Usually, cars require regular care to look their best at all times. However, cars don’t look their best always. For instance, sometimes, it may not be reasonable or possible to visit the auto body repair center for minor oxidation removal services. In that case, the use of homemade oxidation remover comes in handy.
Homemade oxidation remover refers to homemade products you can use for a quick fix when you are not in a position to visit a professional auto body repair center. Therefore, you can simply correct light oxidation by using the homemade product of your choice.
Notably, each of these homemade products has shortcomings. You should be aware of the shortcomings when determining whether to use the product or not. Also, you should know the best homemade oxidation remover alternatives you should use in case the homemade oxidation remover you are using is not effective.
Therefore, in this post, you are going to learn everything about the specific concerns you consider when using homemade oxidation removers, various types of homemade oxidation removers, and ways to use them on your damaged paintwork.
Concerns When Using Homemade Oxidation Remover
Usually, there are many concerns when it comes to choosing a suitable homemade oxidation remover. The following are some of the concerns that make them not a perfect choice in cases and one would opt for professional auto body care services.
1) The products are Not Effective for Severe Oxidation Cases
Homemade oxidation removers are suitable for light oxidation removal cases. Therefore, in case your car paint is severely damaged, you should use professional oxidation remover products.
2) Require Patience
To effectively use homemade oxidation remover products, you need to be patient. For instance, apart from the time you need to spend mixing the products to make a paste, you need to wait for some time after application for the paste to work on the damaged paint before you wash it off.
3) Not Suitable for Use Over a Large Surface
If a large surface of your car is damaged and you need to remove oxidized paint from the entire car body, then homemade products may not be effective.
4) Homemade oxidation remover products Do Not Offer a Lasting Solution
Mainly, it’s impossible to avoid oxidation 100%, hence even after removing oxidized paint and waxing your car you need to consider proper maintenance measures.
Types of Homemade Oxidation Removers and Ways to Use Them
Usually, paint oxidation makes your car appear dull. But, you shouldn’t leave it that way. You should correct the problem. Mainly, to remove oxidized paint you need to use specific products rather than soap and water. Notably, at home, there are many products you can use. You can use any of the homemade remedies to restore your car’s paint’s beautiful appearance.
1) Baking Soda Scrub
Commonly known as Sodium Bicarbonate or Bicarbonate of Soda, Baking Soda is an effective homemade oxidation remover you can use;
Usually, the product has a variety of uses in our homes and it’s one of the products you can use to remove oxidized paint.
Baking soda has abrasive characteristics that make it suitable for use to remove the dull oxidized layer.
Materials you need:
- Baking soda
- Clean water
- Soft toothbrush
- Soft cloth
- A container
Procedure:
- Add and mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with water to form a thick paste in a small container
- Apply generously the paste over the oxidized paint car areas and rub it over the surface gently using the soft toothbrush
- Allow the paste to sit on the paint surface for half an hour
- Rinse the surface using clean water
- Wipe off the surface to remove any baking soda residue
2) Chalkdust
This is another readily available and nontoxic product you can use to remove oxidized paint.
Materials:
- ½ cup chalkdust
- Water
- A clean towel
- Paint sealant
- Mixing container
Procedure:
- Mix chalk dust with water to form a thick paste
- Apply and gently rub the chalkdust paste on the oxidized paint surface using a polishing towel.
- Rinse with water
- Allow the surface to dry
- Apply a paint sealant protective coat.
3) Organic Hair Conditioner
While there are a variety of hair conditioners, some of them contain harsh chemicals that may worsen the oxidation problem. Therefore, you should carefully check the label to ensure the hair conditioner you choose contains safe ingredients only.
Importantly, organic conditioners containing shea butter are some of the best you can use on your car’s surface to remove oxidation and restore the car’s vibrant look.
