To quote Full Metal Jacket, "What the fuck is this?"

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux) 01/04/2019 at 18:26 • Filed to: None

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I came back to the office to find my car covered in what looks almost like flour. Every other car in the lot had this on it, too. Someone said it might be ash, but I have no idea where that would have come from. Nothing was on fire, and there aren’t any factories close by. It’s never happened before, either.

Another guy suggested it could be human waste from an airplane, but I haven’t found any evidence of that falling as a powder anywhere. I think he was just trying to be funny.

But still, what the hell is it and where did it come from?

( We use spots originally designed for semis, so that’s why nobody is pulled in the same amount. We’re all parked correctly, I swear.)

Urambo Tauro > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:39

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Powder? But flour and ash are dry... I s ee signs of wetness. Was the car already wet, and this stuff stuck to it , or did it get sprayed with some sort of liquid?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:41

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Spooky ghosts

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:41

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got limestone nearby?

EL_ULY > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:44

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a BMW overheated and coolant splashed everywhere then dried.

ranwhenparked > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:45

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Do they spray brine where you are?

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:47

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Someone got off for the first time in months it looks like

xc90v8/I4 :( > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:47

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Was there a porn shoot nearby?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 18:52

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Whatever it is, get it off the paint as soon as possible. Trust me

Rainbow > ranwhenparked 01/04/2019 at 19:00

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Yes, but not when it’s 60 degrees out.

Rainbow > Urambo Tauro 01/04/2019 at 19:00

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It was wet already.

f86sabre > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:17

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Airplanes don’t drop waste like that. I can give you details, but it’s not like that. Might be someone dumped jet fuel. It wasn’t us. I’d know about that. Does it smell like kerosine?

Urambo Tauro > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:18

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Oh God

TheRevanchist > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:25

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I remember when something similar happened. Basically, a brine tank pipe got clogged with salt crystallizing. It caused pressure and something went boom. A few large chunks of salt were found, but didn’t hit people’s cars (hit a chain link fence between the parking lot and the tank farm). Vehicles were covered with salt.

Maybe something similar?

Rainbow > f86sabre 01/04/2019 at 19:27

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I didn’t notice any distinct smell, but maybe. I’ll check after dinner.

jminer > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:31

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Not to be too dark but funeral home or hospital nearby?

Could also just be construction somewhere within a few blocks.  That kicks up far more dust than you would think.

DipodomysDeserti > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:32

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You near any factories and did it rain? Almost looks like an extreme case of acid rain.

Svend > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 19:35

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It’s caused by atmospheric contamination, in part ash, sand and forms of calcium in the air that attach to rain droplets as they fall, the rain droplets dry leaving calcium, etc... deposit rings behind.

This is why sealants and waxes are great, they act as sacrificial layers that protect the contaminants from bonding to the clearcote which will eventually lead to a failure in the clearcote requiring heavy correction leading in the long run to the clearcote peeling and necessitating a respray.

What ever you do, don’t go to a drive through car wash as the revolving bristles will use the contaminants as a compound and scratch the hell out of the car.

Use a snow foam or citrus prewash. So pressure rinse the car, spray on snow foam or citrus prewash, let dwell for a minute or two while you go around the car with a small brush into all the nooks and crannies, then pressure rinse the car, you may want to foam the car again and then wash using the two bucket method using only the weight of the wash mitt to remove any remaining dirt, then rinse.

Use a drying towel or leaf blower to dry or use a drying aid and some regular sized microfibre cloths.

Always bare in mind, most of the damage in the way of swirls are caused in the washing and drying process so you want to physically touch the car as little and as gently as possible, only using more pressure, when really needed. 

Monkey B > Urambo Tauro 01/04/2019 at 19:35

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haha...ha!

Svend > EL_ULY 01/04/2019 at 19:36

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Doh you. You know fine well it’s atmospheric contamination. You. 

random001 > Svend 01/04/2019 at 19:52

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Hero.

Svend > random001 01/04/2019 at 20:00

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Lol. Why?

It’s sad I know this stuff really but there’s so much to washing a car than, well, just washing a car. Lol.

The amount of brain I’ve used u p with polishes, polish/pad combinations, waxes, sealants, coatings from silicone to graphe ne, wash techniques, different GSMs of microfibre and their uses, brushes, bristles, gloss enhancers, paint depths, gloss meter usage, etc...

It’s all time I’ll never get back. :( 

random001 > Svend 01/04/2019 at 20:04

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But you're available to save us all from ourselves.

Svend > random001 01/04/2019 at 20:18

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In one almost insignificant aspect alone really. Lol.

But thanks though. 

nermal > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 20:19

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CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > f86sabre 01/04/2019 at 20:25

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They just wait until they get to Philly and drain the tanks over the city right?

The perfect crime, everything is already shit.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 20:28

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Someone discharged a fire extinguisher?

random001 > Svend 01/04/2019 at 20:49

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Sir, this is not, and I repeat not, in any way insignificant.

Svend > random001 01/04/2019 at 20:52

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LOl. 

Rainbow > Svend 01/04/2019 at 21:05

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I should clarify... my boss saw it coming down. It was like snow; it came after the rain was gone.

Svend > Rainbow 01/04/2019 at 21:19

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Likely ash then. Atmospheric contaminants can land on the car and mix with any water that’s sitting and cause rings as the water evaporates.

In the U.K. we get sahara sand land on our cars from several hundred miles away. Sahara sand has been known to reach the U.S. (though it’s not the case with your cars here).