We remove bitumen stains. 6 tips to avoid damaging your paintwork

Such positive phenomena as repair or construction of roads have a negative side. It involves particles of resin from the new road surface getting onto the vehicle body. Such contaminants are difficult to wipe off from the paint surface. To remove bitumen from a car body, you will have to use reliable and proven special tools.

Methods for removing bitumen from a car body.

How do tar particles settle on cars?

Bitumen stains most often appear after driving along a repaired section of the highway on a hot summer day. At this time, the dark resin actually turns into liquid under the influence of high temperature and friction from the wheels. On the body, each drop cools down and forms a crust, tightly adhering to the car paintwork. Also, particles fly off from the wheels under centrifugal action on neighboring cars. The higher the speed of travel along the updated highway, the farther the drops fly and the more reliably they are fixed to the surface.

Important! The chemical composition of bitumen includes aggressive organic solvents that can react with layers of car paint, damaging the body protection and worsening its appearance.

The main material, which is bitumen or tar, does not have a significant chemical effect on the surface. It only traps dirt particles, abrasive sand, other harmful components and moisture on it, which contribute to the destruction of the surface layer of the body. The following areas are at risk:

• bumpers;
• wheel arches;
• bottom of doors;
• thresholds.

Experts recommend not to delay removing unwanted plaque.

Professional compositions

When thinking about how to wash bitumen from a car, vehicle owners often choose professional solutions . Such liquids contain special additives and petroleum fractions; they can remove stubborn dirt. Despite their unique composition, such products have one serious drawback. The fact is that they are very aggressive.

Active additives can easily damage the paint and varnish on the body surface. Especially if the driver encountered a similar problem for the first time. If you have not previously removed resin with professional compounds, then it is better to seek help from experienced specialists.

Options for preventing bitumen contamination

By adhering to certain rules, it is possible to minimize negative factors or completely avoid them. The methods are relevant for cars of any type and are available to drivers with any experience:

• slow ride;
• maintaining distance;
• application of protective coating;
• preliminary installation of mudguards.

The preferred speed limit on newly repaired road surfaces should not exceed 30-50 km/h. The higher the ambient temperature, the lower the speed should be. The driver must maintain a sufficient distance from the vehicle ahead. You should not get close to trucks, as the large diameter of their wheels can cause drops to even land on the windshield. Pre-installed mud flaps also help protect the car. They will not allow any type of dirt to fly away. Pre-applied various protective layers help block the interaction of the aggressive resin composition. These include, for example, solid polymer compositions or a layer of liquid glass. To clean the latter from bitumen spots, ordinary fiber cloth is enough.

How long can you drive with contaminants?

It is necessary to get rid of formed stains as quickly as possible. It would be ideal to wash off the resin from the car yourself after driving through the problem area. For such cases, there should be rags and a container with high-quality solvent in the trunk. If you ignore the plaque, damage to the paintwork will soon appear. Over time, the black growths harden completely, which creates problems when removing them, and leaves reddish spots underneath. Newly formed spots of bitumen can be easily washed off without leaving any traces.

How and with what to wash off poplar resin and road bitumen from a car budget sector

Usually, owners of new cars try not to rely on traditional methods. On the one hand, the concerns are understandable - the degree of aggressiveness of the drugs has not been confirmed by anything, so the behavior of paintwork in response to the use of the same alcohol is difficult to predict. However, many talk about the unsurpassed effectiveness of the available liquids.

• Turpentine.
• Alcohol.
• White Spirit.
• Petrol.

Using them is no more difficult than, but this should be done carefully. First, it is worth conducting a test, the purpose of which is to determine how the product acts on the paintwork after a long exposure

A test operation is usually performed in an inconspicuous place.

Classic

When asked how to remove poplar resin from a car, a practical answer would be to use traditional ethyl alcohol or turpentine. These two drugs confidently remove stains that have appeared on paintwork for a long time. After applying the composition, an acidification procedure follows, which lasts about 2-5 minutes.

It is more convenient to apply gasoline or white spirit with a spray gun. They should be kept for no more than 3 minutes. Then the area is wiped with microfiber.

Cotton pads are useful for applying turpentine or alcohol. By the way, it is not necessary to purchase pure alcohol liquid. Hand sanitizer or wet wipes will do just fine. Ordinary ammonia also shows good results.

Methods for removing bitumen

To remove bitumen and not damage the paintwork, many drivers go to service stations, where they probably know how to wash it off the car. However, you will have to pay about 3 thousand rubles for the services. In this case, you can wipe off the marks yourself by purchasing a special product in advance that costs 200-600 rubles. You will have to wait several hours for your car to be cleaned, including waiting in line. If the marks appeared recently and did not have time to penetrate deeply into the paint, then it is worth carrying out the operation yourself in a garage. You will be able to save both money and time. Most effective special products are offered by manufacturers in aerosol form. The spray bottle does not have a strong odor and is easy to use. Universal and professional cleaners are presented in this form. Universal products are based on the best surfactants and alcohol. They are safe to use even on their own, and no pre-washing is required before cleaning the surface. They are relevant when removing bitumen from the body in camping conditions, when dirt has recently formed.

It is better to use a more expensive product from a trusted brand, for example, Liqui Moly Teerentferner, HI-GEAR aerosol or Greenotex Turbo Force Cleaner concentrate, than a more budget option like Lesta. Otherwise, the body will not be properly cleaned, and old residues will continue to corrode the surface. In problematic cases, you will need professional products, but you must work with them carefully, since most solutions are concentrated, flammable and have a specific aroma. Difficulties in application are compensated by maximum efficiency. Old stains are removed just as completely as newly formed ones.

