Tree Sap, Bird Droppings, and Too Much Heat Can Ruin Your Ride

As the seasons change, it’s very likely that your car exterior picked up some surface contaminants during your travels. Unfortunately, outside contaminants such as tree sap and bird droppings can cause damage to a vehicle’s paint if left untouched for too long. 

Meguiar’s, a leader in car care since 1901, has put together a list of important tips and product recommendations to ensure you can properly remove these contaminants before hitting the road again.

Tree Sap:

When enjoying the outdoors, it’s likely that your car ended up parked under or near a tree. Tree sap can be found as either a very fine sap mist that sits on a vehicle’s paint, or larger, dried-up blobs of tree sap. The fine sap mist can usually be addressed quite easily with a product like the Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Quik Clay Kit. The kit utilizes a specialized synthetic clay pad that does a fantastic job of removing bonded contaminants from the paint surface, along with a Hybrid Ceramic Detailer that not only provides lubrication for the clay pad, but actually leaves some hybrid ceramic protection behind when you’re done.

The dried blobs are usually a bigger challenge, but still easy to handle by using an isopropyl alcohol that can be found at almost any drug store or supermarket. Simply pour a bit of the alcohol directly onto the sap, allow it to sit for a few seconds, and gently wipe away the residue and offending sap with a clean microfiber towel. Since the alcohol will have most likely removed any wax or sealant you had on the paint in the affected area, it’s a great idea to quickly follow up the Hybrid Ceramic Detailer to restore some protection and give superior water beading. Always remember to work on a cool finish and test on a small spot before beginning.

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Bird Droppings:

We’ve all experienced the dreaded moment on a road trip when we return to our car to find bird droppings on the exterior. One of the most detrimental things you can do is let the droppings dry onto the paint, which can create an etching on the car and make for a lot more work in the long run. Bringing along a premium microfiber towel and a product like the Meguiar’s® Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax will help you to act quickly on-the-go and without water. The Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax can be sprayed directly onto the paint and used to gently wipe away the droppings with your microfiber towel. This product will lubricate the surface and lift off the droppings before causing damage and can even be used on water spots as well.

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Sunlight:

Road trips mean heat and sunlight are inevitable. Obviously, the sun can’t be avoided, but try to park in a garage or covered parking structure on bright days. Sunlight is one of the most damaging elements that affect a vehicle’s finish. Heat from sunlight also bakes “above surface bonded contaminants” like tree sap mist and insects into the surface. If a car must sit out during sunny days, a car cover will help protect it from sun and from the wind, which can damage a car with airborne contaminants.

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See clearer:

Don’t Forget the Windows: There’s nothing more frustrating than a dirty windshield on the open road. Achieve crystal clear views with the Meguiar’s Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner, which easily removes contaminants like vinyl fog residue, road grime, smoker’s film, and bug splatter. Since it’s a pro-strength glass cleaner spray, it easily removes dirt and film while still being safe for use on all tinted windows.

It’s impossible to avoid outside contaminants when traveling in your car but being prepared is key. With these tips and products from Meguiar’s, your vehicle’s exterior will be cared for safely, giving you one less thing to worry about.

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About Meguiar’s

For more than 120 years, Meguiar’s has provided Car Crazy® people with specialized state-of-the-art formulations for making every car’s appearance show car perfect. Meguiar’s provides high-performance car care products for every automotive surface. To learn more visit www.meguiars.com.

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