If your vehicle is covered by a light mist of paint over spray, you can remove it by hand using the clay bar method. You need to allow two to four hours to clean a car and more time to clean a larger vehicle such as a four door pickup truck, RV, SUV, etc..
The required supplies are: a clay bar and lubricant, which can be purchased from auto parts stores and auto supply sections in department stores, few soft towels, a spray bottle, and liquid wax, and a paint brush.
The overspray removal process is as follows:
1. Wash your vehicle to remove as much dirt and debris as possible.
2. Fill the spray bottle with water or the lubricant that came with the purchased clay bar. The lubricant or plain water will work the same.
3. Spray a two square foot area with the lubricant and spray the clay bar.
4. Take the wet clay bar and move it in straight motions back and forth over the wet two foot square section. The clay bar should erase away the overspray.
5. Wipe off the wet residue with one of the soft towels and feel the cleaned surface. If the surface feels like glass and no overspray is visible, repeat the process on the next over sprayed section. Keep the clay bar away from any porous and textured surfaces as the clay will embed itself into those surfaces such as the moldings and trim.
6. After half of the vehicle has been cleaned, fold the bar into itself to provide a fresh cleaning surface with which to use against the next over sprayed surface. Any smooth surface on a vehicle, such as the glass and plastic, can be cleaned using the clay bar.
7. After the residue from the clay barring process has been removed, the vehicle is now ready to wax.
8. Paste wax, liquid wax, or a sealant should be used to protect the vehicle’s cleaned surfaces. A sealant will provide the best protection against the elements. The easiest protective application is the use of liquid wax; however, its longevity is far less than a sealant or a paste wax application. Be careful to keep the wax away from any vehicle rubber, molding or trim parts, as they may become discolored. Apply the protective coating to a two foot square and wipe it off within a couple of minutes and then overlap the process on the next two foot square area.
9. After the wax or the protective coating has been wiped off using a soft dry towel, take the paint brush and brush the wax or sealant from all the crevices and cracks where the wax or sealant is visible. If the wax or sealant has become embedded into a porous surface, squeeze the dry paint brush bristles together and brush the residue from the affected surfaces. Do not use any solvent on these vehicle parts as they will become discolored or faded.
Please place the following link in your browser to see this process in action: http://www.youtube.com/embed/fqW1nzgyMNA .
If your vehicle is one of many vehicles covered by the overspray please contact us with information as to who is responsible for the overspray and we may be able to clean your vehicle and bill the entity responsible for the overspray on your vehicle.