How to remove acid rain spots from your car: 3 easy tips

How to remove acid rain spots from your car: What's acid rain?

So what is acid rain and how this annoying thing affects your car's paint? To put it simply, acid rain can be referred as any water-based weather elements that come from the sky, for example, rain, dew and snow. As these elements contain acidity, it can cause major problems to your car's paint if accumulated on the exterior of your car over time.

Studies have shown that after water evaporates, the remaining acidic material can ruin the paint and even weaken the metal. The damage can get more serious over time under the corrosion of the acidic compound together with the effects from other extreme weather conditions such as snow or intense sunlight.

In order to keep your beloved vehicle clear from this annoying marks, it is advised that you should have your car washed regularly to make sure there is nothing harmful left on the car's paint after water evaporates. Click here to learn our easy guide to wash your car at home. And always remember to get your vehicle covered when you have to park your car outside for a long time.

So what if your car is already spotted with annoying acid rain marked all over its body? Moving on to the next part of our article on Philkotse.com to know what to do.

How to remove acid rain spots from your car: 3 simple tips

1. How to remove acid rain spots using clay

Make sure you slide the clay bar smoothly and gently through all affected areas

It might sound weird as of how clay is going to help and how it works to erase the marks. However, clay is popularly used in a pliable automotive clay bar which allows to delete strains, dirt, and grimes out of the paint layer. This bar is made by kneading a clay bar into a soft long-shape with distilled water storing in a sprayer/detailer bottle.

• After cleaning the affected paint, start to spray the surface until it gets evenly wet;
• Then, lay the pliable bar flat and gently wipe the paint widespread little by little;
• In case the bar becomes dry or sticky, spraying water again to let the surface moist enough;
• Make sure you slide the clay bar smoothly and gently through all affected areas of your car;
• Don't forget to check if all acid rain spots have been removed by wiping the surface several times.

The question now is "where you can find clay bars?". Fortunately, it can be found at any big car care retailers and hardware stores.

One drawback of this method is that it is only helpful for newly-created acid rain spots. For more stubborn marks, continue to read our article.

>>> You might like to read:

• 3 DIY tips to remove oxidation signs from your car paint
• How to protect your car paint in the summer

2. How to remove acid rain spots using Watermark Remover

 Watermark remover is familiarly deployed for glass, but it is effective on painted surfaces too

As you might already know, this chemical combination is commonly used for cleaning glass. Interestingly, it works on painted surfaces too. One safety alert is wearing a pair of rubber gloves while applying this treatment to protect your hands. 

• Before we start, make sure your car surface is properly cleaned;
• Take out a cleansing applicator sponge and add some watermark remover drops on it;
• Wipe the marks left on the car paint with linear strokes;
• Repeat these steps slowly and carefully by doing it on a small scale;
• Warning: DO NOT apply it to the plastic object or chrome trims;
• Before wiping dry, apply dristilled water spray;
• Repeat the process again and again until all spots disappears.

* NOTE: Do not let the watermark remover stay on the damaged surface longer than 1 or as much as 2 minutes to preserve the clearcoat.

3. How to remove acid rain spots by rubbing or buffing

To erase the stubborn marks, you need a technological backup: a dual-active

If the two above-mentioned methods do not work, this is another solution for you. This is an intense cleansing method applied for acid rain marks that have been accumulated for a long-standing time. To erase the stubborn marks, you need a technological backup: a dual-active polisher or you can also clean manually with a finishing compound.

3.1. If you have dual-action polishers

This machine is not a basically required tool, so it is not easy to find it in every home, despite owning one, you might be not sure about how to use it precisely. If you are interested in this skill but never experienced it yet, it is the best to go to the professional detailing center. Obviously, depending on center to fix the marks must cost a little bit money, but it's worth compared to rubbing it by yourself with highly potential damaging.

In case you still desire to let rubbing done by your effort, asking the professional how to use this tool properly; or youtube is such a reservoir of useful knowledge, checking some guidance videos prior to getting started.

3.2. If you want to manually buff with finishing compound 

Rub the marks away in a quick circular motion while still maintain equal pressure

Make sure that your finishing compound is well-qualified. Along with it, choose a few microfiber towels and a detailer spray.

• Still, the initial step is to thoroughly clean your paint surface;
• Then, spray the detailer all over the affected paint;
• Don't forget to cover your middle and index fingers with microfiber towels and gently put dome compound onto your fingertips;
• Rub the marks away in a quick circular motion while still maintain equal pressure;
• Last but not least, spray more detailer layer and buff the finish to make your car shinning with a microfiber towel. Plus, keep your eyes on the damaging areas from diverse angles using a flashlight to fix away any spots you have missed.

One last thing is to wax the car with a nanotechnology or sealant wax to save your car from the potential damage in the future.

Hopefully, you have found some handy tips to keep you beloved vehicle always in its top shape. For more helpful tips on car maintenance, please click here.