wax stained my paint

[gillig]

I bought a new 2005 Sonata last week and waxed the car for the first time yesterday (Saturday). I waxed it inside the garage but was not able to finish the job so the wax stayed on the car overnight until this morning (about a total of 16 hours). The car is white and now I have yellow/golden stains in the car from the wax. It is like the pigment that's in the Meguiars Cleaner Wax transfered or imbedded itself into the car's clearcoat and has in essence left stains in the paint. Some of the worst areas are where I had a little more wax applied than the areas with the least amount of wax. I tried to make it an even coat of wax over the entire car but some areas were thicker than others and those really show the yellow/golden stains from the wax. I tried rubbing it off but the stain is in the clearcoat. I can't tell you how sick this makes me feel (being a new car and all). I really don't want to apply a clay bar or some other wax cleaner as I believe that they won't help. I truly believe that the pigment in the wax is now in the clearcoat. Anyone with ideas on how to fix this?

[Mike Phillips]

Hi gillig,

Seeing that this is your first post, Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

We're sorry to hear that your first post to our online community is one of a mishap. While you shouldn't leave car wax on the paint for as long as you did, this product shouldn't stain paint anyways. By the way, I haven't heard of anything like this happening with a Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax since I began to use Meguiar's products in 1977. There was another guy over on Digital Corvettes.com (or something like that), that claimed our NXT Tech Wax did this to his brand new paint job on his Corvette, but later he discovered, (just as we said), that the problem was the bondo under the white basecoat caused the white paint to yellow and not anything applied to the top clear coat applied over the white basecoat. A give-away was the fact the white basecoat only turned yellow where the hood scoop was applied to the hood and some type of bondo/filler was used smooth-out where the scoop attached.



So first question, we need to know which cleaner/wax are you using?



Next, just off the cuff, have you tried to re-apply the same product to a small area, say about 6-8 inches square or so and then remove it, (Don't let it sit overnight), and then inspect the area.

Have you tried this?

You see, if the clear coat truly has been stained, since this is a brand new car, with a brand new factory baked on clear coat, the paint itself is as impermeable, (non-porous), as it will ever be. Thus any staining that might have happened would be in the very upper surface. Applying a cleaner/wax would have the effect of cleaning, or removing this stain.

If you haven't tried this already to a small area, specifically an area where you see the yellow effect, then try this idea first.

[gillig]

I used the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax (paste) #A-1214. The yellow stains are really only noticeable where there were heavy spots of wax (where the applicator wasn't able to spread a thin layer such as around the door handles). I've used the product before on my previous car (which was white) and it didn't leave stains. However, I never left the wax on overnight. I'm not sure if this had an affect on it, but the outside temperature was 105 yesterday and I applied the wax to the car inside the garage.

I just want to get rid of the stains without using anything harsh on the paint. I'm leery of clay bars and rubbing compounds.

You said:
You see, if the clear coat truly has been stained, since this is a brand new car, with a brand new factory baked on clear coat, the paint itself is as impermeable, (non-porous), as it will ever be. Thus any staining that might have happened would be in the very upper surface. Applying a cleaner/wax would have the effect of cleaning, or removing this stain.

The color of the stains are the exact color of the cleaner/wax (kind of yellow golden). I'm wondering if any pigment that is used in the product transferred into the clearcoat because I left the product on the paint for so long.

I talked to someone else about this and they suggested I try 3m's pink fill-in-glaze to see if it would remove or lighten the stains.

This really does **** because the car is perfect and I do take pride in my ride.

[Mike Phillips]

Even though I've never seen this before, I'm not saying it didn't happen, the most important thing is to find a solution.

First, have you have you tried to re-apply the same product to a small area, say about 6-8 inches square or so and then remove it and then inspect the area?

Another thing to try instead of the above would be to try applying a paint cleaner like ScratchX to a small area where you see this staining effect. ScratchX is very white and also a very effective paint cleaner while being very safe.

I would suggest trying one of the above tests, the ScratchX would be your best bet, if you don't have any ScratchX it is available at just about any auto parts store.

I notice you live in California... whereabouts in California? Are you close to the Irvine area? If so, we would be glad to take a look at this first hand for you.

