Hi, we have been away for two weeks on a holiday to Turkey. I have come home to find that me neighbour has had builders in to build retaining walls in their garden. It would appear that the builder has knocked up the mortar in a cement mixer on the drive and splattered it up one side of my car. Are there any products you would recommend to loosen the mortar. I suspect it has been on my paintwork for at least 10 days.

 

The car is overdue a good exterior valet and machine polish but I want to remove the worst of it.

I think you need to be finding out from your neighbour the contact details for their builder! That’s outrageous! I’d be fuming if I came home to this. 

Thats bad,

 

What does the neighbour  have to say about it ?

 

Did they tell you before you went away so you had chance to move the car?

What a nice thing to come home to. Would have thought your neighbour or the builder would have had the decency to cover it with a sheet or something. I would hose it down, give it a good soaking and see what comes off. Get some buckets of hot soapy water (detergent) and throw over it and leave to soak and pressure wash it off. Be careful using any brushes or cleaning cloths while there is still mortar on there for fear of scratching the surface.

I'd have gone Ape Sh-it.    I'd be sending someone a bill for a complete valet.  As stated above, a sheet covering the car would have been nice or even a hose down.  

Edited 1 September, 20196 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Snow foam and rinse a few times before any contact.

 

But the mortar may have damaged the paint if sat for 10 days.

 

You need the name of the builder, and a professional detailer and take photos at every stage as this may end up as an insurance claim.

That is bad, not only from the builders but the neighbour. I would never leave a neighbours property like that if a workman left such a mess. 

Unfortunately the mortar once removed will leave marks due to it being alkaline. Best to talk to your neighbour about putting it right and if it was me I would be claiming off their household insurance via the car insurance cover. 

Ouch. Someone else should be paying a professional detailer to fix this. Pressure from a water jet could still damage the paint. A good Traffic Film Remover followed by snow foam may be a safe option

I'd this decades ago on a black Polo. Needed a professional chemical mortar remover plus a valet.

The cement in the mortar will generate heat, that's part of its hardening process. I would suspect the damage has already been done! I'd seek professional help and be having words with the neighbour! 

Omelettes & eggs.

 

Most of it looks like airborn dust that has settled & then dew or rain has finished the job, the rest of the splatters are probably where they hosed down the mixer and any mortar that dropped on the floor.

 

I sprayed my building from scaffolding using a  textured masonry paint, its sticks like **** to a blanket and overspray is a problem as its just the grit particles that travel a long way but they have enough paint on them to stick.

 

I put out barriers and sheeted off any cars which moved them to park in the line of fire but was working to the left hand end of the rear wall and had just lost the sight of my left eye, I could not see beyond the corner that I had left my Octavia parked on my drive and it was right in the line of fire and got completely covered.

 

Some came off but I could not rub because of the grit particles, the remainder hardened and came away gradually through washing over they years without leaving any damage but my car was silver and I am not a detailing or valeting freak.

 

My advice is to wash it gently and with care, dont be concerned that some remains and definitely dont try harder on those areas, it will come away gradually with each wash.

On 01/09/2019 at 11:45, Auric Goldfinger said:

I'd have gone Ape Sh-it.    I'd be sending someone a bill for a complete valet.  As stated above, a sheet covering the car would have been nice or even a hose down.  

 

But Mr Goldfinger sir, you wouldn't even see cement on your car, it would blend perfectly with the body colour 😛

4 minutes ago, pist0nbr0ke said:

 

But Mr Goldfinger sir, you wouldn't even see cement on your car, it would blend perfectly with the body colour 😛

Don't be so obtuse; everyone knows that it's British Gypsum plaster which is the same paint code as Meteor Grey and not your traditional mortar mix 😋

Depends on your situation but always with neighbours you have to think about your ongoing relationship. Its not worth falling out over a few hundred quids worth of paint damage, it really isn't. Obviously your property has been damaged, but to what extent? If it really comes off with a bit of valeting then the cost and inconvenience of that is all you should expect to recover. If it needs paint rectification then get quotes and receipts. But you probably don't want to start legal proceedings. Be realistic and reasonable and perhaps your neighbour will respond the same way - isn't that the best outcome you can hope to get now? 

@Banjaminion Did you get a satisfactory outcome to your paintwork?