How to Remove Paint from a Car (5 Ways)
If you’ve ever had paint on your vehicle, you know how complicated it can be to remove. Paint may have settled on his car from a project he was working on nearby, recent road construction, or vandalism. Either way, you’ll have to put in some effort on the retreat. Fortunately, with a few simple ways to remove car paint, you can restore the shine and shine again.
When it comes to painting your car, you need to act fast. At first, you may only be able to use soap and water. If that doesn’t work, you should try something stronger, such as polish thinner, gasoline, nail polish remover, or rubbing compound.
In this guide, we discuss ways to remove paint from your vehicle, starting with the easiest method. We’ll also talk about the cost of having your vehicle professionally cleaned.
Ways to remove paint from a car.
1. Soap/water mixture
If the car’s paint is fresh, you may be able to remove it with running water and car wash soap. Obviously, you want to try this method anyway, because it is the least harmful.
If your vehicle sits in the sun, the paint will bake, making it difficult to remove. That’s why you need to act fast if you plan to get away with this simple method.
Start by mixing warm water and car wash soap in a clean bucket. Using a clean, soft cloth, you can gently rub the area. Don’t use a dirty rag or you may create scratches in the paint from debris. Continue to gently rub the area in circular motions until all of the paint is removed.
Once all the paint is removed, you can choose to finish washing the car. Either way, you want to make sure the area is dry. Use a microfiber cloth to blot water stains.
2. Nail polish remover
When soap and water don’t work, you need to make things better. Most homes have nail polish remover, but you should make sure it doesn’t contain acetone. Any nail polish remover that contains acetone can damage the paint.
Using a clean cloth, apply nail polish remover to any paint splatters. It is best to apply it to the area. Once the paint is removed, you should rinse the area with water to avoid damaging the car’s paint.
3. Lacquer thinner
If the paint doesn’t come off with soap and water or nail polish remover, it’s probably already too dry. You’ll need something stronger, like lacquer thinner.
Lacquer thinner is a powerful solvent that cleans substances from wood, but you can also use it on your vehicle.
Use a clean rag to apply thinner and remove the paint. When the paint starts to peel off, use warm water to remove the lacquer from your car’s paint before it erodes it too.
To protect your car’s paint, you should start with a minimal amount of thinner. You can always add more if you need them later.
4. Gasoline
Another useful item to have in the garage is gasoline. It works the same way as nail polish remover and nail polish thinner. You will need to rub a small amount on a clean cloth and apply it to the paint splatters.
If you decide to rub the area, do so gently. Don’t press too hard or you could remove the original paint from your vehicle. As soon as the paint splatters come off, you should rinse the area with water to remove all the gasoline. Dry the vehicle to remove all water spots.
5. Friction compound
If you have a little time and want to remove the paint safely, try a polishing compound. This method will require some patience, but it is the best way to remove stubborn splatters without damaging the paint.
Put some of the polishing compound on your clean, soft cloth. Rub the area in a circular motion, but apply only light pressure. If you are working on a large area, only focus on one small spot at a time. Trying to do too much at once can damage the paint.
After removing the paint, it is best to wash and wax the car. This step helps protect the paint from further damage.
Can dried paint be sanded?
If all else fails, you may need to sand your car to remove the paint. This is not a step you want to take lightly. Sandpaper and a little elbow grease will surely remove dried paint from your car, but it can also remove good paint. If you choose to use sandpaper, you should move very slowly and be careful what you do.
RELATED: How Much Does an Automotive Paint Job Cost?
To remove dried paint, first wash and dry the vehicle. Once you are done, you need to separate the paint splatters with automotive tape. Once the rest of the vehicle is protected, you can start sanding.
Ideally, use 300-grit wet and dry sandpaper. Once you’ve removed the paint splatter, you should move on to 1200-grit sandpaper. Once you’re done, clean the sanded area because you don’t want to leave anything behind that could scratch the surrounding paint. We recommend that you wash the area before removing the tape.