[gillig]

I'm about 3.5 hours from Irvine.

I have not reapplied any of the cleaner / wax to the car since removing what I applied yesterday. I'm sure that it would come off just fine if a person removed it once the wax set up. I'm sure the problems stems from the wax being left on overnight. As I said before, I used the same product numerous times on my previous car without this issue. However, I never left the product on for more than an hour.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi gillig,

What I'm suggesting is using the cleaner/wax to remove the yellow staining, remember, as a cleaner/wax... it is part cleaner and the cleaning action in this product might be enough to remove the yellow staining as long as the staining is only on/in the very upper surface of the clear coat.

What I'm suggesting is do a little test spot. Go out to the car and find a stained area, take and use either some cleaner/wax or some ScratchX, (if you have some), and apply to a small section. Apply, work in, then remove. Check to see if the cleaning ability in either of these products is effective enough to remove the staining.

My guess is that any staining is superficial at best and a light paint cleaner, or cleaner/wax if applied and worked-in to the finish will remove the staining.

[Dutch]

It sure sounds like those stains are just some wax residu that didn't come off after buffing out the wax the next day.

Before you try anything else see if Mike's suggestions will work. I have a strong feeling they will...

[meximum]

Hi Guys,

Just wanna share my experience.

Few years back I did encounter this problem.

I used Soft99 Liquid Luster Wax(Cleaner Wax). Was NooB that time and I got lazy and tired of holding the bottle. What I did was I poured some amount of the liquid wax on my bonnet and use it bit by bit.

After buffing the whole car, I saw the stain on the spot where I poured the liqud. It's not yellowish/gold but from a certain angle it looks like etching from bird sh*t. Nothing could remove it. Even compunding.

Mine was Solid White.

Lesson learnt!

[the other pc]

Had a similar experience with my white truck. At the time I was using #26 wax and I was getting some strange yellowish/tannish staining but only in a few specific spots.

As best as I could figure the stains were probably coming from me. I guessed that because the spots were in places my arms would touch the car while loading and unloading my roof rack. I think it was the sunscreen I used because it seemed to happen around water ski trips.

Anyway, it came off easily with Meguiar's Medallion paint cleaner. I'm sure ScratchX would work as well or better.


PC.

[TKDDAD]

Re: wax stained my paint

Originally posted by gillig
I bought a new 2005 Sonata last week and waxed the car for the first time yesterday (Saturday). I waxed it inside the garage but was not able to finish the job so the wax stayed on the car overnight until this morning (about a total of 16 hours). The car is white and now I have yellow/golden stains in the car from the wax. It is like the pigment that's in the Meguiars Cleaner Wax transfered or imbedded itself into the car's clearcoat and has in essence left stains in the paint. Some of the worst areas are where I had a little more wax applied than the areas with the least amount of wax. I tried to make it an even coat of wax over the entire car but some areas were thicker than others and those really show the yellow/golden stains from the wax. I tried rubbing it off but the stain is in the clearcoat. I can't tell you how sick this makes me feel (being a new car and all). I really don't want to apply a clay bar or some other wax cleaner as I believe that they won't help. I truly believe that the pigment in the wax is now in the clearcoat. Anyone with ideas on how to fix this?

gillig, I share your pain !!...I too bought a new BLACK Sonata back in May (1,700 miles ago) and the first time I waxed it with NXT Tech Paste, I noticed swirls that weren't there before...I'm convinced it's something I did versus the product...you are in the right place to get it solved as these people are the best at this...I needed to get the right tools and products to solve my problem so I did....also, I've heard the the Hyundai paint/process is not rated that high (heard that from another Hyundai owner on this board)...good luck with getting your problem solved...we'll have to exchange notes once you've had a chance to enjoy your new ride !!....

p.s. pictures really go a long way in helping to get to the root cause of your problems...if you can post some, that would be good....

My New Baby:

[Don]

One thing that no one has mentioned yet, overspray or fallout. I'd say it's safe to say the car has never been clayed and it's even possible that the car has been spot painted prior to deliver.

If there is overspray on the car, it's possible that it's preventing you from removing all of the cleaner wax which could explain the "staining."