removing spots

[garwood1]

Hi Folks
Some advice please...

I screwed up yesterday when cleaning out the garage. I dropped a washing bowl with water and CIF (abrasive kitchen cleanser) residue, which splashed some drops up onto the bonnet of my verde inglese (green) Spider. Now there are discoloured spots all over the bonnet - almost like bleached spots, or dried hard-water spots. Car is polished regularly with Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I tried using the Autoglym paint renovator, but was not impressed with the results - also don't want to wreck the (remaining excellent) paint on the bonnet. Can anyone recommend a product to remove these spots, without wrecking the rest of the paint ??

Feel a complete plonker....

[ALRN]

Have a look at some of the 3M products.You can get some really fine polishes which aint too abrasive but better than autoglym which just aint upto the job.

[kernowmcrae]

Before the respray I used to use 3m Finesse.IT, think that was how it was spelt - awesome stuff. not sure if it's widely available, just found it in the valet bay.

[Squadrone Rosso]

What about some Green colour magic / Green T Cut colour fast??

[garwood1]

Thanks for the tips, will start the hunt for 3M detailing products. I want to try something 'chemical', i.e. with minimum amount of abrasive first, before moving on to T-cut, etc. Feel like a complete idiot...

[Crystal]

A year ago our Spider went for a Dinitrol-Owatrol treathment and the guy spilled the product all over the place .

Nothing helped to remove it , except this clay from Meguiars .

[V6Alfisti]

Something like Menzerna Final Polish II, moving onto Menzerna Intensive Polish (if the first step doesn't work).

[auto_detail]

Is the paintwork original or has it been resprayed in the past? If so when and what paint was applied?

I suspect you'll have a polyurethane or enamel colour coat so you don't want a polish thats too abrasive because you'll remove far too much paint or run the risk burning.

It sounds as though she'll require colour sanding and running over with a fine compound.

Can you post a picture of the bonnet and the spots in question?

Kieran

[garwood1]

I tried this morning to capture them on camera, but all I get is reflections off the bonnet, sorry ! Attached is best image of the lot.
The spots appear as milky versions of the bonnet colour, about 5p coin in diameter in worst case. Sort of like dried, hard water stains might look. It's appears as if diluted bleach was splattered on the paint. That's the best way I can describe it.
I used Autoglym paint renovator sparingly, and they are nearly gone, but there are traces still visible.
Car WAS resprayed about 2 yrs ago, in same colour paint -as to what type (enamel, 2-pack, etc) I have no idea. I would guess enamel, with no clearcoat applied.

[dazzo]

I would try a claybar and quick detail lube fella, then polish with super resin, that should get rid of it, don't worry about going through with the polish by hand, it would take a very long time to do that

[auto_detail]

A claybar wouldn't do any good. The paint looks as though its a cellulose so it'll have a clearcoat. If it's a uretrhane there won't be any clearcoat (urethane paint shrinks when cured so any subsequent coats would wrinkle and crack). Anyway, both remedies are basically the same.

You'll need 2000 and 2500 grit wet and dry paper and a medium/light compound (I'd recommend 3M Fine Compound Polish).

Start with soaking the wet and dry for a couple of hours in warm water with Fairy Liquid. Use a flatting block with the 2000 grit and rub gently (use very little pressure here) top to bottom covering each stain. Wipe clean and repeat usng the 2500 grit (use light pressure). Wipe clean and see if the stains are still visible.

Hopefully the stains should be erased. Now you'll need a polishing machine (or power drill) fitted with a compounding head. Apply the compound (directly to thebodywork) onto each of the sanding marks. Start using slow (800 rpm) back and fourth motions and speed up (1500 rpm) after two or three passes with the machine (keep the machine moving at all times).

Try that and let me know how you get on.

Kieran

[dazzo]

Originally Posted by auto_detail

A claybar wouldn't do any good. The paint looks as though its a cellulose so it'll have a clearcoat. If it's a uretrhane there won't be any clearcoat (urethane paint shrinks when cured so any subsequent coats would wrinkle and crack). Anyway, both remedies are basically the same.

You'll need 2000 and 2500 grit wet and dry paper and a medium/light compound (I'd recommend 3M Fine Compound Polish).

Start with soaking the wet and dry for a couple of hours in warm water with Fairy Liquid. Use a flatting block with the 2000 grit and rub gently (use very little pressure here) top to bottom covering each stain. Wipe clean and repeat usng the 2500 grit (use light pressure). Wipe clean and see if the stains are still visible.

Hopefully the stains should be erased. Now you'll need a polishing machine (or power drill) fitted with a compounding head. Apply the compound (directly to thebodywork) onto each of the sanding marks. Start using slow (800 rpm) back and fourth motions and speed up (1500 rpm) after two or three passes with the machine (keep the machine moving at all times).

Try that and let me know how you get on.

Kieran

How do you know the spots aren't just bonded contaminents? could be a lime or chalk residue from the product (bit like bird poo) that has bonded, a clay would pull this from the surface better than a polish, a polish will smooth anything under it, not necessarily remove it.

And do you think you can tell what type of paint it is by a picture? why cellulose?

[auto_detail]

Bird **** isn't what you'd call a bonded contaminent, it's acidic and literally dissolves and penetrates the clearcoat and subsequent layers.

Contaminents lie on the surface or are partly-embedded in the clearcoat thus can be removed using clay.

The chap said that it was a Cif-type product which was spilled onto the paintwork, well, Bathroom/kitchen cleaners contain Alcohol, Ammonia, and Sulfates and will most certainly burn, dissolve, discolour, and penetrate a clearcoat.

Cellulose and urethane paints have very different characteristics and to the trained eye they are chalk and cheese, so the answer to your question is yes, I can almost definately define the paint type by looking at a picture, I wouldn't be very good at my job if I couldn't!

[dazzo]

Fella, ive been painting and detailing for 13 years, theres no way you can tell what type of paint it is by looking, sorry.

[OperationAlfa]

RIGHT. This ends here gents.. this is not a place for Companies to argue amongst themselves..

Neither of you have even got your identities confirmed. This entire lounge belongs to "The Shine Experience"

I suggest you both contact me by PM to discuss this further.

I will be removing your bickering posts within the next 5 hours.

[garwood1]

Sorry to stir up such a hornet's nest...but I appreciate the diverse range of suggestions to cure my problem. Thanks to all for the advice.