Wood burner soot

[ac2221]

I have a white Audi TT and have discovered that over the winter it would appear that my car had a coating of woodburner ash / soot. Its not burnt the paintwork but has dried on the surface and I can not get it off having tried tar remover, T cut and polish. Anyone else had this problem or know how to clean it. Thanks

[Mr2Mike]

A clay bar is usually the first step for paint contamination like this.

[J4CKO]

Yeah, a Clay bar would be my first thought, I was sceptical until I tried one.

It does remove a lot of stuff from the surface, I thought my car was clean having just been washed, claying proves that it wasnt, run your fingers over the paint before and after, its amazing how smooth it is compared to before.

Should remove the soot and it shouldn't have damaged it as it wont have been that hot by the time it got to the surface, suppose it depends whether its a bit acidic and has done anything but would clay it first.

[ac2221]

Thanks people - Clay bar ordered

[matjk]

Keep in mind ash is very abrasive, I use ash in water to clean the glass on my log burner , is polishes the burn stained glass perfectly

[smudgerebt]

I would use a tar remover before the clay bar.

What clay bar have you ordered?

[Pica-Pica]

matjk said:

Keep in mind ash is very abrasive, I use ash in water to clean the glass on my log burner , is polishes the burn stained glass perfectly

Me too, but only do this with WOOD ash, not ash from smokeless coal. That will,scratch the glass. (Oh, and I use newspaper, ash and spit - not water)

[gazza285]

We use soda water at work, the slightly acidic nature seems to dissolve the soot deposits, then wash as normal.

[Mr2Mike]

smudgerebt said:

I would use a tar remover before the clay bar.

What clay bar have you ordered?

Soot/ash is not tar. Tar remover is a solvent, you cant disolve carbon like this, despite the numerous peddlers of various engine cleaning snake oils that claim otherwise.

[Penelope Stopit]

I thought there was acid in soot, I Googled to jog my memory and the result was -

"In fact, soot is anything but simple and is certainly not harmless. Soot includes the fine black particles, chiefly composed of carbon, produced by incomplete combustion of coal, oil, wood, or other fuels. Soot can consist of acids, chemicals, metals, soils, and dust"

[ac2221]

Auto glym ordered - tried tar remover to no effect. Many thanks for all the replies - will keep you posted.