A patch of cloudy paint caused by a car magnet is unsightly and can affect the overall appearance of your vehicle. Cloudy paint from a car magnet is caused by moisture from rain or a recent wash getting trapped under the magnet.
There are numerous ways to fix cloudy paint caused by a car magnet. These include wet sanding and buffing, applying olive oil, and sanding and reapplying the paint.
Read on to learn more about how cloudy paint from a car magnet can be fixed and other helpful information on related subjects. Happy reading!
Why Does Paint Get Cloudy From a Car Magnet?
One of car owners’ most common paint problems is the clear coat getting cloudy from a car magnet. So, why exactly does it happen?
The answer is quite simple. The paint’s clear coat gets cloudy or hazy if moisture gets trapped under the car magnet and dries up due to the heat. If the magnet is removed, a cloudy outline of the magnet can be observed in its place on the car’s surface.
This problem can arise if the car is washed and a magnet is put on before the surface has dried completely. In addition, moisture can also get trapped due to rain.
How to Fix Cloudy Paint From Car Magnets
Fixing cloudy paint caused by a car magnet is challenging and requires considerable skill and effort. If you need to learn more about fixing paint problems, it is always wise to take your car to an auto body shop or a professional detailer.
There are many ways in which cloudy paint caused by car magnets can be fixed. Below, we describe three such methods in detail. Read on to find out more about them and how you can use them to fix the problem.
Try wet sanding and buffing
Wet sanding and buffing the cloudy paint area can effectively fix the problem. Wet sanding refers to the process of using 400+ grit sandpaper to sand the affected area when it is wet.
The moisture helps prevent any scratches to the surface while it is being sanded.
Once the surface has been adequately sanded, you need to buff it. Buffing can be done using a buffing compound and a buffing wheel. This process will fill in the very fine scratches caused by wet sanding.
The surface will be clean and shiny if the buffing is done correctly and skillfully.
Try rubbing some olive oil
While rubbing olive oil on an area of cloudy paint isn’t an officially-accepted method of fixing the problem, it is an effective one that has been used for years. It is worth trying if you want something different to fix cloud paint patches.
To get started, rub some olive oil on the affected area of cloudy paint. Rinse it off and apply another layer of clear coat on the area. This method works because olive oil can get rid of the impurities and contaminants that lead to cloudy paint in the first place.
- Sand and then re-apply the paint. Another method of fixing cloudy paint that works well for paint and clear coat is sanding and reapplying the coat. To get started:
- Sand the area of cloudy paint with 200-grit or above sandpaper.
- Once the area has been sanded, re-apply a layer of paint.
- Before applying the new paint, ensure the area is clean and free from any dirt, dust, or other contaminants.
- As mentioned before, this technique works perfectly for both clear coat and paint. Applying a second layer becomes necessary due to a range of problems caused by environmental factors.
Other Common Paint Problems
Besides cloudy paint patches caused by car magnets, car owners commonly face several other paint problems. Here are some of them:
- Rust. Rust on a car’s surface is caused by moisture seeping into chipped parts of the paint. The moisture then leads to oxidation, which results in the formation of rust.
- Peeling. Paint peeling is a common problem caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight or a bad paint job.
- Scratches. Paint scratches are perhaps the most common paint problem car owners face. They are caused by branches, flying debris from the road, and an open door of another car.
Final Thoughts
To sum it up, cloudy paint from a car magnet is caused by moisture getting trapped underneath the magnet. You can fix the cloudy paint in three key ways we explained in this guide.
These include wet sanding and buffing, applying olive oil, and sanding and reapplying the paint.
We hope you found this guide on fixing cloudy paint from a car magnet helpful and insightful.