Halloween is the night for ghouls and ghosts to run free – not to mention the hooligans who’ll see your car as the ultimate target for their “tricks”. In case you find yourself a victim, use our tips to help save your car from permanent damage.
EGGS
As harmless as eggs seem, they can actually cause havoc on vehicle paint surfaces and cause long-lasting, permanent damage. The yolk that’s now smeared all over your car has to break free somehow, and the impact of the egg hitting your car causes shell fragments to burst over the surface in sequential rings, causing scratches.
Depending on the proximity of the pitcher, these scratches could be buffable or they could pierce the top coat, and sometimes even chip away paint to reveal the metal body beneath. Not only are the shells a danger, but the actual yolk and egg white are extremely corrosive to paint surfaces, and can actually eat into the car’s surface if left on too long.
An egg will cause permanent damage to any and all paints, no matter how well-waxed and/or maintained the vehicle is. So, if you’re waking up to a sunny-side-up quarter panel, the damage will have already been done. What you need to do is clean the surface as much as possible with water.
Use the pressure from a hose to clear off the dried egg so that you don’t rub miniscule bits of eggshell around the surface (which would cause more scratches than you already have to deal with). Once you’ve cleared the surface, take a closer look at the area. If the paint has been etched away (the surface will feel rough to the touch) then a respray is necessary; otherwise, you’ll be left with a permanent scar. Often, the egg will cause the paint to look foggy or faded, which can also only be corrected by repainting the car.
However, if the egg shells caused no damage and you got to the egg in time, an overall wash and wax may do the trick to mask the nasty prank. Also, the colour of your car will help; lighter shades (such as silver, white and beige) won’t show as much scarring as black, blue or dark green.
SHAVING CREAM
Shaving cream contains chemicals, meaning that different brands may cause discoloration to your paint surface and could even eat away at the clear coat in a worst-case scenario. Although shaving cream can be corrosive if left on long enough (we’re talking days at a time), if you deal with the situation at hand immediately and use the correct products, you can quickly melt the foamy mess away and have your car back to its lustrous self.
To deal with it, the first thing you should do is wet the substance so it can be rinsed off without scraping at it. Don’t approach your car like a scab that needs to be picked as it will only promote more damage to the surface. So, just as before, wash the car thoroughly with water, using the water pressure to clear the surface as much as possible.
Once the surface is no longer caked with shaving cream, a gentle all-in-one wash should clear the paint of any residual shaving cream. When doing so, always use a microfibre towel (or a soft wash mitt), and make sure you keep the surface wet while washing, just in case there is left-over hardened shaving cream you missed with the first shower.
MINI PUMPKINS
Besides the hard outer shell, a pumpkin’s flesh is not that harmful unless it is left on for days. As long as you clean the car immediately, you should be clear of all damages. Even though there are seeds in a pumpkin, they are rather soft and surrounded by enough moisture and flesh to not damage the paint. Again, a good water cleansing is the key to getting the main mess off – that is, water pressure to remove the larger chunks and a microfibre cloth (or soft-wash mitt) to gently remove more stubborn bits.
The main issue with mini-pumpkins is their tendency to dent what they hit. As they are large projectiles that need strength to break, they will hit the surface of your car with a great deal of force. While some side panels are made to bend and take impacts without denting, not all cars are equipped with such advanced designs. If that is the case for you, no amount of waxing, polishing and/or buffing will solve the pumpkin damage. You must head to the garage to get the dent pushed out.
WET TOILET PAPER BALLS
Thankfully, toilet paper is by far the least abrasive and harmful projectile that can hit your car. Not only is the toilet paper soft (even when wet), it’s also free of any chemicals or products that could corrode your paint. The only issue that arises with dried toilet paper is getting every last fleck off; hardened toilet paper can be quite a pain, and wet toilet paper breaks and spreads so easily.
First and foremost, you need to wet the toilet paper to remove it from the surface. Do not try to knock the little lumps off or pick at them in any way. Again, you don’t want to be the one responsible for damaging your own paint, so let the water do the work. High-pressure water should clear most of the toilet paper off the car, but be warned: bits of paper may break off and spread elsewhere on the car, where they could harden and cause surface damage in the future.
As there is no immediate concern with wet toilet paper, an overall cleaning is not necessary right away. A simple rinse and quick soaping will get your car looking like new in no time.
SILLY STRING
Although silly string, like shaving cream, tends to harden quickly and form a tough shell, the substance itself is not that harmful. Remember: Refrain from removing the string with your bare hands out of anger. Instead, take a deep breath and grab the hose.
As with any other Halloween prank pulled on your car, water really is the best solution. Make sure you have a good drainage system in your driveway to clear away the silly string that may come off in large chunks. Once again, use the water’s pressure to remove the majority of silly string from the surface. This should work, unless string has become lodged inside door frames or side mirrors. In this case, breaking out finer tools, such as cotton swabs, could come in handy. Always use tools that have a smooth, soft surface. Toothpicks and fingernails are a big no-no. Remember: If it can scratch the paint on its own, don’t use it to remove substances from the surface.
Once the silly string has been rinsed away as thoroughly as possible, you may want to take a closer look. Due to the dye in the string, it is possible that lighter-colored cars may be stained. As in the case of the egg, such damages may be irreversible without a repaint. However, there are products that may help lift the foggy residue and discoloration.
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