Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

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kenbw2
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Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by kenbw2 »

The stains in question

Image

I backed right into a blackberry bush on Sunday (today being Tuesday) and noticed this yesterday. Tried to clean it off today and most of it came off but I'm left with these purple streaks that won't come off. I assume it's soaked into the paint.

Been to one of those East European car wash places and they said they couldn't get it off. I don't really want to scratch the paintwork to remove it. Can I de-stain it somehow?

Ridiculous suggestion: bleach? Like, it's meant to be white, it can't decolour it? Might cause other damage though.
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I think that's why paint protection and a regular wax is a must - I've just noticed a mass of scratches on one of my lower door areas - and very likely brambles from the country lanes. I used Mantis scratch remover, that very gently polishes the scratches out - but in your case, I would think the dye of the blackberries has been absorbed into the clearcoat / or paint topcoat depending on your finish.

Not sure if this works, but dug it up - measurements are American, but I've added the equivalents.
  1. Pour 1/4 cup (2oz or 59 ml) of water into a bowl, with 1/4 cup (2oz or 59 ml) of white vinegar. The vinegar will cut through the berry stains, while the diluted mixture will prevent the vinegar from damaging the car paint.
  2. Pour 1 tsp. of dish soap into the bowl also, which will help cut through the berry texture.
  3. Dip a cloth into the solution, then wipe over the stained area of car paint. Wipe in small circular motions, as you would to buff out the stain.
  4. Continue until you have removed the entire stain, then clean the area once more with fresh, clean water. This will remove any remaining vinegar or berry residue.
I'd be interested to see if it works :)
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by white exec »

Try Mer car polish - shifts most ingrained marks, although I appreciate this is a stain.
If the paintwork was porous enough to accept the blackberry stain, it might be porous enough to allow some Vanish stain remover (as used on fabrics) to do its job. Works on red wine, etc.
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I wonder if a clay bar might help here?
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by Sloppysod »

This stuffs removes virtually anything from paintwork -....................even your wax so you will have to re-polish afterwards =D>
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kenbw2
(Donor 2017)
Posts: 271
Joined: 23 Dec 2014, 00:24
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My Cars: -
Current:
2000 Citroen Dispatch 1.9TD: daily driver
1997 Peugeot 806 1.9TD: backup vehicle
1996 Citroen Synergie 1.9TD: donor car
1997 Citroen Xantia 2.0 16v: Aussie play thing

Former:
1999 Citroen Dispatch 1.9D DW8: got a new owner
1994 Peugeot 106 1.5D: killed by a deer
1996 Peugeot 106 1.5D: cremated
x 23

Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by kenbw2 »

GiveMeABreak wrote: 21 Aug 2018, 14:10 I think that's why paint protection and a regular wax is a must - I've just noticed a mass of scratches on one of my lower door areas - and very likely brambles from the country lanes. I used Mantis scratch remover, that very gently polishes the scratches out - but in your case, I would think the dye of the blackberries has been absorbed into the clearcoat / or paint topcoat depending on your finish.

Not sure if this works, but dug it up - measurements are American, but I've added the equivalents.
  1. Pour 1/4 cup (2oz or 59 ml) of water into a bowl, with 1/4 cup (2oz or 59 ml) of white vinegar. The vinegar will cut through the berry stains, while the diluted mixture will prevent the vinegar from damaging the car paint.
  2. Pour 1 tsp. of dish soap into the bowl also, which will help cut through the berry texture.
  3. Dip a cloth into the solution, then wipe over the stained area of car paint. Wipe in small circular motions, as you would to buff out the stain.
  4. Continue until you have removed the entire stain, then clean the area once more with fresh, clean water. This will remove any remaining vinegar or berry residue.
I'd be interested to see if it works :)


So I gave this a go last night. Wiped it on, rubbed it in and saw no improvement. Left it to soak for like 10 minutes and had another go. Nothing. Rinsed it all off and resigned myself to having stains.

Then I looked at it today, and it's all gone!

Image

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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by GiveMeABreak »

There’s one for the books! Sound job.
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and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by white exec »

The paint is obviously porous: it took up the stain, and also that stain remover.
Quite common for cars painted in White not be be lacquered (at least no lacquer to peel!), and so no additional protective layer.
If it's completely gone, best to follow the advice and get some protective wax polish on the car.
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by Paul-R »

The phantom paint polisher passed by overnight?
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Re: Got some blackberry stains in my white paint. How do I clean it out?

Post by Stickyfinger »

NEEDS a polymer sealer and then a hard wax and top off with a soft or liquid "polishing" wax.
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