Right cleaning gurus on here...  I'm still learning as I go about detailing and ways and the order in which steps should be completed. I need a bit of advice with regards to removing tar on my car.

 

I've got a clay bay and Dodo Juice clay lubricant from Cleanyourcar. My car is absolutely CAKED in tar on its lower half. I've used this clay in the past and I found that it takes bloody ages for it to remove even one small spot. To do the whole lower part of the car like this would take me an absolute age.

 

My question is, am I doing something wrong?!? When I did it in the past I cleaned the car with the two bucket method, then dried off with a microfibre towel. Then section by section applied the clay lube and worked a flattened clean part of the bar over that area. Then obviously another wash once I was done.

 

There must be an easier way to get rid of tar without scratching your paintwork??? This detailing is hard work to grasp!!

You need to get some Tar Remover

I use Autoglym Intensive Tar and Glue remover (Halfords)...works very well

OR

You can get Autosmart Tardis from online retailers

OR spray with White Spirit and wipe away after 5 minutes

Thanks Chris.

 

I've got the Autoglym stuff. What are you using to remove it with? Microfibre? I'm worried that I'm gonna put scratches in when using this stuff.

 

Why do people remove tar with clay bars if this is a better method? What do clay bars pick up best?

You use the clay bar over the tar remover if your unsure if the car has had smart repairs, poor paint, etc, touch ins, as the tar remover might just remove the smart repair as well.

 

You can spray tar remover or you can put it on make up pads (cheap from tesco boots etc) and place that on the tar and let it soak in, making it easier to remove.

Or you could just raid the fridge for some butter, which works as well, but don't use Autoglym on your toast..

I use MF cloths to remove the runs of tar..no scratches on any paint...even on Hondas and Mazdas!!

Fantastic advice cheers guys!

 

Guess I've read almost too much about how 'anything' seemingly scratches paintwork and have become rather paranoid!!! (even though mine is far from perfect as it is!)

As said, you're best of using tar remover to get rid of all the tar before claying. I spray tar remover on all offending areas, leave it to act for a minute or so (you will actually see the tar running down the paint), wipe off tar carefully with a cloth sprayed with tar remover and then rinse. Unfortunately I found AG Intensive Tar Remover quite weak on heavy tar deposits and rather expensive for what it is. Autosmart Tardis works very well, if you weren't so far I could have sorted you out with a sample!

Found WD40 quite a handy tar remover too.  Just spray on and watch the tar spot run.