How do you remove "tar dots" from paint?

The State of Florida has decided to resurface a 10-mile portion of luxurious Highway 98 in my area. The newly applied asphalt is all over my truck.

I have tiny dots about every square inch of my white trucks' sides.

The dots come off with my thumbnail, but leave a brown stain behind.

I tried Bug & Tar remover and it didnt do a THING. WD-40, nope.

Would they come out with rubbing compound?

Any advice is appreciated (before I ruin the paint out of ignorance)!

 

Diesel fuel will clean it off real well.

 

the local full service car wash uses kerosene

 

WD-45 will do a good job too.
Cheers..........

 

Try rubbing alcohol and then hit with clear coat polish. Local HW stores sell a clear solvent that is safe on paint/clearcoat. Same solvent the auto glass installers use... Don't recall the name...

 

Clay Bar system works...

 

I always use bug remover/cleaner. Bought it for Love Bugs when we lived in Orlando.

 

recently found out that Wax and Grease Remover used for paint prep will take it off and is usually safe for most paints.

 

Agreed.

It's cheap, you probably have some, and it works well.

 

The roads dept around here are great fans of tar spraying.
The wifes OT car was plastered with the stuff.

Got great results with Autoglym Tar remover.

 

Gas works everytime.

 

Mothers Clay Bar Kit is a really nice product.

I've used it on my daily drivers to take off bug guts, tar, unidentified filth, etc etc.

 

I detailed cars at a dealership for about 4 years. We used acurasolv (SP?) or whats called new car solvent. You can find it at any detail supply outlet. Apply it and let it sit for a second. You will see the tar melt off. It is clear coat safe. Keep applying and wiping and it will do the job. Follow up with a clay bar to knock anything else off. Be sure the solvent is gone (solvent eats clay). Dont use the clay bar first, it would be a mess. I dont think rubbing compound would do much to be honest. Or, swing by St. Louis with a 6 pack and ill take care of it for you Good luck!

 

High pressure washer at the car wash! That's how I got the white that they stripe the roads with! I asked a guy on the road crew how to remove it, he goes, it don't come off!!! It was a plastic like substance!!

 

Gasoline. Follow it up with a wash, and wax.

 

I was thinking keroscene ,But wax and grease remover sounds the best to me ,

 

I had the same misfortune one time in Texas on a fresh oiled road the Dipshit forgot to put a closed sign on. By the time I realized what it was it was too late. WD-40 is really good at removal. Lots of paper towels too. Be sure and throw it away in a big open dumpster to let the towels air dry. Don't want to cause spontaneous combustion for wadding them up in a ball in the heat.


Tim

 

Creamy Peanut Butter. apply to tar, let set overnight and wipe off in the morning, Its a trick I learned about over thirty years ago. And no I am not pulling your leg.

 

Whaaaaat?
You win for the craziest response in this thread! I have TONS of that stuff in the cupboards. I'm sure the black bears would come in mass force!!!

For everyone: thanks for the replies.

I tried my high power pressure washer and went to two car washes and nada. So far, my thumbnail is the only thing I've tried that gets the little buggers off. I'll re-attack with the WD-40.

I'll wait for one of my teenagers to get bad grades and have them pop off the dots, and I'll go through with everything mentioned above, and let you know what owrked best. Including the peanut butter!

 

Claybar and quick detailer

 

I would use some PPG DX 3030 wax and grease remover . Shouldn't hurt the paint, but you will have to re-wax obviously.

 

I have used the peanut butter trick many times, the oil in the peanut butter softens the tar so it will wipe off and isn't hard on the wax or the paint. And it will stay where you put it and doesn't run off the body panel or evaporate.

 

I use mineral spirits. It's a pretty mild solvent.

 

Any automotive pre-paint solvent called "wax & grease remover", like Prep-Sol will work fine. If you feel like scrubbin' and you want to do a really nice job, those Clay Bars are hard to beat! They'll leave the paint nice & smooth. One of the problems with using only wax & grease remover is it won't remove crud that's not solvent soluble, like things that are water soluble. Clay bars will.


EW

 

WD-40 works excellent

 

any asphalt release agent
Zep Big Orange, don't and leave it on a plastic grille to long. It isn't as rough & doesn't evaporate like carb cleaner.
Zep liquid Steam is better if you don't care at all.

 

WD-40 will save money. Park inside, spay down area, let it work. What ever solvent you end up using you should wipe down paint clean and dry. A quality cleaner wax will then pull up any fine/left over residue. You can then use a clay bar to really smooth out the surface. Be sure to LOAD it with wax so the next time the surface will be harder for the 'road sling' to stick to.

 

Mineral spirits. Used to be $2.00/gal, now $12.00/gal...........you can get a quart.

 

I have always had luck with WD40...but used to use TR808 it was a tar and asphalt remover, they stopped making it for environmental reasons. You could watch it melt and run off. tires were black as could be when you used it too. but wash it off well (ate rubber too.. and asphalt)

 

I used either spray brake cleaner or spray carb cleaner on the lower portion of my truck,I cant remember which now,but it started running down off the sides imediately and I just wiped it off.
I couldnt believe how easy it came off and it didnt hurt my paint but I wouldnt say that it wont hurt yours.

If anyone tries either,test try it at your own risk in a area that wont be seen.