Removing sun cream from paintwork.

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Thu 10 Sep 2009 18:05
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - boxsterboy
I thought I was the only one with this problem until I saw a similar question in a well-known weekly car magazine this week - with a no-answer answer, if you know what I mean.

Our kids have, in passing, put sun-cream covered hands on our cars paintwork - and it is impossible to remove. It seems to 'soak in' to the paintwork and won't wash out. When I didn't know what it was, a paintshop suggested polishing with an orbital machine (to heat the paint) thinking it was moisture under the lacquer. This seemed to help for a while, but it returned. Does anyone have any ideas? (I suppose I should really post this on detailersworld.com, or somesuch).

Edited by Pugugly on 10/09/2009 at 18:27

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Thu 10 Sep 2009 18:18
Sun cream remover - Brian Tryzers
Is that what it is? There's a distinct juvenile hand print behind each rear door of my Volvo and I'd been wondering why they seemed so resistant to washing off - not that I've tried anything special. Sorry, no solution from me but at least you're not alone.

Edited by WillDeBeest on 10/09/2009 at 18:20

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Thu 10 Sep 2009 18:36
Sun cream remover - turbo11
One of my work colleagues, had the same problem last year. Has not yet been able to remove them. Tried various polishes, white spirit, alcohol etc. all to no avail. I suggested G3 cutting compound, but he's not been brave enough yet.
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 19:30
Sun cream remover - NowWheels
One of my work colleagues had the same problem last year. Has not yet been
able to remove them.


Why not just make lots more such prints, to give the car an arty leopardskin sort of look?
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 19:57
Sun cream remover - Dynamic Dave
This question has cropped up on here before. No feedback from the suggestions mentioned as to whether it removed the marks or not though.
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 21:09
Sun cream remover - Fullchat
Sorry but you need to think laterally here. The rest of the car has faded in the sunlight and will need T Cutting or other such remedy to bring it back to the shade of the section protected by the sun cream.

I'll get my coat :-)
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 21:09
Sun cream remover - Peter D
Wipe the marks with meths then let them dry repeat this 5 or 6 times a day for two days then polish the panel. These marks are really persistant. Regards Peter
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 22:49
Sun cream remover - oldtoffee
A light going over with a paint friendly product such as Meguiars Scratch X will do the job. Only problem is it will contrast a bit with the dullard paintwork you've got left around it. Best set aside an hour or three and a few cuppas to deal with the marks and polish the rest of the car. Wax or seal it after and problem sorted.
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Thu 10 Sep 2009 23:17
Sun cream remover - bell boy
if it looks bad i would ask a paint shop to have a go at buffing it out as already suggested,
if the marks do indeed come back to haunt then a respray is the only answer of the affected panels
anybody else hate football scuff marks?
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 00:23
Sun cream remover - stunorthants26
I use a cleaner wax which has a solvent in it for removing minor blemishes and is great in general on tired paint. Suncream marks are very common on family use cars but very easy to remove with the right product.
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 11:46
Sun cream remover - Gromit {P}
The hand prints are caused by polyethylene glycol in the suncream attacking the paint (non-solvent based paints typically contain PEG in the formulation too). I have the same problem on bootlid and flanks of my car.

I also have paw and nail marks from the cat, but that's another matter.

