Also known as calcium hydroxide, lime is a highly reactive alkali that can damage the paint and expose the metal beneath to moisture and oxygen which causes corrosion.
The likelihood of lime damaging car paint is higher on vehicles that haven’t been waxed or lack any form of paint protection.
Waxes provide a protective barrier against lime as well as other contaminants. This is why it is advisable to always wax your car.
Back to the effects of lime on car paint, there are a couple of factors that determine the extent of damage that may be caused by lime.
Lime that has been diluted in water may not have such adverse effects on the paint.
Secondly, if the lime isn’t allowed to dry on the paint and is removed as soon as possible, it may not have etched the paint and the damage may be fixed through polishing or application of a rubbing compound.
So, the bottom line is, that lime will damage your car paint. You should prevent it from making contact with the car paint.
And because it can be hard to control what happens in the environment, waxing your car is an excellent method of preventing the effects of lime on car paint.
Where Do Lime Stains on Car Paint Come From?
One of the most common ways lime gets into contact with car paint is when you park your car in a basement with a leaking ceiling.
For those who are familiar with the uses of lime, you are aware that it is used in the construction industry. And leakages coming from ceilings will contain traces of lime.
Lime will leave a white stain on the car paint. And should be removed as soon as possible to prevent damage.
On car paint that has been stained by lime, when washed off, you may notice some discoloration.
Depending on the quantity of lime that stained your car paint as well as how long it has been there, the extent of the damage may vary from mild to severe.
How Do I Get Rid of Lime Stains on Car Paint?
Stains, irrespective of the cause can be annoying to a car owner. Unfortunately, stains are unavoidable.
If you have just seen a lime stain on your car, you are probably confused wondering the best course of action you should take to remove that stain.
Well, there are a couple of ways you can go about removing lime stains on car paint. We are going to list the most common ones and explain how effective they are.
• Vinegar and water solution
On paper, this is the best lime remover on car paint. Because lime is an alkali and vinegar is acidic, when the latter is added to a lime stain, it neutralizes the alkali and thus gets rid of the lime stain.
Most car owners prefer this option because it is fast and its effectiveness is backed up by science. However, there is only one main setback.
Vinegar is acidic and when used at full strength, it can have the same effects as lime. You may end up etching car paint, especially if you do not dilute the vinegar with enough water.
It’s an effective DIY solution but it’s risky. If you want to go with vinegar, please dilute it in a ratio of 1:3. And wash the area thoroughly afterward to remove traces of vinegar.
• Car wash shampoo
Soaps specifically made for washing cars do a great job of removing nearly all contaminants, lime included.
Rinse the lime stain first, apply some shampoo, and rub it on the stained area. Rinse it off with water and wax the area so that you can restore protection.
• Claying
A clay bar is an ideal solution when dealing with all types of contaminants. When you spot a lime stain, wash the affected area.
And then grab a clay bar and get to work. The clay bar should remove all the lime from the surface and prevent it from damaging car paint.
What Should I Do When Lime Damages Car Paint?
Unfortunately, if the lime was too strong and burned through the clear coat and discolored the paint, you would have to repaint the affected area.
Yes, this can be heartbreaking especially if your car is new. But, there is no other solution. If you have some painting skills, you can apply some touch-up paint to cover any visible deterioration.
When lime damages car paint and exposes the metal beneath, do not let it stay in that condition for too long because the metal can start rusting at any moment.
The effects of rust are far worse than lime, so you need to act very fast when dealing with the damages caused by the latter.
Does Lime Damage Auto Glass?
Unlike car paint, auto glass is slightly more resistant to the effects of lime stains. And should some lime deposits form on your windshield or car windows, you have nothing to worry about.
Using some hot water and glass cleaner such as Windex, you can easily remove lime deposits from auto glass. The same however can’t be said for car paint.
Can I Use Lime Away to Remove Lime from Car Paint?
Lime Away is strictly formulated to be used on toilet bowls, shower doors, sinks, and bathtubs. After reading through its product description, it’s understandable why you may want to use it to remove lime stains on your car.
However, please refrain from using Lime Away on any metallic surfaces. This product will permanently damage car paint or cause discoloration.
And you will now have two issues to be worried about, the first being the lime stain and discolored paint.
When you research ways to remove lime from car paint, you will come across many DIY options, some of which are quite unorthodox such as the one described above.
As a DIY enthusiast, never believe every opinion you read online, especially on car forums.
If you are unsure about certain recommendations, you better take the vehicle to a professional detailer who will use the right products and techniques to remove lime stains as well as repair any damages it may have caused on the car paint.
Tips on Removing Lime from Car Paint
Considering the harmful effects of lime on car paint, you need to remove it as soon as possible. To ensure you remove the lime correctly, here are some tips you should use.
• The ideal product to use for removing lime on car paint is a special cleaner formulated for car paint. Vinegar should not be your number one choice. We have already explained earlier the effects of vinegar on car paint.
• Secondly, you should differentiate between mineral deposits and lime deposits. Mineral deposits are caused when hard water dries up on the car and leaves mineral deposits on the surface. Lime deposits are mostly caused when you park a car in a leaking garage.
• When cleaning lime stains on car paint, use a microfiber cloth only. Abrasive scrubbers may scratch your car paint in the process.
• Also, when dealing with any stains on car paint, clean them off as soon as you can. When lime deposits harden on car paint, they are harder to remove.
Can Car Polish Get Rid of Lime Stains?
Polishing has been the number one choice for most car owners interested in correcting their car paint.
Unfortunately, if lime deposits have etched your paint, driving around with such defects in your car doesn’t only affect the overall look of the vehicle, but it acts as an entry point of rust. To ensure neither of the above happens, the best thing to do is polish the car.
A mild polish can easily cover lime marks on car paint. Don’t forget to wax after polishing. That extra protective barrier goes a long way in ensuring there are no defects in car paint.
Also, you need to know the difference between mineral deposits and lime deposits. Mineral deposits, though can still damage paint, they are easier to remove and their effects don’t kick in as fast as lime stains do.
If you keep on mistaking hard water spots for lime stains, you may end up over-polishing the car.
Does Limestone Dust Hurt Car Paint?
If you live or work near a limestone plant, it’s normal for the dust to build up on your car. This shouldn’t be a big cause for concern, as the dust by itself isn’t very harmful.
However, if it happens to rain, the limestone dust can stain the car paint when it’s mixed with water. And over time, this may cause the paint to peel.
For those who experience the above, the best thing to do is invest in a car cover. It may be costly but it’s better than washing your car every day, which is the next best option.
Protecting your car with a car cover will keep the limestone dust away and the paint will last longer. To gauge the effects of limestone dirt, look at the paint condition of the trucks and trailers that are used in the limestone plant.