Fine grit on paint

[Donald]

We had our vehicles detailed in the spring. We also had a lot of pollen dust. At one point our driveway looked almost yellow.

Both vehicles have a fine grit stuck to the paint. You cannot see but can feel.

I washed the Subaru using a blue washing mit and it's still there. I am thinking it's pollen dust mixed with dew.

It's not the worst thing in the world. What would I need to do to remove the fine grit?

We live 10 miles from the ocean but I doubt if it's salt spray. That should have been removed with washing with a blue mit.

 

[Nukeman7]

Using a clay bar with a detailing spray should remove the residual grit without damaging the paint. It is tedious work, but goes faster if you use the Mothers Speed Clay 2.0 pad instead of a traditional clay bar.

 

[64bawagon]

If you look at pollen under magnification it looks like a bur. It is very tough on paint, especially Pine tree pollen.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have this issue with my old Nissan's.

If your worried most about longevity, are you better to just leave it there and wax over it, or clay bar?

 

[slo town]

As @Nukeman7 said, clay bar it. That stuff works miracles.

Scott

 

[Nukeman7]

I have this issue with my old Nissan's.

If your worried most about longevity, are you better to just leave it there and wax over it, or clay bar?

Definitely use the clay bar on it. The clay bar lifts the contamination off the paint and the spray detailer acts as a lubricant so the grit/debris does not scratch the paint at all. If you have never used a clay bar before, you will be amazed at how mirror-smooth the finish will feel after decontaminating the surface with the clay. The fine soft clay is not abrasive but attracts and bonds to the contaminants. It only removes particulate deposits and will not remove any wax polish.

 

[jeffy876]

You don't use sandpaper on a car you aren't repainting.

You use a cutting pad and compound with a DA or rotary polisher. Or just a pad and compound plus a lot of hand scrubbing. After washing and claying of course. A clay mitt or nanoskin will make it go way faster

 

[ryanschillinger]

You don't use sandpaper on a car you aren't repainting.

You use a cutting pad and compound with a DA or rotary polisher. Or just a pad and compound plus a lot of hand scrubbing. After washing and claying of course. A clay mitt or nanoskin will make it go way faster

I don’t think they were suggesting sanding, it seems they were describing the stuff left on the paint and feeling gritty.

 

[Donald]

I don’t think they were suggesting sanding, it seems they were describing the stuff left on the paint and feeling gritty.

The car finish felt less gritty after a heavy rain. I am still not sure what the stuff is.