Stupid Winter Roads....Spots Will Not Wash Off...What to Use??

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galaxy

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So whatever they use around here (St Louis) in the winter does not like the white paint on my truck. I go through this every year, but following the bad snow storm we had last weekend my truck is worse than in past seasons.

I get these tiny little specks that look like rust! I can post some pics if needed, but the look like a gazillion tiny little rust spots all over the place. They will not wash off with soap and water; even a slightly aggressive foam bug remover type pad and elbow grease doesn't budge them. I can get them off with a finger nail but it takes work. A clay bar will eventually pull them off but even that takes time and effort. Polishing (a white pad & Meguiars 205) will bring it off fairly easy. However, this time of year it's too cold to polish and rewax. Plus I don't want to spend the time doing that right now.

I even tried some Mother's Cleaner Wax on a foam pad on a test spot and that barely made a dent in the little buggers! I haven't tried anything else.

My next thought was to try a bug & tar remover, but I'm usually not a fan of those; won't they strip all the wax off? Plus, the sides are covered so I'd literally have to wash the truck in the stuff to get them off. But that may be what I have to do.

I go through this every year, but they're usually tolerable until spring time to polish them away...but this time is too much to live with.

Any ideas???
 
Iron x will take them off with ease!
CarPro Iron X Lemon Scent, auto iron remover
CarPro Iron X Lemon Scent, auto iron remover
Iron X Iron Remover, CQuartz IronX, Paint Cleaner, paint decontamination
Iron X Iron Remover, CarPro IronX Paint Cleaner, paint decontamination


They are tiny specs of iron from your rotors. As the are flung from your brakes, they imbed themselves in your paint. From there they oxidize and turn to rust specks from the salts used to treat snow covered roads.

NEVER try to "polish them off"! They will imbed themselves in your buffing pad and cause more damage to your paint! Your best bet is to use iron x to remove them. You can use clay as well but again you run the risk of rubbing tiny specks of iron all over your paint.
 
Doesn't the Iron X strip all the wax off also? Was hoping to avoid that this time of year. What do you have to follow up with behind this stuff?
 
I have no doubts in what you say about this stuff; had researched it a little bit, but do I have any other options that may be a little more wax friendly considering the time of year? Guess I could just throw on a coat of a AIO afterwards since (I assume) no type of correction or anything is needed following this stuff, right? Just see how it holds up with winter temps.

How often would you use this stuff...just as needed when those spots show up?
 
I've heard that iron x can affect up to 50% of the LSP. As much as it might suck to have to reapply a wax or sealant, I think it's more important to focus on removing the iron/rust from your paint in the safest way possible. My recommendation would be to strip wash, iron x, clay, and apply a sealant. Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant is great for winter protection!

Unfortunately, anything "wax friendly" will not remove the iron speckling. The iron has embedded itself beyond your wax coating.
 
Can you get this in stores? Headed out of town and don't have time to order and would like to get it done.
 
Could it be small metal particles from snow plows?
If its all over and hard to come off I would think it could be.
If that's the case then claying may be needed , I'd clay instead of polish not to scratch the paint if it is indeed metal your seeing.
 
galaxy said:
Can you get this in stores? Headed out of town and don't have time to order and would like to get it done.
Click to expand...

I've never seen iron x at any local auto parts places. You will probably need to order it online.


HateSwirls said:
Could it be small metal particles from snow plows?
If its all over and hard to come off I would think it could be.
If that's the case then claying may be needed , I'd clay instead of polish not to scratch the paint if it is indeed metal your seeing.
Click to expand...

My money is on iron particles from semi-metallic brakes. As the brakes heat up they fling little bits of red hot iron particles that burn themselves right into the clearcoat. I wouldn't think snow plows running along the street could send out enough hot iron to cause this. I used to get the little rust dots on the paint of my white company trucks. Swapped out the brake pads for ceramics on the trucks that don't tow anything and never had the dots again.

Riding behind a town or city plow truck, your paint might pick up some iron particles from the plow trucks brakes. That's a possibility, but I think the problem is being caused by OP's brakes.
 
galaxy said:
Can you get this in stores? Headed out of town and don't have time to order and would like to get it done.
Click to expand...

See if your local automotive stores carry "Griots Garage Heavy Duty Wheel cleaner"...this works just like IronX but isn't as strong most likely.

My local Advanced Auto Parts carries it.
 
Two other thoughts about iron spots and iron-x...

How does iron-x affect driveway surfaces? Is it safe on epoxy coated garage floors?

Do these iron spots affect every car/paint/color combo differently! Have never noticed the spots on my dark blue car.
 
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