How can I tell if my car has been affected by paint overspray?

If your car has been washed and is clean, the paintwork and glass should feel smooth.  If it feels slightly rough, then that could be contamination from paint overspray.

It is most noticeable on glass, which regardless of the prior condition of the paintwork on the vehicle, should be smooth.  Often, the first indication that there is overspray on your vehicle, is that the windscreen won't clear, and your windscreen wipers squeak or judder. 

On close inspection, you should be able to see the overspray, which may appear as a fine dust.

If you are unsure, there are two methods that may help you.

1. Microfibre cloth test. Take a clean microfibre cloth and gently drag it across your car's surfaces. If you can feel it snag and get caught, that could be paint overspray.
2. Plastic bag test. You can wet the surface of the car, then with your hand inside a plastic bag, run it over the surface, this may help you to feel contamination which you might not with your bare hands.

In more severe cases, where the overspray had landed wet on your car, it may appear as splatter or stain, which might not be as easy to feel, but should be visible with the naked eye.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 08/03/2024 12:02

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