Best way to remove surface scratches on clear coat
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From: Fullerton, CA
'07 R350. '05 C230. '93 454SS Truck. '71 Chevelle SS.
Best way to remove surface scratches on clear coat
So yesterday it was a bit hot in SoCal. Went to visit my mom and parked under a tree for shade to keep my '02 Obsidian Black Benz cool while I was visiting. Came out about an hour later and the horror....found bird ***** all over the front hood. Flashback...my wife has a 2000 Black Camaro that got shat(?)
on a while back and she didn't clean it off or say anything to me until I noticed it a few days later. I washed the car and the bird ***** stained the paint finish. Tried several different waxes, polishes, etc and couldnt get the stain out.
Fast forward and back to the story, so yesterday, I see this bird crap and get flashbacks of my wife's car. I get a towel out of my glove compartment and put some water on it to loosen the ***** and debris and get it off my car. It worked great. Went back to work and then home later in the day and noticed I had lightly scratched the surface coat with the damn paper towel I used. I have flourescent lights in the garage and noticed these scratches big time under these lights. Not so much in regular lighting but they are there! Mother F. Any suggestions....????
on a while back and she didn't clean it off or say anything to me until I noticed it a few days later. I washed the car and the bird ***** stained the paint finish. Tried several different waxes, polishes, etc and couldnt get the stain out. Fast forward and back to the story, so yesterday, I see this bird crap and get flashbacks of my wife's car. I get a towel out of my glove compartment and put some water on it to loosen the ***** and debris and get it off my car. It worked great. Went back to work and then home later in the day and noticed I had lightly scratched the surface coat with the damn paper towel I used. I have flourescent lights in the garage and noticed these scratches big time under these lights. Not so much in regular lighting but they are there! Mother F.
Any suggestions....????
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From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL/ Hampstead, London, England
'84 380 SL/ '02 XK8
~One man’s opinion / observations ~
Bird Excrement:
Contain highly acidic concentrates, which if left for any length of time will etch the paint film surface, so they should be removed without delay. They also contain seed and sand, first use detailers clay to remove, wipe immediate area with a solvent cleaner, then thoroughly flush with clean water, re-apply protectant.
~Hope this is of some help~
Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/
justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*
Bird Excrement:
Contain highly acidic concentrates, which if left for any length of time will etch the paint film surface, so they should be removed without delay. They also contain seed and sand, first use detailers clay to remove, wipe immediate area with a solvent cleaner, then thoroughly flush with clean water, re-apply protectant.
~Hope this is of some help~
Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/
justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Fullerton, CA
'07 R350. '05 C230. '93 454SS Truck. '71 Chevelle SS.
Thanks for the advice brother. I should have listened to you prior to taking matters into my own hands. Oh well, I'm going to have it professionally detailed in about a month.
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Originally posted by TOGWT
~One man’s opinion / observations ~
Bird Excrement:
Contain highly acidic concentrates, which if left for any length of time will etch the paint film surface, so they should be removed without delay. They also contain seed and sand, first use detailers clay to remove, wipe immediate area with a solvent cleaner, then thoroughly flush with clean water, re-apply protectant.
~Hope this is of some help~
Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/
justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*
~One man’s opinion / observations ~
Bird Excrement:
Contain highly acidic concentrates, which if left for any length of time will etch the paint film surface, so they should be removed without delay. They also contain seed and sand, first use detailers clay to remove, wipe immediate area with a solvent cleaner, then thoroughly flush with clean water, re-apply protectant.
~Hope this is of some help~
Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/
justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 54
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Professionally speaking I personally would not use "detailers clay" to remove the actual bird poo itself but rather after removing the bird poo.
Carry with yourself a small spray bottle of QD and a few MF's, keep them in the glove box or trunk, and when you get bombed - say on the hood - take a MF towel and fold it in half and almost cover the bomed area with the MF towel and leave just a big enough opening to spray, liberally, the bombed area with the QD.
Close the MF towel over the area so it and the QD doesn't run down the paint. Let it dwell like that a few moments, open up one side again and you should notice the bird poo beggining to loosen, spray again if needed and then ever so gently attempt to "lift" the bird poo off the paint. This is done with a slight scooping action. I really flood the area with QD so as to emulsify the bird poo. Fold the MF to a clean side and re-spray and re-wipe, dry with another MF. It would also be good to have a small container of whatever wax or sealant you use so you can touch that area up.
