jerome8283

I went to the car wash today because I have little red specks all over my car. I think it's from the trees or leafs falling from them. After a wash it did not come off. What can I use to get it off?

ttoE550

Google artillery fungus. You parked near mulch. I did it too over the summer. It's a pain to get off -- still working on mine.

Edit: There are lots of articles describing how to get it off. I just use the fingernail method. A few hundred each time I wash... Luckily I have a black car, so they don't show.

jerome8283

I doubt this. My car is parked in my driveway at all times and there's mulch near by.

K-A

Have you tried Claybaring it?

Clay Bar, then Seal.

ttoE550

Well, I'm not 100% sure mulch is a necessary input. Just from research I've done, there has been a lot more artillery fungus than usual this year. It consists of red dots. They don't wash off. I have it on my car. My house was being remodeled and I had to park outside near mulch, and now it's all over the side nearer to the mulch. You can really say that you have not parked near mulch? I would've been befuddled were it not for the remodeling I did.

See if you have some on your side windows. If so, use your fingernail to pry at it a bit. Don't worry, you won't scratch the glass with your fingernail. In most cases, the top of the spot breaks away, and the portion remaining has a tan color. Then I can pry a little more with my fingernail, and the whole thing then comes off.

I do the same thing on the paint. I don't see any scratches from my fingernails, but I've never been **** about the micro-nano-swirly-scratch thing.

ttoE550

Although I have hundreds of these spots on my cars, for some reason there was not one -- not a single one -- on the front or back windows. Just the side windows. I have no explanation for this.

chrisvr6

Its brake dust.

ttoE550

Why would brake dust be red? Why would it not wash off? Why would it be in spots rather than in dust form? Why would it be forward of the front tires? C'mon, man!

jerome8283

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions to use claybar. I will try this.

axhoaxho

Like folks suggested, use clay bar. If this is your first time using clay bar, be sure to test it in a small hidden area first (e.g. rear wheel arches) and be sure to apply a lot of the lubricant that came with the clay bar package. White color easily shows every single minor scratch and mark, so be extra gentle when clay-bar-ing your paint surface.

Next time when there are dirt/debris/etc. on your paint. Immediately use Quick Detailer (e.g. Meguiar's Quick Detailer) and a micro-fiber cloth (I use Costco's yellow ones, good price and dispossble) to gentle remove them -- just spary the dirt with a good amount of Quick Detailer and gentle wipe it with a clean surface of the micro-fiber cloth. I always carry a bottle of Quick Detailer and a bag of micro-fiber clothes in the trunk of my car, and they come in handy from time-to-time.

With best regards,

hyperion667

when buying a clay bar, price matters......buy a cheap one and you'll get poor results.....buy an expensive one and it will last longer, do a better job and make a nicer car.

jerome8283

I also carry a Quick Detailer w/ micro-fiber cloths. Love some micro-fiber cloths!

I rarely drive the car during the week and it's dark when I leave in the morning for work and when I come home.

B6JoeS4

More expensive clay bars do not last longer, they just do a better job and removing contaminants without marring the paint. You still ahve to toss it when it reaches that pont where it looks filthy.

Mercedes paint is pretty tough, so I would get a moderate bar like the Adam's Clay Bar. Just google it. I get them from detailersdomain.com

On the other hand, you should post a picture of what you are seeing. I think it is just rail/brake contamination which will appear as little rust spots about the size of a ballpoint pen tip. In that case, got to detailersdomain.com and order some Aquartz Iron Cut. You can remove these iron deposits with a clay bar, but you're only removing the surface of it. You need the iron cut to completely eat away at it. Spray it out of the sun and wind, let it sit for 15 minutes, then wipe with a wet towel. Then wash, then clay, then wash, then seal.

BenzBee

Most likely it is iron contaminants on the paint. Have a look at a product like Iron-X.

blackbullit

Meguiars clay bar is best, IMHO. Mothers is too hard and fewer stores carry them. Meguiars is soft and will pick up these kind to deposits without damaging finish. Be sure to throw away when it is dirty or dropped. You can make your clay bars last longer by using only half at a time (tear each new bar in half and knead it before use). Agree with waxing immediately after use, as clay will remove wax.

Busta Riles

Agreed...your car has rail dust on it. (iron)

ImInPA

Griot's makes a good clay product. I have had good results with their clay.