Iron fallout, tar specks, water spots, and mystery bumps can be removed with paint decontamination.
🧐Why Paint Decontamination Matters
Picture your clear‑coat as a sponge. Every road trip soaks it with brake‑dust iron, tree‑sap sugar, and industrial fallout sprinkles. Wax alone just seals the gunk in (ew). Decontamination pulls the junk out so polish can actually polish and coatings can actually coat. Result: slicker paint, deeper gloss, longer‑lasting protection, and zero sandpaper squeak when you wash.
🧹What Paint Decontamination Can Remove (a.k.a. The Grit‑Quit Hit‑List)
🧲 Iron Fallout. Rail dust & brake shavings that bleed orange tea‑stains.
🪳 Tar & Road Grime. Asphalt freckles that laugh at soap.
🌳 Tree Sap & Pollen. Nature’s glue trapping dirt like flypaper.
💦 Water Spots. Mineral rings that kill clear‑coat vibe.
🦟 Bug Guts. Protein pancakes baked on at 90 °F.
📊 Paint Decontamination Options
This shot captures the satisfying “bleed” reaction of our pH‑balanced iron‑remover as it attacks microscopic brake‑dust particles bonded to the clear‑coat. The vivid purple streaks signal the contaminants are dissolving and ready to rinse away, leaving a cleaner, smoother surface for clay, polishing, or protected finishes. Perfect visual proof that proper decon digs deeper than soap alone.
Maintenance Decon🧽 Quick iron‑removal wash and clay‑towel pass. This is perfect for already well‑maintained paint that just needs a quarterly refresh and can be added to a Smear Clear mobile wash from just $35.
Chemical Decon 🎯 Chemical treatment of water‑spots, bug‑splatter, and tar wherever the road got rowdy. Chemical Decon starts at $60, midsize vehicles from $75, and $90+ for larger rides. This includes all the necessary chemical treatments you’d otherwise piece together from Upglow à la carte, giving you a smart option above a maintenance decon without full paint correction.
Prep, Polish, and Protect 💎 Full chemical & mechanical decon plus a minimum one‑step paint correction (we’ll add extra passes if the finish demands). This comes as part of our exterior detailing packagesso your paint rolls out fully prepped, corrected, and protected.
🚦 Heads‑Up:Maintenance Decon and Chemical Decon strip the crud but don’t lay down paint protection so consider a sealant or a full‑tilt ceramic coating on top.
Q: Do I really need this before waxing? A: Only if you want the wax to bond, shine, and last. Skip decon and you’re basically marinating your clear coat in grime.
Q: Will claying scratch my paint? A: Not in our hands: we flood every panel with high‑slip, pro‑grade lube and inspect the clay towel as we go. No scratchy surprises. Feeling brave enough to DIY? Use a quality clay towel and slick lube like we do (links below) so your paint glides, not grinds.
🫧 Use Foam to Film Lift. Use an automotive shampoo with the proper pH to loosen road film and grime based on your paint’s history.
🔮 Melt Away Iron Fallout. Choose a pH‑balanced iron remover that bleeds purple as it dissolves embedded brake‑dust and industrial fallout particles. It's oddly satisfying to watch.
🧽 Mechanical Clay Glide. After rinsing, lubricate the surface and use a clay towel to massage away stubborn specks without marring your clear‑coat.
🐞 Use Targeted Specialty Chemicals. Asphalt freckles, bug corpses, and water‑spot rings get individual eviction notices using specialized chemicals for each issue; Unfortunately, we can't undo permanent clear coat damage. Rinse away solvents quickly and follow directions on proper use.
✨ Rinse & Gloss Check. The surface should feel smoother than a marble countertop, this means it's perfectly primed for protection.
🧽 First Things First: Wash It
Paint decontamination without a wash is like flossing without brushing: Kinda missing the point. Every decon option stacks on top of our Smear Clear wash, so plan on a proper scrub before we bust out the clay and chemicals.
Spoiler alert: the process doesn’t erase every single spore crater, but it does knock the visual eyesore down to “you’d never know unless you’re looking for it.” See how clay work and chemicals lift the black specks so the paint looks miles better without a respray.
