Cleaning paint with baking soda bad mistake?

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:26 pm
I had read that baking soda neutralizes road salt to prevent your car from rusting, so I poured what now seems like way too much of the stuff into a bucket of water and smothered it along the bottom edges of my car. The next day I noticed it had left a white stain on top of the paint, circular ring stains that refuse to come out almost scratch like. Any idea what might of happened, what i need to do to get it off; have I damaged the clear coat?
Last edited by Shakedown74 on Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:48 am, edited 3 times in total.



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PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:10 am
Baking soda is abrasive so it may be that you are looking at scratches.
I'm not sure how to solve your problem, but for future reference---salt is highly soluble in water, so all you have to do is rinse the salt off the car.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:50 am
Might need a good wet sanding it managed to mark it up pretty badly, note to self do not listen to anyone who tells you that baking soda is a good idea. :knockout:

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 11:18 am
Here's a good lack at it, they don't catch the nail.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:55 pm
looks like you had some heavy grit on your wash cloth. I don't think the baking soda would leave scratches like that it would be more like a fine scotch bright pad. anyway don't use it on the paint or chrome as it is abrasive. time to get the buffer out or go to a detail shop.
Jay D.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 1:38 pm
It's possible the scratches were already there just highlighted by the baking soda, I simply splashed it on and rinsed it off with the hose. The powder wouldn't come off with vinegar so time to take out the orbital.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 4:16 pm
Do I need to remove this baking soda immediately, would it corrode the paint if left on for another week? It's not being driven at the moment.



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PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 6:11 pm
a wash with soap and water should do it . the white in the swirly marks is just were the paint or clear has been scratched by something on a wash pad or sanding pad or polishing pad. you possibly had some heavy grit when you put the baking soda on or the car has been buffed at one time with a dirty buffing wheel, grit .
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:29 pm
Panels rot because the salt and calcium chloride penetrates cavities and pinchwelds. Cleaning the basic painted exterior of a vehicle does little if nothing to prevent rot. I own a restoration shop and occasionally do late model truck rot repair. I often hear people say how much they washed exterior of their car and it still rotted out. Try paying attention to the underside, cavities and inner structures and you won't have to fork over thousands in rot repair to shops like mine. Buy Cosmoline or NH Undercoating, and stop believing crap on the internet unless it can verified by a qualified tech with an impeccable reputation.

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