How To Remove Overspray Without Damaging Clear Coat?

Dealing with overspray on your car is no simple task. Do it wrong, and you could end up damaging the clear coat. Luckily, there are a few methods available that even beginners can easily use.

Each method has certain steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results. The article you’re about to read is going to elaborate on each step and make it easier to find the method that’s best for your situation.

On top of that, you will also learn why it’s important to remove overspray from your car quickly and how to make it easier to remove in the future.

What Does Overspray On A Car Look Like?

To put it simply, overspray is when paint spray accidentally hits your car. It’s similar to trying to color within the lines, but going beyond them.

Overspray commonly occurs when applying a coat of paint to a nearby vehicle, or when hiring an inexperienced body shop to detail your car.

Sometimes, nearby construction work can also cause overspray on your car, as the wind can pick up wet paint mist and hand-deliver it to your car’s paint job.

However, there are times when overspray isn’t visible. The best way to tell whether there’s overspray on your car is by touch. Give it a try by gently running your hand over the exterior of your car after a thorough washing.

If you feel tiny rough spots as you glide your hand across the surface, then you know your car has overspray — time to get to work!

How To Remove Overspray From Your Car?

While there are plenty of available options to remove car overspray, most automotive detail experts recommend using clay bar treatment over the rest.

But, a quick and simple solution, if you’re able to catch it in time while the overspray is still somewhat tacky, would be to use a product from Torque Detail called Sap Attack.

Sap Attack is specially formulated to remove sticky situations without harming the clearcoat of your ride. We recommend giving this a try first before moving on to more aggressive solutions.

Use A Clay Bar

The reason why many car enthusiasts and professionals suggest using a clay bar to remove overspray is due to its simplicity. You don’t need to bring out a complicated machine or have previous experience when using a clay bar.

All you need is time, finesse, patience, and elbow grease to deal with overspray.

If you’re a newbie with clay barring, we recommend using Torque Detail’s Clay Kit when it comes to removing overspray. It’s simple to use and is far more forgiving than other professional-grade products.

After washing your car’s exterior, you should softly rub a clay bar over the area that needs attention. It’s best to do this in small sections because the car’s surface should always be kept wet. To make sure the surface stays moist and the clay bar slides smoothly, you absolutely must use a special clay bar lubricant.

This is one of the reasons why Torque Clay Kits are so popular – they come with their own bottle of clay lubricant, making the process even more streamlined.

Although it might cost a bit more than other clay bar kits, it’s worth it for the value you get. The included clay lubricant means you won’t have to work as hard to remove dirt and grime from your car.

Wet Sand The Affected Area

Next on this list is to wet sand the affected area until all the contaminants disappear. We do not recommend this method for DIYers.

This is one of the most dangerous methods out there. While it is possible to avoid damaging the clear coat during the sanding process, it requires a ton of experience — we’re talking years.

So, this method is better left to the professionals.

Use A Plastic Razor Blade

If the overspray comes off when you pick at it with your fingernail, then a good starting point would be to use a plastic razor blade.

As its name suggests, it’s similar to a razor blade, but instead of metal, it uses strong, durable plastic that acts as the so-called ‘blade’. Also, plastic razor blades are chunkier than regular razor blades, providing better grip and control.

Unlike a regular razor blade, you push this against the contaminants and scrape it off of your car. When used carefully, the strong plastic shouldn’t harm the clear coat underneath.

Why Do You Need To Remove Overspray?

If you’ve read this article up to this point, you’re probably wondering if you can ignore the overspray on your car. The answer is NO, check out the reasons below on why you need to remove overspray with the quickness.

Better Finish

You want your car to look great at all times. Overspray ruins your car’s image and makes it way less aesthetically pleasing.

But there’s another reason why, and that is the vehicle’s value. Later down the line, you’ll probably want to sell or trade it in for a better model and you’ll get far less for a car that looks like it hasn’t been cared for.

The longer you leave the overspray unattended, the tougher and more expensive it is to remove.

Keeps The Clear Coat In Good Condition

Overspray is a contaminant that can eat away at your car’s paint and damage it over the long run.

The longer overspray is left on the surface of your car, the weaker the clear coat becomes and the less protection it provides.

As such, if you want to protect your car against the elements, like dust and debris, you need to immediately remove any overspray you see or feel.

Protects Against Swirl Marks And Spider Cracks

As mentioned previously, leaving overspray on your car can damage it. And these damages usually come in the form of swirl marks and spider marks.

Overspray can easily scratch the surface of your car during regular washes, and, over time, it will ruin the car paint as well, leaving behind areas that have a visual cracking or webbing appearance.

These swirl marks and spider cracks not only ruin your car’s paint but also expose the undersurface to harsh elements. From there, it can lead to weakening different sections of your car’s exterior and cause rust to form.

Helps Make Cleaning Your Car Easier

Last but not least, removing overspray helps make cleaning a whole lot easier. First, you don’t have to deal with any uneven surfaces.

Second, it lessens the number of times you need to clean your car. How?

Well, a car without overspray and a clean surface will reduce the chances of dust and dirt sticking to the surface. Additionally, it will also prevent moisture from clinging to the surface, which could lead to water spots.

Summary

While an overspray doesn’t look like much, it will ruin your car if left to its own devices. Luckily, there are many ways of resolving this stubborn issue like Torque Detail’s Clay Bar Kit, or Sap Attack. So, if you spot or feel an overspray on the surface of your car, take some time and work it out to avoid a much bigger problem in the future.