Fresh tarmac, patched potholes or roadworks, and suddenly the sills, wheel arches and lower doors are covered in black spots of tar. There are more of them in summer, when bitumen softens in the heat, and in winter road salt and grime stick to them as well.
Do not put it off: over time tar bonds with the paint and leaves marks that need polishing out. Most spots come off easily with WD-40 Smart Straw, as long as you do not rub them dry and give the product time to work.
What you will need
Important: Work in the shade on cool bodywork. WD-40 may soften or remove wax or polish applied earlier, so test on a hidden area first. Keep the product off brake discs, pads and tyre treads.
Step 1
Wash the car
Park in the shade and wash the car with shampoo and water as directed on the label, paying special attention to the sills, arches and bumpers. A self-service car wash works too.
On clean bodywork every tar spot is easy to see, and grit will not scratch the paint when you start wiping.
Step 2
Apply WD-40 to the spots
Shake the can and use the thin straw of WD-40 Smart Straw to apply the product precisely to each black spot. On sills with heavy splatter, use the wider spray.
Wait a few minutes. The larger and older the spots, the longer you should leave it, up to 5-10 minutes.
Step 3
Wipe the tar away
Put a little WD-40 Multi-Use on a clean cloth and gently wipe away the softened tar without pressing. It dissolves and transfers to the cloth.
Turn the cloth to a clean side regularly so you do not smear tar across the paint.
Step 4
Deal with stubborn spots
If marks remain after the first pass, apply again and leave it longer. Old spots sometimes need 2-3 rounds.
For very thick tar deposits in the wheel arches and underbody, you can order the dedicated WD-40 Specialist Degreaser. Never use knives, scrapers or abrasives on paintwork.
Step 5
Rinse off the residue
With a sponge, clean water and car shampoo, wash only the areas you treated to remove WD-40 and dissolved tar. There is no need to wash the whole car again.
Let the bodywork dry or wipe it with a microfibre cloth.
Step 6
Add protection
Apply wax or car polish to the cleaned areas and buff to a shine with a clean cloth.
Wax not only restores the gloss but also makes new tar splashes and salty winter grime easier to remove.
Tip: After driving on a freshly surfaced road, check the sills the same day. Fresh tar comes off with WD-40 in about a minute, while tar that has sat in the sun for a week needs softening several times.
What next
Check the lower bodywork after roadworks and before winter. Keep WD-40 Smart Straw in the garage: it also removes tree sap and sticker residue and protects door locks and hinges from moisture.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».