What Types of Liquids Can Damage Auto Body Paint?

Many of us want to keep our cars in great shape, including the exteriors—especially if we bought our vehicles new. Every scratch, ding and scrape is cause for frustration and annoyance. If you can’t stand even minor damage to your car’s paint, you’ll want to be aware of which liquids can damage car paint in Visalia, CA. The sooner you can wash them off, the less likely your car will suffer permanent damage.

Here are some of the liquids that can do the most damage to your auto paint:

• Egg: When eggs meet paint, they become corrosive. That’s bad news for your paint, especially when you consider that the shell can scratch it. If you’re the victim of this common prank, wash your car as soon as possible to prevent any further damage.
• Coffee and soda: Keep your caffeine in your cup. Coffee and soda are both acidic liquids, which eat away at car paint. They often have sugar, too, which leaves behind a sticky residue. Wash your car as soon as possible after a soda or coffee spill.
• Brake fluid: Brake fluid softens your paint, which makes it easier to chip and bubble. Normally, your brake fluid isn’t going to make it to your car’s exterior, but if you do basic maintenance at home, you might run that risk. Washing your car will take care of the problem.
• Bird poop: Birds decorating your car? It’s gross and it will ruin your paint. Bird poop is acidic, and when dried, it’s hard to remove. Wipe it off with a wet rag right away, then wash your car as soon as possible.
• Gas: Gasoline will strip your paint and make it look dull and faded. Do your best to avoid spilling gas, but if you do, having a rag in your trunk will help you clean it up right away. The faster you wipe it down, the better.
• Tar: Tar can melt in hot temperatures, and this sludgy liquid is terrible for your paint job—mostly because it’s hard to remove without scratching or chipping the paint. If you spot tar on your car, visit an auto body shop to look for specialized cleaners.
• Acetone: Acetone—which is the main ingredient in nail polish remover—is one of the worst liquids for your car paint. In fact, if you leave an acetone spill on your car’s paint for just a few hours, it will eat the paint all the way down to the base. If you spill some on your car, use soapy water (the soap will counteract the acetone) to wash it off immediately.
• Shaving cream. Shaving cream is sometimes used in pranks, but if it’s not washed off right away, it will eat away at your paint. If you can get to it when it’s still foamy, a good wash will take care of the problem. Unfortunately, if it’s already dried, you’ll probably have to get a paint touch-up to fix the damage.

If liquids have damaged your car paint in Visalia, CA, call Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. today to restore your vehicle to its former glory!

Categorised in: Auto Body Paint

This post was written by Writer