Cleaning "stuff" off car

DD265

Our allocated parking space is almost under a metal girder. Depending on how my neighbour parks I sometimes end up out of my space (there's nothing to my left) under this girder. It has some white stuff on it which, when it's been raining, drips onto my car.

I do not know what it is but I really struggle to get it off - think superglue combined with bird muck or summat. I tried some AutoGlym Intensive Tar Remover and that didn't touch it. Short of the green side of a kitchen sponge (which does work but lightly scratches the car) any ideas?

It's not as bad as the photos now but I do have some residue I need to remove. The landlord was supposed to be asking the management company to look at the beam and I make a conscious effort not to park near it so I've held off buying a car cover but that would be the next step.

Strider590

Well it's not tar, so I wouldn't expect that to work. It looks to me like it could be "white rust" otherwise known as zinc corrosion, but more likely it's just hard water staining (basically limescale).

I would try distilled vinegar and then (if not sucessfull) maybe some actual bathroom lime scale remover.

Once clean, you need to clean and polish the car to protect the paint. A decent polish would have stopped that stuff sticking.

rs65

Reminds me of this thread


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5293424


Diluted lemon juice I think was the answer

s_b

it looks like it will eat into your lacquer if left so i wouldn't park under it

DD265

Always get fabulous advice on here, I shall try vinegar and lemon juice in the morning thank you

Any recommendations for what to wax/polish it with? A family member swears by AutoGlym High Definition Wax but it is extremely expensive.

m0bov

If i had to park under it i would use a car cover. AG HD is very good.

paddedjohn

While waiting to buy a cover it might be an idea to put a piece of cardboard on the roof when parked up.

mark5

m0bov wrote: »

If i had to park under it i would use a car cover. AG HD is very good.

I use autoglym bodywork shampoo to wash my car weekly, use it on the alloys too. Never bother with alloy wheel cleaner.

Wax the car about every 3/4 months using turtle wax, I don't bother with polishing as such.

I would get some plastic sheeting and place it over the car when your leaving it for hours, secure with the wiper blades. To stop any more crap damaging the paint.

Richard53

DD265 wrote: »

Short of the green side of a kitchen sponge (which does work but lightly scratches the car) any ideas?

I had some bad staining on a car I left for long periods under some trees. The normal green mossy stuff, plus some black stains that resisted every solution known to Man. In the end I went for the nuclear option and used a kitchen scourer, one of the green nylon things like you get attached to sponges. I used a VERY old, soft one, and just lightly scuffed the surface of the stains until they went - fingertips only, and just the weight of the scourer, no pressure. To my amazement, the paint was unaffected. I clayed it afterwards and it looked superb. So not necessarily a bad thing, if used with great care.


I'd be trying the mild acid (vinegar/lemon) first though, as the green pads are very much a last resort.

mark5

Depending on the value of the car it might be worth you getting a detailer to do it for you. ( not cowboy Turkish car wash) years ago they would have used G3 and a machine buff then some g10 to get a shine. Out of touch now so not sure what they use or the latest methods.

DD265

It's a Nissan Note but it's still expensive to me.

I'm going to weigh up the cost/time/effort in doing it myself vs paying to have it done.