the same issue when my Santro was parked next to lamp post which was coated being coated with Silver paint which had splattered over my car. Tried to remove with 3M finess it. Worked like a charm. Not sure what harm it caused to my car. I have not noticed any in 4 years now.

[StrangeWizard]

My black car had got some white spots when a part of my building was being painted.
They stuck to the car and it was impossible to remove the marks after shampooing and washing.
Then this is what I did :
Rinsed the affected parts with water. Cleaned it dry with a soft cloth.
Then I sprayed Zorrik-88 on and near the paint marks from a distance of about 10cm.
Then I again took the soft cloth and wiped it off firmly.
Repeated this procedure a couple of times and the marks were gone!

Even while debadging my ride, some of the bits refused to come off and again I just used Zorrik-88 and after applying it 5-6 times the residue was "nearly" gone. Some of it still remains.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by josejoseph

I used to do this for removing tar spots but later realized that using WD-40 is a costly affair . Using diesel is the best way.

Yes it is a bit costly. But a large can of spray usually lasts for more than a couple of years for me. It cost me Rs. 197 when I bought it about 13-14 months ago. It is quite convenient to carry and use and can always be kept in the car. Since I do not own a diesel vehicle, getting diesel is not easy. Getting kerosene is also equally tricky.

Originally Posted by lurker

WD40 is Kerosene-based and is nothing but Kerosene with some added penetrants.

I have no idea about the basic ingredients since they do not mention it in detail on the can. It certainly does not smell like kerosene which is good even if it is kerosene based.

Originally Posted by ayadalam

...
A quick question. Which variant based on your experience is ideal for our conditions, "Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant" or the "Rust Release Penetrant Spray" ?
...

The one that I have with me does not specify the "type". I have only found one variant in the hardware shops.

[ayadalam]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

A quick question. Which variant based on your experience is ideal for our conditions, "Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant" or the "Rust Release Penetrant Spray" ?

The one that I have with me does not specify the "type". I have only found one variant in the hardware shops.

Thanks, will have a check. The variants that I was referring to is based on the information from WD-40 official website.

[coolmel]

Neat but the problem of finding loose diesel hurts. I keep WD40 or make do with Kerosene sometimes.