Unfortunately at some time in our car ownership years, someone decides it would be funny to throw an egg at our car. Unfortunately, until there is world peace, eggs will be thrown at unsuspecting victims.

The damage a harmless egg can do is actually significant if left untreated. The damage is not the result of the impact but from the contents. Eggs contain sulfur which is a component of two amino acids in both the egg yolk and white. Not long after your car is pummeled by egg, the acid begins to chemically etch into the surface of the paint causing it to crack and deteriorate - this is called crazing. Tree resin (sap) and bird droppings are also acidic and can cause similar harm to the paint finish if left untreated.

The good news is that like other car surface issues, it can be fixed. If you're are a casual weekend detailer or never worked with car care products before, I'll outline what you can do to solve most of the issue. If you're more experienced, I'll show you how to completely resolve the issue. And of course there is an easier solution: take it to your professional detailer.

Bottom line, there is a solution. Please note, if the contaminant has penetrated past the clear coat and reached the base coat, the only solution is to have the surface repainted. Unfortunately, you may not find this to be the case until you've treated the area with the process outlined below.
 

What You'll Need:
einszett Extra Paint Polish
einszett Paint Polish
einszett Glanz Wax
einszett Microfiber Towel
einszett Spray Wax

Experienced Users
In addition to the items above, you'll also need 2000 Grit sandpaper.

 

Solution

Step 1
Don't delay, you have to clean the egg off the paint as soon as possible. Left to sit (especially in hot weather or in direct sunlight) the egg will etch its way through the clear coat and into the base colored coat of the paint finish. At that point, the area will have to be repainted to restore the original condition. For this reason, timing is of the essence!

Just remember to clean the area without causing any more paint damage. DON'T use paper towels, old rags or any other cloth/applicator that will scratch the surface. Also, don't use glass cleaner which is designed for cleaning glass. If you've done any of these, don't panic. You've given yourself more work to do but it can be fixed.

With your car in the shade so that the paint finish is cool to the touch, wash your car to remove any loose dirt and contaminants. Read our Proper Washing and Drying

Or, if your car is already clean, just wash the area to be treated or use a waterless wash or spray wax like einszett Spray Wax to remove any loose dust or debris in the affected area so you won't cause additional scratches while treating the area.

The key is to remove the contaminant to neutralize its etching properties as soon as possible.

Step 2
Now that the surface is clean and dry, we need to remove the damaged paint finish. This is done using car polish. We will be using two types of polishes for different polishing stages.

First, polish the area with einszett's compound polish Extra Paint Polish. The strong abrasives in Extra will safely remove the damaged layers of paint. Don't worry, we are talking microns so you won't be completely removing the clear coatthow to properly apply car polish. If applying by hand, use a cotton towel for the best results.  Polish the surface until the appearance of the damage is reduced. This might take two to three applications so be patient.

If applying by machine such as a Dual Action Orbital you'll get better results in less time. Apply on a medium-high setting (varies by machine) with a cutting foam pad.

If you are an experienced detailer, we recommend you wetsand the affected area with 2000 grit sandpaper and then polish the surface with Extra. NOTE: Use extreme care when wetsanding or you will further damage the surface if you perform incorrectly.

After polishing with Extra, the paint finish will have compound polish abrasions left from the polish. In the next step, will remove those abrasions and polish the surface to a smooth mirror-like finish.

Step 3
Using einszett Paint Polish, polish the surface using a cotton towel until you achieve a deeper, smoother finish. This might require two to three applications. You can finish off by polishing with a less abrasive applicator such as a microfiber towel or foam applicator pad. At this point, the surface should look significantly improved with the majority of the defect removed.

Step 4
After polishing the paint, you need to seal the finish with a protective layer of wax. Apply einszett Glanz Wax to protect the paint against oxidation, UV rays, bird droppings, acid rain, road grime and  from any future egg attacks (if you should be so unfortunate). Read our guide to applying Glanz Waxx for more detailed information.

Prevention

Always inspect your car's finish for any contaminants whether it's eggs, tree sap, bird droppings hard water spots. They are the most common culprits of paint defects. Left untreated, these elements with their caustic chemical makeup can penetrate the clear coat paint and harm the base layer of pigmented paint below. If it gets to this stage, the area will have to be repainted to bring it to its original condition. Therefore, proper car care protection and timing is everything. Polish and wax your car twice a year if you have a daily driver. Even though it lasts between four and six months, you can apply Glanz Wax more often to ensure sufficient protection.

It's also recommended that you carry a clean microfiber towel and a bottle of einszett Spray Wax in case you are away from home you can clean any bird droppings, sap or egg immediately. Every minute counts and if you can remove any contaminants quickly, your paint finish will be all the better for it.

If you have any questions, contact us!