How To Get Tar Off Your Car

Your vehicle’s tires throw up a lot of dirt and grime that can often stick to its paint. This is fine until you realize that you also have tar stuck to your paint. This is a sticky situation because tar isn’t like dirt and grime that can be washed off with soap and some friction.

Tar doesn’t just create stubborn spots that ruin your vehicle’s look, it can also damage your paint if you let it sit for too long. Let’s discuss how to remove tar off your car without damaging its paint.

What Causes Tar Spots?

Tar spots are typically caused by driving over freshly paved asphalt roads. Freshly paved asphalt is extremely smooth. However, its surface can still be soft and malleable if it’s been paved recently. When you drive over asphalt when it’s in this state, your tires can pick up some of the dark and sticky substance, which can get stuck to your paint. This substance is typically a combination of crushed stone, gravel, sand, and a material called bitumen, which is asphalt’s main binding agent.

Once the sticky compound dries on your car, tar on car removal can be incredibly difficult because the substance is designed to be gooey and sticky. You’ll need special products to effectively remove tar from your car without damaging the paint underneath.

Leaving tar on your paint for too long can also discolor the paint. Once you see a tar spot, you’ll need to act quickly.

Tar Spots Removal Methods

There are several removal methods, and each one uses a different cleaning agent. Whatever method you pick, make sure you clean your car first. Doing so ensures there won’t be any abrasive dirt that can scratch your paint finish.

Using a Dedicated Tar Remover

Tar removers are spray solutions that have a special chemical that breaks down the tar without damaging your vehicle’s paint. There’s typically a wide variety of tar removers available at most auto care shops. Using tar removers typically involves directly spraying the solution on the tar spot. Afterward, you’ll need to rub the spot with a wet cloth in a circular motion using light pressure. This should slowly remove the tar. Continue applying tar remover and rubbing the spot until all the tar has been removed.

Goo Gone

Goo Gone is a solution that uses citrus oils to remove adhesive residue. It can also be used to lift tar from your paint. Its use is similar to tar remover. Simply apply it onto the tar spot, leave it for a short while, and then wipe it off gently in a circular motion. If the tar is stubborn, keep spraying it at the edge of the tar spot so that it can penetrate the tar spot from its base and eventually lift the tar.

WD-40

You can list tar removal under one of WD-40’s countless uses. Most households have WD-40 lying around in their garages. So if you desperately need to remove tar before it hardens on your paint, the WD-40 that you’ve stocked in your house can be a lifesaver.

Spray the WD-40 onto the tar spot and allow it to soak for 10 to 30 minutes. Afterward, use a microfiber cloth or any other damp cloth to scrub the tar away. With a little elbow grease, the tar should slowly come off. Unfortunately, WD-40 can be a smelly product, so you might want to rinse or wash your car afterward to get rid of the lingering smell.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter has oils that can break down substances like tar and make them easier to remove. To remove tar spots using peanut butter, you’ll need to put a bit of the paste onto a piece of cloth and rub it on the affected area. Let the peanut butter sit for about 30 minutes. This should be enough time to allow the oils to penetrate the tar.

Afterward, take a clean microfiber towel and wipe the peanut butter off. The tar should come off with very light pressure. If the entire spot doesn’t come off entirely, simply repeat the process. You might want to use a bit of elbow grease to get the spot off.

Tar Removal Tips

Whatever you do, you should only use car-safe products to ensure your vehicle’s paint job isn’t damaged. Gasoline and kerosine are effective cleaning agents when it comes to removing tar, but you should refrain from using them simply because there’s a significant risk of setting your car on fire.

Even with the right products, removing tar can take some time. Make sure to be patient to allow the products enough time to penetrate the tar. Rushing to wipe the solution off might require more applications.

How To Prevent Tar Spots

Preventing tar spots can be far less laborious than continuously cleaning them. Most of these products tend to remove any wax on your vehicle’s surface. Remember to reapply any wax or sealants on the affected area so your vehicle has protection from dirt and tar on your subsequent drives. Getting your vehicle a ceramic coating can also give it a higher level of protection against tar spots, albeit at a premium cost. This won’t completely prevent tar from sticking to your vehicle, but the coating will prevent it from damaging the paint.

If your vehicle frequently gets tar spots, you might want to install a set of mudguards. These can reduce the likelihood of tar sticking to your paint since most tar spots are thrown up by your tires.

In the end, tar removal requires the right products. Luckily, these products aren’t hard to find or hard to use. As long as you’re patient, you can easily get sticky tar off your vehicle.

Where to Get Mudguards for Your Vehicle

If tar, mud, and other hard-to-remove dirt are a common concern for you, consider investing in mudguards (or mud flaps). They’ll help protect your paint job from damage caused by the sludge thrown up by your tires. Find and order exactly what you need at CarParts.com with just a few clicks.

We source our mudguards from trusted manufacturers in the industry to ensure they’re built to last. But that doesn’t mean they’ll have you going over budget. They come with a low-price guarantee to help you get the best value for your money.

Use our vehicle selector to view the mudguards that are compatible with your daily driver. Then, use the search filters to find the ones with your preferred brand, price range, color, and more. If you have more questions, you can give us a call. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your queries via our toll-free hotline.

Shop now, and get your new mudguards in as fast as two business days!