HELP!! Tarminator has damaged my paint & grill!!
- Thread starter golfdude
- Start date
ronmart
New member
BIOMAN - Your PM mailbox is full and I was wanting to send you a reply to the 2nd part of your question to me. Please delete some messages and then PM me again so i can reply.
*** Sorry for the SPAM but this is the only way I can get a message to BIOMAN since he doesn't allow direct e-mail ***
*** Sorry for the SPAM but this is the only way I can get a message to BIOMAN since he doesn't allow direct e-mail ***
ronmart said:
Ronmart, did you see my pics on my first post? The surface is a grainy plastic. All In One didn't do anything either. I am now in the process of getting a new grille either way, so this is the past. Just a warning to all for those who have current Chryslers to be carefull with this stuff near the grille. Mineral Spirits and goo gone did not work too well either, even after mulltiple applications.
imported_greygoose
New member
Glad I'm not the only one, even though this is a really old thread. I used tarminator and it left spots on my paint like hard water etching. The plastic I will get some black wow and try to restore it with that. It seems that the spots went away after five minutes but I still polished afterwards to be sure they are gone. I only used DG 105 so when the sun comes back up I will know if they are gone. I plan on emailing the company to see if there are updated directions or perhaps a better method of application. I noticed some prior hazing on my headlights that are now accentuated due to overspray of tarminator. I've tried meguiars plastix with no improvement. It also stained my trim so I used another of their products to cover it up, more shine 
And people wonder why I charge more to detail a car without harsh chemicals.
Strong stuff can make the job easier and faster, but at the cost of safety for the finish.
In the futue, try chemical guys citrus wash and gloss at paintwork cleanser strenth (2oz per gallon) in a pesticide sprayer, I do this on the lower portion of the car, bird droppings, wheels, wheel wells, etc... Safest wheel cleaner and bug remover I can think of.
Or heck, if you are as paranoid as I sometimes am about hurting the finish, just use clay, thats pretty much safe for everything.
Strong stuff can make the job easier and faster, but at the cost of safety for the finish.
In the futue, try chemical guys citrus wash and gloss at paintwork cleanser strenth (2oz per gallon) in a pesticide sprayer, I do this on the lower portion of the car, bird droppings, wheels, wheel wells, etc... Safest wheel cleaner and bug remover I can think of.
Or heck, if you are as paranoid as I sometimes am about hurting the finish, just use clay, thats pretty much safe for everything.
Adam's Polishes
New member
ron231 said:
Very true... I save bug & tar removers as a last resort when nothing else will break it down.... and even then it goes NOWHERE NEAR plastic and spends as little time as possible on the paint. You gotta figure if it'll eat thru tar its gonna be some nasty stuff.
fstb88 said:
At paintwork-cleanser strength it will remove wax and sealants, but really I dont know of a product that can get that stuff off without removing your LSP. When I am doing a full detail, after the car has been treated with citrus wash and gloss at paintwork cleanser strength, whatever is left gets clayed. Sometimes on grilles like that I will use a bug scrub sponge, one of the pinnacle yellow foam ones because clay tends to grab those porous surfaces.
Directly from the Stoner's Tarminator website.
"However, it is a powerful cleaner which can be harmful to some plastics, adhesives, decals, or solvent-sensitive materials. Before using, always test for compatibility in a small, out-of-sight area. Avoid over application which can run and drip onto sensitive materials."
Solvents are excellent tar removers, but you need to be careful and use common sense whenever you are using it around plastic grills, headlights, and other coated trim pieces. Tarminator is mainly designed for tar/grease removal on paint and non-plastic bodywork.
"However, it is a powerful cleaner which can be harmful to some plastics, adhesives, decals, or solvent-sensitive materials. Before using, always test for compatibility in a small, out-of-sight area. Avoid over application which can run and drip onto sensitive materials."
Solvents are excellent tar removers, but you need to be careful and use common sense whenever you are using it around plastic grills, headlights, and other coated trim pieces. Tarminator is mainly designed for tar/grease removal on paint and non-plastic bodywork.