Discovering an unwanted stain on your car is definitely annoying, and to think of remedies and methods of removing the stain is a total hard nut to crack. Stains on your car could be from many sources(mostly unplanned), they could be from a scratch while driving , or the neighborhood children playing with spray paint, and even house paints could find their way to your car surface.
Now don’t panic, the first thing is to check the degree of the stain, how much volume of the car surface it occupies and it’s texture. If the stain is still relatively damp, getting it off would be a much easier feat than when it gets dried.
In getting paint off of your car surface, you would have to be careful and start by trying out the least harmful procedures or methods. Only take drastic measures when the former does not yield positive results or if the case requires such measures.
How To Remove House Paint From A Car?
Now, one of the many headaches of having unwanted paint on your car is that there really isn’t a go-to solution to the problem. You’ll have to keep running through different methods, trial and error experiments till you get the solution that works for you.
Before trying any method of paint removal, identify the source and type of the paint stain, its components (water or oil based) and consider the volume it occupies on the car surface. The longer it has baked on the car surface, the harder it is to get off and remove. Now let’s check out some of the methods you could try out to remove those vandalizing paint spots.
Wash and dry the car thoroughly.
Now before getting all worked up and panicky, try washing the car thoroughly with soap and warm water especially in situations where the paint is still wet. This water and soap solution is the quickest remedy for unwanted paint remover, and if the house paint happens to be water based, the soap and water solution will remove it effectively.
Firstly, run your fingers over the paint and see if it comes off easily. If it does, quickly get warm water and soap with a clean towel(using a dirty towel might worsen the case), gently use the towel to scrub off the paint starting in small patches and gently move on to the thicker parts. Rinse the microfiber towel and do a final wash.
If all the paint comes off neatly, do a general wash and dry the car with a microfiber cloth.
Use Acetone/nail polish remover
In the event that washing with soap and water does not remove the paint( do not fret, at least your car is cleaner and the paint is easier to identify), the next option is to try out acetone or nail polish remover.
Get a bottle of acetone and dab its content onto a clean microfiber towel, then start by gently rubbing the towel on a small part of the affected area. If the acetone seems to remove the car’s clear coat paint, stop using it immediately and rinse the car. However, if it works, proceed gently and clean in small fractions, rubbing in a smooth circular motion and regularly reapplying acetone on the microfiber towel.
After completely getting rid of the house paint, wash your car thoroughly to remove all traces of acetone or nail polish remover and dry with a soft towel.
Lacquer Thinner
In a situation where the paint is discovered after it is dried or already baked on your car surface, a lacquer thinner might be a plausible option.
In making use of a lacquer thinner, caution should be taken as it may peel off the car’s main paint. Apply a little quantity on a clean microfiber towel and test it on a tiny patch of the paint, wait for a minute to let it dissolve the paint and then wipe it off immediately.
Work in small fractions repeatedly until the car is free of the unwanted paint, then immediately wash off the lacquer thinner residue to prevent damages to the original car paint.
Using detailing clay
Removal of all dirt and grease(via washing) on the car before using this method is highly important. You’ll need a lubricant for the clay bar. Start by kneading a small portion of the clay in your palm and then applying a lubricant before firmly rubbing it on the paint stain. If you find it difficult to manipulate the clay, you can put it in a nylon and drop it in warm water to soften it then continue molding and rubbing on the car surface.
After complete removal of the paint, wash off the clay residue and dry with a microfiber cloth. Wax your car again after this process because the clay removes previous wax( use this method only if the former methods were ineffective).
Using Carnauba wax
Purchase liquid carnauba wax and a sponge or towel from your local auto parts store. Carnauba wax is not as damaging as clay paint.
Apply a generous amount of the carnauba wax on a clean sponge or towel and gently rub it on the paint splattered areas of your car. Do this gently and in small bits till all the paints are off. Ensure to buff the wax off your car with a clean microfiber cloth after this process.
Repainting
If all the previous methods were ineffective or in a situation in which more than half of the car surface is affected, cleaning might not be enough and you’ll have to repaint the car.
FAQs
How do you get house paint off plastic?
Clay bars works very well in removing house paint off the plastic parts of a car. Acetone on a microfiber towel can do the job too.
How do I remove a paint rub on my car that came from another car?
Carnauba wax is the least abrasive option for you to prevent spoiling your car’s clear coat paint while cleaning the paint stain.
How do I remove spray paint quickly from my car?
If you notice the stain immediately it happened, wash the car thoroughly with warm water and soap to remove the spray paint.
Final Words
Removing paint stains can be less difficult if you use high quality surface coating products or a nano-ceramic coating on your car surface. They possess microscopic particles that makes it harder for external bodies to stick on the car surface, thereby making stain removal easy and fast.