Finding your car wrecked with a can of spray pain is a surefire way to put a brake on your day. This is especially true if, like any proud owner of a car, you strive to maintain its appearance and shine. Even more so if the car that happened to be a victim is your weekend toy or your project car.

Depending on the hardness of your car paint (urethane paint is extremely strong), how much paint has been sprayed and where, and how long the spray paint was left on your car paint, the time It will take about an hour and a half a day to restore your car’s finish. In case you discovered vandalism quite early, the spray paint may still be drying and a wash and soap job may be all it takes to solve your problem quickly.

If this is not the case, there are many solvents or materials that can be used but if the finish of the car is a bit sensitive or if the spray paint has been allowed to dry for some time. An additional car should be brought along to make sure your car’s paint doesn’t come off as well. Various chemicals such as WD-40, nail polish remover, acetone, scrubbing compound, gasoline, or aerosol brake parts cleaner can be used. For paint jobs or car show finishes, Meguiar’s Clay is often used to make sure only spray paint is removed. However, it is best to leave the use of this special product in the hands of experts who are familiar with its use. A fine polishing compound can also be used, but again, care must be taken as it is an abrasive compound that can remove paint from the car if used improperly.

Remember that all cars have clear coats to protect the actual paint and the chemicals mentioned can remove all but the most stubborn or thick spray paint. The basic method is to apply a small amount of the compound of your choice (for example, acetone) to a clean cloth and rub to try to remove the paint. If it’s working, the rag will start to show signs of the color of the spray paint that was used. If the paint color of your car starts to rub off on the rag, this is a clear indicator that it has gone through the top coat of your car and is already removing the paint from the car.

If the spray paint is thick in a certain spot, try using a plastic scraper to remove the stubborn paint and then use the chemical solution of your choice to remove the rest of the paint. If the spray paint has gotten onto the window or windshield glass, acetone would be one of the best chemicals to use and you will be able to remove the paint from the glass easily.

Be careful not to use acetone on rubber trim or seals that have been spray painted, as this will soften the rubber and could prematurely destroy it. In this case, it would be a better option to use strong soap with a stiff-bristled plastic brush.

The final touch after all that work would be to wash the car, or at least the affected area, using car soap generously on the area you have worked on. Take the car to a body shop to see if you need to spray the affected area with a clear coat to protect the underlying paint. By doing the hard work of removing the paint yourself, you will have saved yourself some considerable expense, rather than having the body shop handle all the work.