I've concluded the only option is to polish them out. My local auto shop (more in the detailed Honda Civic than traditional motor factor's vein) recommended an Auto Glym polish and wax for the job. I haven't got around to trying it yet. I'll report back if I have any success.
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 15:01
Sun cream remover - boxsterboy
Thanks for the replies.
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 15:05
Sun cream remover - Mick Snutz
I used one of those T-cut polishes that are colour matched to the bodywork.
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 15:13
Sun cream remover - Brian Tryzers
I want Stu to fix mine. In fact, the more I read here, the more Stu seems to be just what my tidy but tired Volvo needs. And I'm only one county away from Northampton.
};---)
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 16:50
Sun cream remover - bell boy
A valeter friend says much easier to deal with problems like this on Far Eastern
cars because their paint is not water based. Water based seems to be an EC
manufacturing/repairing Defect
HJ
just changed the last word for you HJ as water based paint is an eec directive too far
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Fri 11 Sep 2009 19:28
Sun cream remover - stunorthants26
Id say that Far Eastern cars in general have far better paint quality in general and fully agree that they seem to be more resistant to this kind of marking. The cars i have most trouble with it are BMW, Merc and Ford. Jaguar for some reason is never much of an issue, but Lexus, well lets just say from a professional point of view ' if only everything was painted like a Lexus ' to do a shamless take on the old VW slogan. I clean both an LS and an IS and the finish is just beautiful. Problem is it makes the others seem like very hard work!

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Fri 11 Sep 2009 19:31
Sun cream remover - stunorthants26
>>In fact, the more I read here, the more Stu seems to be just what my tidy but tired Volvo needs. And I'm only one county away from Northampton. <<

I love Volvos aswell :-)
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Sat 7 Jul 2018 23:20
Sun cream remover - Trenoweth

This is an old, old thread now but .....

Our car is a Suzuki built in Hungary, so I don't know if that qualifies it for a Far Eastern or a European paint job! However, I was able to remove a child's sunscreen hand print very easily simply by rubbing with a fairly soft pencil rubber. A small amount of elbow grease and the mark was gone in moments.

Edited by Trenoweth on 07/07/2018 at 23:21

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Wed 29 Oct 2014 16:33
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - Pomagne

First post. I've been looking for a resolution to the sun cream hand marks on my Corolla Verso for two years. Was told by a Car Spray Painter that nothing could be done, and advised on a re-spray (which I couldn't afford). A year later, a friend suggested he would try to clear the marks with top of the range polishes etc. Prior to arranging a date, a colleague suggested her "Magic Sponge" bought from Lakeland. (There are others such as Magic Eraser in supermarkets, but I used the Lakeland version.) I have to say I did not expect it to work, but IT HAS!!!! Used dry or wet, the marks came out, with a bit of elbow grease. I cannot believe it and I've fallen back in love with my car. Car has since been polished and waxed by my friend, and it is looking as new. I don't know if it is because it is a Toyota (with superior paint quality), but I'm a very happy man.

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Wed 29 Oct 2014 16:46
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - skidpan

Magic sponges, magic errasers and high quality Toyota paintwork, the mind boggles.

If Toyota paintwork is so good why did it need sorting. Never had an issue with Ford, BMW, Kia, Seat etc.

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Wed 29 Oct 2014 18:32
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - Bolt

Magic sponges, magic errasers and high quality Toyota paintwork, the mind boggles.

If Toyota paintwork is so good why did it need sorting. Never had an issue with Ford, BMW, Kia, Seat etc.

If sun cream does that to paintwork what will it do to your skin?

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Fri 31 Oct 2014 11:23
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - oldtoffee

Find a local detailer who uses products like Tardis (like Autoglym Tar Remover x 50) and professional cutting/cleaner compounds on a polishing machine and then a light wax. 30 minutes work. Price for cash?

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Fri 31 Oct 2014 12:53
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - alan1302

Magic sponges, magic errasers and high quality Toyota paintwork, the mind boggles.

If Toyota paintwork is so good why did it need sorting. Never had an issue with Ford, BMW, Kia, Seat etc.

If sun cream does that to paintwork what will it do to your skin?

Protect it from UV rays :-)

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Sun 15 Jul 2018 23:03
Removing sun cream from paintwork. - Senexdriver
I accidentally splashed sun cream on my speaker grill and I can’t get it off. Little white dots in the tiny circular holes of the grill. I’ve tried a cotton bud soaked in soapy water, meths, white spirit and cellulose and none will touch it.
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