Dealing with sunburn stains on your car's paint after a day at the beach? Discover how to effectively remove these stubborn stains without damaging your paintwork.
Anyone with kids or who uses sunscreen often knows the problem: after a lovely day at the beach or on vacation, your car's paint suddenly has spots all over it. The kids are well-lathered to protect their skin from the sun, but all those sunscreen-covered hands leave marks that are hard to get rid of. These dull, matte patches can be an eyesore, and unfortunately, regular cleaning products often don't work – in fact, they can damage your paint!
Fortunately, there is a method to effectively and safely polish away sunburn stains without harming your car's paintwork. In this blog, we share our step-by-step guide for a shining, stain-free result!
Click below for the YouTube video on this topic:
Why sunburn stains are so stubborn
Sunscreen protects your skin, but it contains oils and chemicals that, when they come into contact with car paint, can cause a chemical reaction. This results in those annoying, dull spots on your paint. Because the spots are water-repellent, they keep reappearing during washing.
Common solutions like scrubbing sponges and household products don't work and can even cause scratches or permanent damage. Instead, you need products and an approach specifically designed for car paint.
What you definitely should NOT do
It's tempting to use aggressive products like scrubbing sponges or strong chemical cleaners. However, these can seriously damage your paint, leading to dull spots and scratches. Even 'DIY solutions' often cause more problems than they solve.
Safely removing stains: the products
To get your car sparkling clean again without the risk of damage, we recommend the following products:
- Monello Raffini Mezzo Polish
This mild polish is a medium polish and paint cleaner in one, making it incredibly effective. It is designed to remove light stains and imperfections from the paint without damaging it. Perfect for tackling sunburn stains! - Monello Disco Duo Applicator Pads
These soft hand pads are perfect for evenly applying polish without leaving scratches behind. - Monello Peluche Verde Microfiber Cloth
This high-quality microfiber cloth is gentle on your paint and ideal for wiping off polish and polishing your car, without streaks or lint.
- Medium polish with fine finish
- Suitable for all high gloss lacquers
- Can be used manually or mechanically
- Simple, easy to use pads
- Soft microfiber structure
- Versatile soft microfiber towel
- Weight of 450 GSM
- Safely buffs off wax
- Handy 45x45cm size
Step-by-step guide: how to remove sunburn stains
- Clean the area
First, rinse the surface to remove dust and dirt. This ensures you don't rub any scratches into the paint while polishing. - Don’t forget to shake well before use
For even distribution. - Apply the polish
Place 3 pea-sized drops of Monello Raffini Mezzo Polish onto the Monello Disco Duo Applicator Pad. Use the pad to work the polish into the stains with straight motions. Feel free to apply some pressure. - Work in and wipe off the polish
Let the polish sit for a while, depending on how stubborn the stain is, until it becomes somewhat waxy and transparent. Then, wipe it off with the Monello Peluche Verde microfiber cloth. Gently polish until the stains are gone and the paint shines again. - Check the result
Make sure the sunburn stains are completely gone. If there are still light spots, repeat the treatment a second time.
Prevention is better than cure
To prevent sunscreen residue from causing stains or even burning into the paint in the future, consider applying a protective coating or wax. This helps not only against sunburn stains but also against other contaminants like bird droppings and tree sap, which often cause similar damage to the paint.
Shining again in the sun
With the right products and a careful approach, removing sunburn stains from your car's paint is not an impossible task. By using a special polish, a suitable applicator pad, and a soft microfiber cloth, you can safely and effectively tackle these stains without damaging your car's paint. Follow the steps in this blog and enjoy a shiny car again, free of dull sunburn stains!
We hope this blog has shown you how to remove sunburn stains from your car. Get to work and become a true CleanRider!
