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Getting Bird **** Etching Out Of Vinyl


Stutopia

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So the local seagulls, fuelled on townie chunder and leftover kebab, have a particularly acidic deposit in these parts. This is after a TBW and a go with CarPro spotless (I know it's for water spots but I've got some handy).

 

Now if this was paint I'd clay and then polish it, but what on earth should I be using on vinyl to shift these unsightly etchings? Needs to be something with chemical cleaning power I think, rather than abrasive.

 

IMG_7286_zpscod4wmw8.png

 

IMG_7290_zpscysmbt9s.png

 

Sorry for rubs photos, they're not east to capture in this sunshiiiine.

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I'd stay clear of any petroleum based cleaners on vinyl, which pretty much rules out anything you'd normally use. If it was me, I'd go at it with a MF and some very fine compound by hand, on the basis that it can't get any worse and if you can't get it shifted you need to replace it anyway.

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Car Chem Pre Wax Cleaner for a pure cleaner or you could try Auto Finesse Rejuvenate which has very fine cut, good strong cleaners and a fair few fillers too. I'd try either on an inconspicuous area first though.

 

I don't have a wealth of first hand knowledge around issues with vinyl wraps, but I have no doubt that if you drop Polished Bliss an email they'll be able & willing to advise thoroughly.

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I saw this that might help

 

4. Difficult contaminants on 3m Vinyl

  • Soften difficult contaminants such as bug splatter, bird droppings, tree sap and similar contaminants by soaking them for several minutes with very hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
  • If further cleaning is needed, test one of these products in an inconspicuous area to ensure no damage to the wrap film: Meguiar's Gold Classâ„¢ Bug and Tar Remover or 3Mâ„¢ Citrus Base Cleaner.
  • Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) (two parts IPA to 1 part water) or denatured alcohol may also help.
  • Spot clean the contaminants.
  • Do not use rough scrubbing or abrasive tools, which will scratch the film.
  • Wash and rinse off all residue immediately.

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Dan wins the internet today, response from PB below:

 

Unfortunately, you may not be able to get rid of the etching. You can try hand polishing with a finishing polish, such as Menzerna Super Finish Plus 3800 (85RD) with a Lake Country Hydro-Tech Finishing Hand Pad (crimson) -

 

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/menzerna-85re-cat8.html

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/lake-country-hydro-tech-hand-pads-cat24.html

 

But, this doesn't work on all vinyls, so it would be worth trying it in an inconspicuous area first just in case it doesn't work. If that doesn't work there is no other option to fixing it yourself, you would just need to replace the vinyl.

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A lot of people don't seem to realise how damaging bird bombs can be - the newish Cayman that lives in our road has had a huge splat left on it for a week now and the owner is definitely around. Dread to think what that's doing to the paint.

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That'll be fine, as a new car it'll be protected by the dealer applied, super-awesome, not-at-all-expensive add-on that is AutoGlym Lifeshine...

 

 

:p

10 year protection

Applied in 2 hours (if at all)

That'll be £1000 please sir

 

:lol:

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

So the local seagulls, fuelled on townie chunder and leftover kebab, have a particularly acidic deposit in these parts. This is after a TBW and a go with CarPro spotless (I know it's for water spots but I've got some handy).

 

Now if this was paint I'd clay and then polish it, but what on earth should I be using on vinyl to shift these unsightly etchings? Needs to be something with chemical cleaning power I think, rather than abrasive.

 

Sorry for rubs photos, they're not east to capture in this sunshiiiine.

 

My brother and I have both got our roofs wrapped in vinyl. He had some pretty nasty marks where some bird had decided to deposit its insides over his car, and because he was at work he was unable to clean it off until he got home, by which time it'd etched itself into the vinyl, similar to the photo you posted. We used some Meguiars Ultimate Compound by hand and majority of the marks came out, but using Scholl S20 Black removed the marks completely and removed any swirl marks from the wrap too, definitely worth giving it a go!

 

You can get it from CleanYourCar here: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/scholl-s20-black-1-step-compound/prod_1548.html

But that's in a 1KG bottle which I have, and can honestly say I'll probably be 6ft under before I get to the bottom of it! You may be able to get smaller amounts from elsewhere! Good luck!

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So the local seagulls, fuelled on townie chunder and leftover kebab, have a particularly acidic deposit in these parts. This is after a TBW and a go with CarPro spotless (I know it's for water spots but I've got some handy).

 

Now if this was paint I'd clay and then polish it, but what on earth should I be using on vinyl to shift these unsightly etchings? Needs to be something with chemical cleaning power I think, rather than abrasive.

 

Sorry for rubs photos, they're not east to capture in this sunshiiiine.

 

My brother and I have both got our roofs wrapped in vinyl. He had some pretty nasty marks where some bird had decided to deposit its insides over his car, and because he was at work he was unable to clean it off until he got home, by which time it'd etched itself into the vinyl, similar to the photo you posted. We used some Meguiars Ultimate Compound by hand and majority of the marks came out, but using Scholl S20 Black removed the marks completely and removed any swirl marks from the wrap too, definitely worth giving it a go!

 

You can get it from CleanYourCar here: http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/scholl-s20-black-1-step-compound/prod_1548.html

But that's in a 1KG bottle which I have, and can honestly say I'll probably be 6ft under before I get to the bottom of it! You may be able to get smaller amounts from elsewhere! Good luck!

 

Thanks for the suggestion Connor. I've got some Megs Ultimate Compound knocking about, but a strange thing happened...

 

I've been away for a few weeks on my jollies so I've not had a chance to try and polish this out yet, but last weekend (after I got back) I grabbed a pad and got ready to have a go at it, mysteriously it had disappeared! Now I don't know if this is down to either:

 

- a trick of the light when I was looking for the etching

- the sheer volume of rain that's fallen whilst I've been away and it's been just the right PH to neutralise and lift it

- if the new snow foam I've been using has had a go at it

- if the triple concentrated shampooing it got last weekend has cleaned it off

 

Whichever it is, it appears to be gone :lol:

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No problem at all, if the mark does decide to reappear I'm more than happy to send you some of the S20 I have to see if it helps, like I say I've got so much of it I'll never use the whole container haha!

 

It's funny you should say that the mark dissappeared, as just recently my brothers car had some dirty water marks on his roof and the sun decided to come out and they weren't wanting to come out with a normal wash. The next morning he had dew all over the roof as it was a reasonably chilly night, and once it got to mid-day the sun came out and evaporated the dew, the marks had gone completely - so what you said about the rain lifting it could well be true! We were stumped when we came to it the next day, very weird..

 

Either that or you unknowingly made a hybrid solution of snow foam and triple concentrated shampoo which dissolves marks on the spot but is still safe for vinyl haha! If so, bottle it up and get it on the shelves asap! :lol:

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One wonders if mayhaps the vinyl did gone done react somewhat to a bit of heat? Or I could just be making that up. Who knows how my mind works... :lol:

 

It does make you wonder! I've read online that it's possible to compound and polish vinyl wrap with a DA just like paintwork albeit you have to be abit more careful in some circumstances. But maybe it does have something to do with rainwater being on the vinyl wrap and then evaporating when the sun comes out, who knows! Haha!

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