Help Me, Jocko! I Got Nasty Stuff on My Car!

Your car is your battle horse on the roads of Phoenix since we lack the mass transit of other cities. Phoenix is also widely spread out, so being without a car is extremely difficult in all but a few areas of town. Since most of us don’t live in those places, we’re forced to have a car to do nearly everything.

In addition, Phoenix has a hearty and growing freeway network and expects the population to double by 2050. This means that not only are the city officials looking to build new roads, but also continue to maintain existing roads in hopes of luring more taxpayers from other cities.

Wait--all of this construction is going to damage my car!

With the continuing road construction in Phoenix, sooner or later drivers are going to be caught in the foray of road improvements, which might involve getting paint or road tar on the vehicle.

We’re going to tell you how to handle little goo mishaps so you can keep your car looking great!

Bugs and Tar

Easy!  Apply Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover liberally and rub it in using a circular motion and continue rubbing until the tar disappears. It might take a while, but the results are well worth the effort.

Paint

In the case of paint, time is of the essence. Wash the car immediately, even if you have to pull into the next available car wash.  If you’re at home, a bucketful of water and Dawn (or whatever dish soap or car wash soap you have) will do. Scrub, scrub, scrub. 

If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to try cleaning wax. Cleaning wax is fairly harsh, so use the manufacturer’s directions.

Your Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover might work on stray paint, as well. As with the tar, being willing to work at it is the key.

Tree Sap

Tree sap is another unexpected gift that cars can get when that shady tree, which was supposed to protect the car from the sun, joins the other side and drops sap on the car.  In this case, you’re going to have to HAND WASH the car. An automated car wash won’t do it. Hopefully, if the weather isn’t too hot, the sap won’t have turned black from the heat yet.

Rinse the car off first, and then scrub the car with car washing soap and hot water. If that does the trick, rinse the car and wax it. If that doesn’t, try scrubbing it again.

Next, try Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover by following the directions.  If you have to resort to a professional tree sap remover, follow the directions on that, as well.

Home remedies such as rubbing alcohol (which has to be removed immediately), WD-40, or Goo Gone (do a hidden spot test first!) should be used judiciously and only if other products aren’t available.
-
As always, follow manufacturer’s directions when using these products, and use at your own risk.