Top 5 Common Chemical Car Stains and How to Prevent Them

Whether it’s swirl marks or bird bombs, chemical stains can do a lot more than just make your car look bad. They can also damage your paintwork.

Luckily, there are several measures you can take to protect your vehicle from chemical stains. Here are the top five chemical stains that can affect your paint and how to prevent them.

What is a Vehicle Chemical Stain?

Simply put, a chemical stain is one that’s caused by a chemical reaction. These can be tougher to remove than everyday mud and grime. A chemical stain isn’t just some dirt that’s stuck to the side of your vehicle.

If your car has chemical stains, it’s essential to act fast. Without immediate attention, they can cause permanent damage.

What Are the Most Common Car Stains?

The five most common chemical vehicle stains include swirl marks, paint oxidation, tree sap, bird bombs, and bug splatter. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Swirl Marks: Two types of swirl stains affect cars, including water and paint swirl marks. Water stains are caused by mineral deposits in residual water spots left over from a storm. On the other hand, paint swirl marks are caused by abrasive car cleaning products.

Paint Oxidation: Cars exposed to oxygen, water, or salt for long periods are prone to paint oxidation. If ignored, oxidation can cause corrosion and rust. This will weaken the body panels and frame to the point where they must be replaced.

Tree Sap: Goo from trees that fall on your car will burn through the clear coat, damaging the paint underneath.

Bird Bombs and Bug Splatter: Poop and dead bugs aren’t just gross but hazardous for your paintwork. The acidic components will eat away at your paint, leaving permanent damage in a matter of hours. Sunshine and humidity accelerate the process.

How Do I Remove Chemical Stains from My Car?

The best way to prevent damage from chemical stains is to clean them immediately. If you see bird doo-doo, dead bugs, or sap on your car, clean it off using a microfiber cloth and gentle car shampoo. If you act fast, the chemical substance won’t have time to penetrate the clear coat and damage the underlying paint.

A few other ways to remove chemical stains are:

White Vinegar: Make a mixture that contains 50% white vinegar and 50% distilled water. Using a spray bottle, treat the affected areas and let the solution sit for 30 seconds before wiping it off with a microfiber towel.

Automotive Clay: Thoroughly wash your car before sliding a bar of automotive-grade clay across the stain. Be sure to do this slowly and evenly. This helps remove microscopic impurities and other contaminants lodged deep within your paint.

Paint Correction: If you’ve exhausted all other options, you might want to consider paint correction. Don’t attempt to do this by yourself. It can quickly go from a fun afternoon DIY project to a full-blown fiasco.

How Can I Protect My Car from Outside Elements?

Paint Protection Film

Your best defense against chemical stains is paint protection film, or PPF. This invisible urethane film is installed over your car’s body panels and protects against bird droppings, bug splatter, tree sap, hail, salt, UV rays, and more.

American Wrap Company exclusively uses XPEL PPF in our shop. This product is more effective than other films, has self-healing properties, is stain resistant, and is backed by a 10-year warranty.

Ceramic Coating

We also recommend having ceramic coating applied on top of the PPF. This transparent, liquid polymer creates additional protection against UV rays. Ceramic coating also enhances the depth of your paint, improves surface clarity, and makes your car easier to clean.

How Can I Protect My Car’s Interior from Stains?

Chemical stains can happen inside your car cabin too. Consider getting floor mats and seat covers to preserve your car’s interior. You can also treat your upholstery with fabric preservers to make it more water- and stain-resistant.

We’ll Help Keep Your Car Stain-Free

American Wrap Company’s PPF and ceramic coating solutions will protect your paintwork from chemical stains for 10 years or more. Whether you drive a Honda or a Bugatti, our specialists will take great care of your ride.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call us today at (661) 878-5587.

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Tyler O'Hara

Owner/Founder at American Wrap Company

Ever since I was a young boy in elementary school I have dreamt of working on cars. My mom still has a folder of sketches that were takin away from me because I was drawing cars during class. I have always had a deep passion for cars, trucks, motorcycles and any thing fast! When I’m not working I love to escape from the city with my dogs and go camping, fishing, surfing, dirt biking and anything else outdoors and away from the city! I was born and raised in Thousand Oaks California and have lived in Ventura County most of my life. I was raised by a middle class blue collar family and was taught to have strong values. I have a very high level of respect, honesty, integrity, kindness to all people and compassion.