What does insect repellent do to car paint?
Most insect repellent contains DEET. DEET can damage plastics and painted or varnished surfaces. It softens the clear coat while it sits there. The mark is usually soft-edged and runs downward.
What kind of repair does it need?
Wash it off first, then look. If it only dulled or softened the top of the clear coat, a machine polish cuts back to good clear coat. If it ate through the clear coat, or left the surface pitted, the panel is painted.
How long it sat decides it. Caught early, it is a polish on one area. Left long enough to bite past what the clear coat can give, the panel is painted instead.
What to do next
Wash it off now with lots of soapy water. What you do in the next few minutes changes the bill. Once it is off and dry, look in daylight. Dull and smooth is a polish. Pitted is a respray. Do not accept a quote until it has been washed and looked at.
Sources
- NPIC (Oregon State University / US EPA)university and government
DEET is a plasticizer and can damage certain rubber, plastic, vinyl, or elastic materials such as contact lenses, eyeglass frames and lenses, watch crystals, combs, painted and varnished surfaces…
- PPG GBpaint maker
Dewax the affected area, flat lightly, compound and polish, repeating if necessary
- Sherwin-Williams Automotivepaint maker
Sand and featheredge damaged areas to remove chips, then refinish
- Standoxpaint maker
Micro/Spot repair or complete refinishing is necessary for true rectification
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