Materials:
- Hair conditioner
- Water
- Soft cloth
- A container
Procedure:
- Mix the hair conditioner with water in a ratio of 1:4 in container
- Apply and gently rub the mixture on the car surface
- Rinse the surface thoroughly to ensure there is no hair conditioner residue
- Wipe off the water using a soft cloth and let the surface dry
4) Whitening Toothpaste
Toothpaste is another effective product you can use to remove oxidation. The product is easy and safe to use. It contains abrasive ingredients that are effective for removing paint imperfections caused by oxidation.
Materials you need:
- Toothpaste
- Soft cloth
- Water
Procedure:
- Begin by washing off any dirt using soapy water
- Apply a sufficient amount of toothpaste on a piece of cloth in relation to the size of the oxidized area
- Apply and gently rub the toothpaste over the oxidized surface
- Rinse the area with clean water
- Allow the surface to dry
5) Sugar Mix
Sugar is a mild abrasive homemade product that you can use to remove oxidation. The product is safe and you can use it to remove oxidation from your car paint.
To make the sugar mix the following are the materials you need:
- 1 cup of sugar (granulated)
- ½ vegetable oil
- Water
- Polishing towel
- A container
Procedure:
- Mix the 1 cup of sugar with ½ cup of vegetable oil
- Apply the sugar mix on the car surface and gently scrub the surface
- Rinse thoroughly with water
- Allow the area to dry
Benefits of Homemade Oxidation Remover
There are many reasons you can opt for homemade oxidation removers over professional paintwork repair and maintenance services. The following are some of the key benefits of homemade oxidation removers:
- Restore the paint’s radiance. Usually, oxidized paint looks dull and flaky. But, by using homemade oxidation remover products, you can remove the damaged paint.
- Effective in protecting the vehicle body from rust. Mainly, using the homemade oxidation removers, you can effectively prevent the damage from spreading; hence protecting the vehicle body from rust.
- Cost-effective. Homemade oxidation remover remedies are affordable. Usually, oxidation remover products are readily available at home as they are used for their primary uses.
- Easy to use. To use any of the homemade oxidation removers, you don’t need any specialized skills. You only need to follow the easy-to-follow steps, and you will get the desired results.
- Safe. The homemade oxidation removers are safe to use. They do not contain any harmful ingredients and can cause skin irritation or further damage to the vehicle’s body.
How to Prevent Paint Oxidation
Although there is no specific way you can prevent paint oxidation 100%, you can stall the oxidation process by proper maintenance approaches. To ensure your paintwork lasts longer without fading, it’s essential to take preventive measures. Some of the preventive measures include:
- Park your in a garage or cover it. To prevent your car from being exposed to UV rays, you should park in a garage. This applies if you don’t use your car every day, and you park it for long periods. In such instances, ensure to cover it or park it in a garage. The car cover or parking the car in a sheltered place protects the paintwork from exposure to direct UV rays, which are pretty damaging to the paint.
- Ensure your car stays clean and free from debris. Usually, when foreign materials sit on your car’s exterior surface for a long time, they are likely to cause chemical reactions to occur. Therefore, to prevent the chemical reaction process, it’s important to clean your car and prevent dirt from sitting on it for a long time.
- Remove light oxidation as soon as it occurs. When paint oxidation occurs, and you do nothing about it, it’s likely to spread. The oxidation can become so severe and expensive to remove if you didn’t prevent it from spreading. Therefore, always be on the lookout, and remove oxidized paint as soon as you spot it.
- Regular waxing and maintenance of your car. Mainly, you shouldn’t let the paint be exposed to elements without any protective layer. To ensure your car paint looks nice at all times, it’s essential to carry out maintenance procedures regularly. The routine maintenance mechanisms entail regular polishing and waxing. Therefore, you should follow a specific waxing regime such as ensuring your car is waxed at least once every month. The wax layer provides the needed protection against oxidation.
Conclusion
Mainly, you can use any of the above DIY oxidation remover products to effectively remove oxidized paint, especially in instances of light oxidation.
However, you shouldn’t hesitate to take your car for more advanced professional care when you don’t get the desired lasting results after using homemade oxidation remover products.
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