Cleaning burnt rubber residue off paintwork

[Elpenor]

So I’ve got some burnt / melted rubber on my car after losing a tyre last week



What’s the best way to clean this off. I’ve tried using water and one of those blue kitchen cloths but it’s only removed a bit and I don’t want to take off paint by going too vigorous.

Is there a particular product I should be using to clean it off? I’ve tried googling / YouTube but can only find American results and I just need to know what to get in Halfords.

 

[Pickman's model]

○follows thread○

 

[MickiQ]

Personally I swear by T-Cut double check you have got the right formulation if you have luminescent paint

 

[weltweit]

Looks like you must have driven a bit of a distance with the tyre deflated, it is totally trashed, I hope your rim is ok.

 

[Elpenor]

Looks like you must have driven a bit of a distance with the tyre deflated, it is totally trashed, I hope your rim is ok.

It happened on the motorway so it took me a while to get to safety - the rim is just about ok thankfully

 

[weltweit]

Yes, the last and only time I had a flat while driving I was in the fast lane of a busy dual carriageway, it took me a while to get off the road (no hard shoulder where it happened) and by the time I got stopped the tyre was trashed.

 

[High Voltage]

Gradually work your way up through various solvents

Hot soapy water
White spirit
Meths
Petrol
Try brake cleaner (try on a non visible area first eg inside boot lid)
You can or could get tar remover
Non abrasive car polish
Try and get the worst off before using an abrasive like t-cut

Just take it carefully

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

It happened on the motorway so it took me a while to get to safety - the rim is just about ok thankfully

Eek! Glad you're okay. Must have been terrifying. x

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Eek! Glad you're okay. Must have been terrifying. x

P.s. Phone Halfords? Or tweet the photo at them? Ask what product(s) they recommend?

 

[dessiato]

Gradually work your way up through various solvents

Hot soapy water
White spirit
Meths
Petrol
Try brake cleaner (try on a non visible area first eg inside boot lid)
You can or could get tar remover
Non abrasive car polish
Try and get the worst off before using an abrasive like t-cut

Just take it carefully

Be very careful with both petrol and brake fluid. They will take the paint off.

Get the wheel checked. It might have damage that is not immediately obvious.

 

[Cid]

Try traffic film remover (TFR), high strength cleaner formulated for use on vehicles. You can adjust the dilution. Also standard solvents like isopropyl alcohol or acetone shouldn’t affect paintwork. Obviously check though. Oh, and ppe for all the above, particularly if you decide to spray apply tfr.

 

[Elpenor]

Be very careful with both petrol and brake fluid. They will take the paint off.

Get the wheel checked. It might have damage that is not immediately obvious.

Thanks - The wheel has been checked by the guy who replaced it.

 

[spitfire]

If anyone around here knows about burnt rubber it would be DownwardDog

 

[dessiato]

Try traffic film remover (TFR), high strength cleaner formulated for use on vehicles. You can adjust the dilution. Also standard solvents like isopropyl alcohol or acetone shouldn’t affect paintwork. Obviously check though. Oh, and ppe for all the above, particularly if you decide to spray apply tfr.

Don’t use acetone on paint. It will damage it.

 

[Athos]

So I’ve got some burnt / melted rubber on my car after losing a tyre last week

View attachment 336571

What’s the best way to clean this off. I’ve tried using water and one of those blue kitchen cloths but it’s only removed a bit and I don’t want to take off paint by going too vigorous.

Is there a particular product I should be using to clean it off? I’ve tried googling / YouTube but can only find American results and I just need to know what to get in Halfords.

Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover 325ml | Halfords UK

Shop the latest The Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover helps get rid of tar, grease and other stains efficiently. at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

 

[Cid]

Don’t use acetone on paint. It will damage it.

Weird, I have disc brake cleaner (spray applied disc brake cleaner for bikes with no overspray warnings) that uses acetone. It's possibly because it has a various other solvents in it.

 

[dessiato]

Weird, I have disc brake cleaner (spray applied disc brake cleaner for bikes with no overspray warnings) that uses acetone. It's possibly because it has a various other solvents in it.

Cleaning brakes is very different to cleaning paintwork. With brakes you want to remove all the grease, oil, etc. Using acetone on paintwork will first strip the wax, then the paint. It's a very strong solvent.

 

[DownwardDog]

If anyone around here knows about burnt rubber it would be DownwardDog

Rubber is very hard to remove and most things (eg hydrocarbons) that will be a solvent for it will also damage paint.

I think I'd start with a heat gun and a plastic razor blade then go at it VERY CAREFULLY with a 3M Stripe Off Wheel in a drill.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adhesive-Remover-Graphics-diameter-threaded/dp/B09KH9Y678

 

[hash tag]

I wonder if it would help to warm it up with a hairdryer and using thick paper to wipe away.

 

[hash tag]

Im starting to move away from AutoGlym to Meguiars

Could try Ultimate Compound 450ML - Meguiars UK

 

[existentialist]

Yes, the last and only time I had a flat while driving I was in the fast lane of a busy dual carriageway, it took me a while to get off the road (no hard shoulder where it happened) and by the time I got stopped the tyre was trashed.

If you've had a flat at speed, your tyre is trashed anyway, regardless of its appearance. To assume otherwise would be to massively risk a repeat occurrence, or a more catastrophic blowout.

 

[weltweit]

If you've had a flat at speed, your tyre is trashed anyway, regardless of its appearance. To assume otherwise would be to massively risk a repeat occurrence, or a more catastrophic blowout.

Yes. In my case the tyre wasn't shredded or anything but the tyre guys showed where internally it had been damaged.

He also pointed out that my spare might have come with the car originally so shouldn't really be trusted expect perhaps for emergencies.