Hi all.
I'm super lazy with car cleaning, never wash it. Over the last couple of years it has collected a lot of grime spots and I'm starting to feel guilty. I think it's mostly from being parked outside in a decently wooded area so lots of leaves and sap and stuff.
Of course I'm looking for a way to remove with minimal elbow grease. Searches on a few forums give me lots of options. I tried one - citrus based glue remover - did Jack.
Anyone have suggestions?
If I scratch it with my fingernail while it's wet from the rain it's appears to come good, so I've got hope.
There's your answer. Wash it in the rain!
It’s the secret they don’t want you to know to save $$$.
If spray-based removers don't work and depending how embedded it is, it'll need clay bar treatment which is the exact opposite of minimal elbow grease unfortunately.
Has to be scraped off. That's a really bad case that you have there. Google "Artillery Fungus" for some tips.
Lots of elbow grease with HOT water and good quality carwash.
or just goto a carwash or pay to get it detailed and then keep it up.
Wash, bug and tar remover over all those spots, wash again and assess. Follow up with a decon like Bowdens 3 way and wash again. If still there then a clay rubber/bar decon then either wash again and apply sealant or do full paint correction before sealant.
bug and tar remover over all those spots, wash again and assess
Agree with this.
Damn, bad news so far. 2023, I thought there'd be some super aggressive industrial strength cleaner I could just spray on and leave the paint shiny.
There might be in 2023.
Washing the car and keeping track of the year - two of my least favourite things.
You could go down the bug and tar remover route and spend a couple of hours getting it all off.
But as @Pharkunell has pointed out, if you value your time, take it to the 'experts' and get it detailed off at a hand washer with a minor paint correction.
paint correction
What is that?
Like a polish and clay if the cars been subjected to road grime and dirt over the years, you end up with crap sticking to the paint that you can't remove by cleaning and waxing.
The only real way to get the car back to looking good as new.
I'm never getting a white car again. (Not that I wanted white this time, just was the only colour in stock on the day I needed it.)
Clay bar is the correct tool for the job.
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/meguiars-meguiars-clay-b…
Hes allergic to elbow grease.. clay bar is the last thing that will be used ;)
Not so much an allergy as an intolerance.
If you don't want to use elbow grease then you will need to outsource.
In the future if you want to keep it easy to clean, wash it more often. Like once every 1-2 months
Washing it more often won't help in this case. The black spots are stuck hard onto the paint and not because they're old. The only way to avoid these black spots is to park somewhere else.
Pressure washer, soak in detergent, then pressure wash again
I'd try this - I find pressure washing cathartic. Rubbing not so much.
Hope it won't cause more damage than the grime itself.
45 to 90 deg angle, stay away from panel edges and step back
Of course I'm looking for a way to remove with minimal elbow grease.
Open the wallet.
Not really worth it. It's a little Honda jazz. Bought it as a runabout for me for a few years, then give it to the kids to trash on their Ls and Ps. Not the sort of car destined to be treated with much love. (the wife's family car we actually take care of)
Two options.
1. Leave it be as it’s a hack car
2. Get some serious elbow grease going.
Perhaps when you give it to the kids, they can apply the elbow grease and ideally learn to look after the car.
Good idea!!
Lol no point if it's had sap etc eat into it