Bird poo that has been on there longer may need longer dwell time with the QD or you just may need to run to a coin-op car wash and at least hit it with the rinse cycle, better that than a stain in the clear. Also I always tell my clients to never park under trees if possible. Sure it keeps the car cooler but at what price? Sap, falling leaves collecting in the hood and trunk area and bird crap.
Hope that helps,
Anthony
Carry with yourself a small spray bottle of QD and a few MF's, keep them in the glove box or trunk, and when you get bombed - say on the hood - take a MF towel and fold it in half and almost cover the bomed area with the MF towel and leave just a big enough opening to spray, liberally, the bombed area with the QD.
Close the MF towel over the area so it and the QD doesn't run down the paint. Let it dwell like that a few moments, open up one side again and you should notice the bird poo beggining to loosen, spray again if needed and then ever so gently attempt to "lift" the bird poo off the paint. This is done with a slight scooping action. I really flood the area with QD so as to emulsify the bird poo. Fold the MF to a clean side and re-spray and re-wipe, dry with another MF. It would also be good to have a small container of whatever wax or sealant you use so you can touch that area up.
Bird poo that has been on there longer may need longer dwell time with the QD or you just may need to run to a coin-op car wash and at least hit it with the rinse cycle, better that than a stain in the clear. Also I always tell my clients to never park under trees if possible. Sure it keeps the car cooler but at what price? Sap, falling leaves collecting in the hood and trunk area and bird crap.
Hope that helps,
Anthony
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
Unless you've got the nano paint, on a black car the bird bombs should FIRST be removed with a stream of water, it's best not to touch the area until you've removed the bomb with the hose first or you'll scratch a black car. If a hose is not available go to a gas station, if they don't have one use their water can that's always around. Then follow some of the above mentioned steps.
BTW since I've been using Eagle One Wax As U Dry after every car wash the bird bombs don't leave that nasty ring in the clear coat. This stuff is not a replacement for when the car needs a cleaner wax but is the easiest way to keep that just waxed protection and smooth feel to the paint to a freshly waxed car after it gets washed. The product works on wet paint eliminating the extra steps compared to a detail spray. Now my car always looks just waxed and the shine is intense. It also adds extra lubrication properties to the water so when you towel/chamois dry it also prevents the super fine scratching of the paint from the fibers of the towel or the chamois. The more you use this stuff the better the layer of protection and shine. MB pre nano paint is super soft and this stuff really helps keeps it like new
BTW since I've been using Eagle One Wax As U Dry after every car wash the bird bombs don't leave that nasty ring in the clear coat. This stuff is not a replacement for when the car needs a cleaner wax but is the easiest way to keep that just waxed protection and smooth feel to the paint to a freshly waxed car after it gets washed. The product works on wet paint eliminating the extra steps compared to a detail spray. Now my car always looks just waxed and the shine is intense. It also adds extra lubrication properties to the water so when you towel/chamois dry it also prevents the super fine scratching of the paint from the fibers of the towel or the chamois. The more you use this stuff the better the layer of protection and shine. MB pre nano paint is super soft and this stuff really helps keeps it like new
Last edited by RJC; Apr 1, 2004 at 11:17 PM.
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From: NY
2014 E550 4matic,, sold 2012 E 350 4matic,,sold 2010 e350 4w,sold 2002 e320 se
Ive used the method Anthony suggested,with a quick wipe spray and a soft MF towel asap. Soak it,dont let the spray run and it softens and loosens the crap.Then scoop it into the middle,picking it up,shaking it out till its gone.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Originally posted by stemags
Ive used the method Anthony suggested,with a quick wipe spray and a soft MF towel asap. Soak it,dont let the spray run and it softens and loosens the crap.Then scoop it into the middle,picking it up,shaking it out till its gone.
Ive used the method Anthony suggested,with a quick wipe spray and a soft MF towel asap. Soak it,dont let the spray run and it softens and loosens the crap.Then scoop it into the middle,picking it up,shaking it out till its gone.
You also made the procedure more clear with less words
Anthony
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From: Louisiana
E320
Originally posted by RJC
Unless you've got the nano paint, on a black car the bird bombs should FIRST be removed with a stream of water, it's best not to touch the area until you've removed the bomb with the hose first or you'll scratch a black car. If a hose is not available go to a gas station, if they don't have one use their water can that's always around. Then follow some of the above mentioned steps.
Unless you've got the nano paint, on a black car the bird bombs should FIRST be removed with a stream of water, it's best not to touch the area until you've removed the bomb with the hose first or you'll scratch a black car. If a hose is not available go to a gas station, if they don't have one use their water can that's always around. Then follow some of the above mentioned steps.