Rules for using cleaning products

Although there are instructions for each product, there are a number of rules that apply to any cleaning product.

1. Before treating contaminated areas, the body must be washed.
2. Any product is best applied to a cold surface. This is due to the fact that on a warm body the substance will evaporate faster, which means the effect will not be as active.
3. If you are using the cleaner for the first time, it is better to test it on an inconspicuous area of ​​the body to avoid unpleasant surprises.
4. Bitumen stains are scrubbed off gradually, layer by layer. Do not try to remove the entire thickness of the stain at once.
5. Do not use a knife or other sharp objects under any circumstances.
6. The best cloth for cleaning the body is made of microfiber.
7. After removing the stain, wash the car and be sure to wipe it dry to ensure that any remaining cleaner is removed.

When using any product to clean bitumen from a car, you need to follow simple safety rules. Bitumen on a car body is a headache for many drivers. However, if you try to solve the problem immediately, and not wait for the stain to completely dry, you can even cope with the means at hand.

Alternative new products

The market for effective chemicals has been replenished with new materials. One of them is an auto scrub, which is a rubberized structure made in the form of a circle, napkin or mitten. With the help of the product it is possible to fight not only bitumen, but also other problems, including traces of midges. A new product on the car market is synthetic clay. The structure of the substance is a viscous texture, reminiscent of children's plasticine. The composition penetrates the bitumen, enters into a chemical reaction and removes build-up along with third-party adhering inclusions (dust, dirt, sand, etc.). The impact of the composition does not affect the paintwork.

Dried spots

Fresh bitumen stains can be easily removed. After drying, the resin can be removed using professional means.

Among the best cleansing compositions are:

1. Profoam Kangaroo 5000 removes rock tar, insect marks and road grime. Easy to use, it penetrates to the very base of dried bitumen in 30 seconds. To remove bitumen stains, shake the can of Profoam Kangaroo 5000, apply from a distance of 30 cm. Wait 30 seconds, use the cleaner again. Wipe the stained area with a soft cloth.
2. Cleaner with fresh citrus scent No. 7230 and No. 7535 analogues. Used on old stains. Cleaner with fresh citrus scent No. 7230 is considered the best among similar compositions.
3. Grass anti-bitumen is designed to remove oil products, bitumen stains and rubber traces. The spray does not need to be diluted; it is used in concentrated form. Antibitumen is sprayed onto the contamination and left for 10 minutes. Remove the tar with a soft cloth, then wash the car with water.
4. Wurth is an industrial universal cleaner. Dissolves well residues of sealant and oils. Sold in a 500 ml aerosol. It's cheap.
5. Astrohim spray, similar to Profoam Kangaroo 5000, penetrates into the deep layers of dried tar. It has a complex of special additives that allow you to remove old stains. Astrohim is a strong chemical that begins to act immediately after use. There are no aggressive substances in the composition, the cleaner does not damage paintwork.
6. Autoprofi is the cheapest product, no less effective. Before use, shake the can, apply it to the surface, wait 3 minutes and remove with a sponge without waiting for it to dry.

It is harder to remove hardened dirt from a car than fresh dirt. You have to gradually dissolve the thick layer of hardened bitumen with a cleaner.

Features of use

It is possible to completely remove bitumen stains on cars by using professional compounds according to the instructions.

Correct way to use:

1. Wash the car with special shampoo. Dry the body.
2. Lightly moisten the resinous spots with water.
3. Try to remove some of the dirt with a rag.
4. Apply the purchased cleaner. Leave on as per instructions, rinse with water.
5. Repeat until no trace of tar contamination remains.
6. Protect the car with wax, polish or other similar product.

Using professional solutions without following the instructions will result in the paint dissolving.

The use of traditional methods of body cleaning

Before washing off bitumen stains with expensive means, you can use traditional methods tested by experienced motorists. They are often used to wash off road debris from inexpensive cars. Popular substances that help wash off bitumen are:

• White Spirit;
• solvents (647, 646, etc.);
• kerosene (diesel fuel, gasoline);
• acetone-containing products.

White spirit is a relatively safe substance for household use. It is produced through the process of petroleum distillation. They should be washed carefully so as not to damage the paint. Unlike conventional solvents, which help only on fresh stains, it is able to scrub off slightly dried stains. Due to the availability of gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel, products are widely used to remove plaque. It is possible to get rid of even old dirt. We recommend working with protective gloves and a petal. The operation is carried out in several stages so as not to damage the varnish on the car. If no other means are available, you can use nail polish remover or strong alcoholic drink. Such compositions cope only with fresh contaminants.

How to remove bitumen stains using White Spirit

1. We wash the car from coarse dirt as much as possible using shampoo and water. This will save you from unwanted scratches that may occur on the paintwork if you try to wipe off bitumen stains along with road dirt;
2. Let the car dry, then apply White Spirit using a cotton or foam swab.
3. We wait 3-5 minutes and try to erase bitumen stains from the paintwork of your car body. Try not to rub too hard, if the stain can be washed off with White Spirit, if not, there is no point in rubbing.
4. If you are unable to remove a bitumen stain using this product, use a more reliable product designed exclusively for this purpose. Instead of White Spirit, you can try to wash the stain with gasoline or kerosene.