Will Mineral Spirits Damage Car Paint? Helpful Tips And Advice

Other than dirt, our cars are often exposed to so many things out there. On the roads, we have tar, grease, oil, specks of asphalt, and tire rubber bonding to our car paint.

When parked outside your home, tree sap and bugs will be working all night long to make your car’s exterior look unsightly.

Most of the elements above don’t just contribute to making your car dirty, if not cleaned they can scratch and damage car paint.

And to make matters worse, some of these contaminants can’t be removed through ordinary car wash soap and water. You have to use something a little bit stronger.

Mineral spirits has long been used as a DIY car cleaner. Car owners love how fast mineral spirits remove stubborn stains on car paint. Despite being so effective, mineral spirits weren’t formulated to clean car paint.

Their main purpose is to act as a paint thinner. So, does that mean mineral spirits can damage car paint?

will mineral spirits damage car paint
“Mineral Spirits” by Larry Koester, Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Can Mineral Spirits Hurt Car Paint?

Before I answer this question, kindly note that the use of mineral spirits on car paint is a DIY car cleaning method.

There are products out there that are specifically formulated for the removal of tar, tree sap, or any other contaminant on your car paint without causing any adverse side effects.

Mineral spirits should only be used when there is no other alternative recommended by professional auto-detailers.

A lot of car owners have and continue to use mineral spirits to remove stubborn stains and marks on their car paint.

When used correctly, mineral spirits won’t damage your car’s paint. I will share with you later on how to use mineral spirits on your car paint.

When using this product on your car paint, you have to be very careful. It is a paint thinner and as a result, if left to dry, it can significantly dull your car paint.

Secondly, if large amounts of mineral spirits are used on car paint, you can say goodbye to the clear coat.

If you are going to use mineral spirits to clean stains off your car paint, make sure that you use a small amount and clean it immediately after the stain has been removed.

Mineral spirits will strip off all the wax on the part you have applied it. Therefore, don’t forget to re-wax your car afterward.

It’s worth noting that the effects of mineral spirits on your car paint occur gradually. This product won’t chew up your car paint right away.

Rather, the process will occur with continued use of the substance. With so many products out there that can be used to remove all types of stains on your car paint while being gentle with it.

I would advise car owners to use this product sparingly and on occasions when they have no other alternative. If your car is full of tar, bug juice, or tree sap, claying is an excellent and safer alternative compared to using mineral spirits.

How to Remove Stubborn Stains on a Car with Mineral Spirits?

You are in a hurry to drive somewhere and your car has a stubborn tar or tree sap stain on the bumper. You can’t drive around like that so you decide to clean it up.

Unfortunately, you don’t have a commercial remover and your car wash soap isn’t doing such a great job. So, what do you do?

If you luckily have some mineral spirits, you can use it to clean out stubborn stains. To ensure it doesn’t hurt your car paint. Get a damp cloth, and pour two tablespoons of mineral spirits on it.

Take the damp cloth and place it gently on the stain. Allow the mineral spirit to absorb into the stain for at most two minutes. The stain will loosen up and then remove with a damp cloth.

You shouldn’t let the mineral spirits dry on your car paint. Wash that area with soap and water. Dry it with a microfiber cloth and apply some wax. Your car will look as good as new.

When it comes to mineral spirits, there is one thing you should know. This product should strictly be used on stains. Don’t wipe your entire car with mineral spirits, not unless you have had enough of driving around with your car’s clear coat.

Only use it on stains and not on naked car paint. If you make that mistake, you risk damaging your car paint permanently.

Is Mineral Spirit the Same as Paint Thinner?

Mineral spirits are often used interchangeably with paint thinners, however, these are two different things. Despite both being indispensable solvents, they are mostly used for thinning paint.

Mineral spirits comprise 100% petroleum distillates. And have no additives. Most mineral spirits are clean and clear liquids that can be used for cleaning purposes.

Paint thinners on the other hand are mineral-based spirits that contain additives. The key difference between paint thinners and mineral spirits is that the latter doesn’t contain any additives.

Paint thinners can also be used to clean surfaces and paint spills. However, it is a bit stronger than mineral spirits. And the additives can have adverse side effects on car paint.

Despite both these products being unable to remove cured paint, continuous use can cause paint etching. As mentioned earlier, mineral spirits won’t damage your paint right away.

This is also the case with paint thinners. However, they will strip away the wax and if left to dry, your car’s clear coat will be next to go down.

What’s Safer on Car Paint – Mineral Spirits or Rubbing Alcohol?

Now that we have seen paint thinners are mineral spirits mixed with a few additives, let’s look at another product that is commonly used to clean car paint.

Rubbing alcohol is more popular than mineral spirits when it comes to cleaning stubborn stains. Rubbing alcohol is more widely available in most homes and has a lot of DIY applications.

As one of the most common alternatives, you are probably wondering between the two, which is safer on car paint? The answer here is none.

Both rubbing alcohol and mineral spirits will eat through your paint. Even though rubbing alcohol is stronger than mineral spirits, the long-term results are the same.

If you are dealing with stubborn stains and you only have rubbing alcohol and mineral spirits. I would recommend you use the latter.

Mineral spirits won’t eat through paint faster than rubbing alcohol would. So, your car paint has a better chance of not being damaged when you use mineral spirits.

Should you have no other option, only use rubbing alcohol when it is diluted in water (preferably on a ratio of 3:1).

Using Mineral Spirits Safely

Unlike the ordinary soap and water that you use to clean your car, mineral spirits is a by-product of petroleum. As a result, it may be toxic not just to car paint but to your skin when inhaled.

As you use it gently on your car paint to remove stains, mineral spirits should be used when one is wearing gloves. The reason is, that it can irritate the skin.

And because during removal of stubborn stains, one may find themselves splashing some mineral spirits, and wearing goggles and protective gear.

I understand that a lot of DIY car detailers don’t take safety measures when dealing with some of these products. But it is very crucial to do so.

You should also know that mineral spirits are highly flammable and you shouldn’t smoke nor light up a fire when cleaning your car with mineral spirits.

What are Other Uses of Mineral Spirits in Your Car?

Other than removing stubborn stains on your car paint, mineral spirits also have other uses in your car. For those who perform repairs or servicing by themselves, you can use mineral spirits to degrease automotive parts.

If your engine or other car part is filled with oil build-up and gunk, washing it with mineral spirits will remove grease and grime.

Thanks to the powerful properties of mineral spirits, you can clean your car parts and remove the build-up that’s preventing your car from performing.

You can also use mineral spirits to remove adhesive from car paint. If you have stuck some glue on your car paint, mineral spirits will absorb the adhesive and unbind it from your car paint.

Irrespective of the use you have for mineral spirits you need to be careful with this product. Use sparing amounts of mineral spirits and don’t let it sit for too long on your car paint.

What is the Safest Way of Removing Stains on Your Car Paint?

The truth is, that your car will always be exposed to dirt and plenty of other contaminants. Therefore, you must find a safe and effective way of getting rid of these stubborn stains without damaging car paint.

I recommend that you invest in a quality car wash shampoo and pressure washer. These two when used together can help get rid of any type of dirt or stain without hurting your car paint. You can also use warm water when cleaning stains as it helps loosen them up.

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