5 min read Tuesday 04 August 2015

Paintwork Decontamination

Increased traffic levels, road works, and pollution have made paintwork contamination a rapidly growing problem for today's car and motorcycle enthusiasts. At Auto Finesse car care we deal with cars suffering from various forms of paintwork contamination on a daily basis, ranging from tar, iron particulates (spread by vehicle brakes, metal works, and trains.), tree sap, paint overspray, adhesive residues, industrial fallout, and exhaust soot. As a result we are constantly perfecting the products and processes used to remove them, here we show you how we do paintwork decontamination...

STEP 1: IRON FALLOUT REMOVAL

STEP 2: TAR & ADHESIVE REMOVAL

At Auto Finesse detailing products and car care the second step of our paintwork decontamination, after the vehicle has been fully washed and dried, is to use a tar remover to remove the tar spots and adhesive residues using the specially formulated solvent-based cleaner ObliTARate, ObliTARate is designed with the sole purpose of safely removing bitumen and glue based contaminants without scrubbing or damaging the OEM paintwork or finish. It removes road tar, excess wheel weight adhesive, decals, and protective film residues quickly and easily. ObliTARate can be applied to the entire vehicle using an optional spray head, or topically with the assistance of cotton pads or swabs for isolated tar and adhesive contamination.

STEP 3: CLAYING

Claying is the final stage of the paintwork decontamination process, and the simple mechanical process allows you to gently remove the adherent organic and inorganic contaminants that chemicals alone cannot. Using a mild Auto Finesse Detailing Clay Bar, and a purpose-designed clay bar lubricant like Auto Finesse Glide, you can easily remove honeydew, tree sap, overspray, and other stubborn environmental pollutants. This helps to create a silky smooth finish, and will improve the performance of all subsequent detailing steps. Natural kaolin clay bars like ours are safe to use on even the most delicate of vintage finishes, and when used with sufficient lubrication will not mar even the softest paint. Claying your windscreen glass can even help to improve visibility and decrease wiper chatter, so do not forget to try this simple trick!

Decontamination should be conducted on average every 3-6 months depending upon vehicle usage, and the simple 3-Step process outlined above repeated before the application of your car wax or paint sealant. This way you can ensure that you are creating the best possible results, and are not sealing in anything that could negatively impact your paintwork finish.