Ceiling drips from parking garage

[JMBL]

Hi All,
I park my car in a garage that drips when it rains onto the cars parked below. (Can't move car: it's a reserved space). I now have what looks like an oily residue on the roof of my car, with drips onto the windows and body below.

Does anyone know what this stuff is, and how I can get it off my car?
Any advice is most appreciated.

[Paul S]

Re: Ceiling drips from parking garage

The first thing I would do is approach the management of the parking garage and ask for another reserved spot after showing them the spots on the car . For removing the spots I would first try APC+.Hard telling what is leaking from the roof above. Just hope its not anything that would permanently damage the surface.

[BlackScreaminMachine]

Re: Ceiling drips from parking garage

Leaky Roof.... ahhh memories.

I myself had my Trans Am parked at a home with a VERY old garage that was called a milk crate roof, built in the early 50's

Long story short had a leak, and the tar water would get on the car, leave a bad residue. I had to wash the car every time I took it out and made things very tough. Frankly I would rather leave it parked outside 24/7 vs leaving it in that delapidated structure. But I was getting winter storage for free so I could not argue.

I now pay for storage, not a fan but it is what it is. Then owner fixed the roof after I left since he needed to use the space. Jerk!

I found using Swirl X and a terry cloth or MF towel would get the hard stains.

If your paying for that space one way or the other, it needs to get fixed.

[rcktpwrd]

Re: Ceiling drips from parking garage

The local airport had a problem like that and they could never figure out what it was that dripped on the cars... The management people paid alot of money to get people's cars cleaned or repainted!
I would talk to the management or owners of the garage and first ask for a different parking spot if possible and second have them pay for a detail job to clean the car...

[TOGWT]

Re: Ceiling drips from parking garage

Calcified water spots on paint and glass and water and concrete spots are pretty much the same chemically; calcium carbonate, with the concrete being cross-linked with water. These contaminates often drip after passing through concrete decking or the roof of multi story parking carages

If the concrete is ‘fresh’ try using detailer’s clay, using short strokes with light pressure or you may cause deep surface scratches

Correction-
• Apply 1:1 ratio water with distilled White Vinegar solution, and using a spray bottle, spray that mixture on the spots and let them "soak." Then rinse with water and repeat as necessary.
• If the ambient temperature water/vinegar mix does not work, warm (100-120 degrees) 100% distilled White Vinegar, saturate a clean kitchen sponge with pure vinegar and hold the sponge over the concrete spots for a few minutes
• If the above do not remove them try equal parts distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will help etch and dissolve the concrete.
• Rinse the area thoroughly with water after the vinegar and then reapply wax or sealant to that area.

Back-Set by Romix- is a paint safe acid alternative with no fumes or odours, molecularly breaks down the ionic bond in Portland cement, completely dissolving and releasing the hardened cement from any surface it is adhered to. Chemically speaking, Back-Set converts the positive ions in the hardened matrix into negative ions, which dissolves the cement into mud that can be rinsed away. Because it works chemically, rather than mechanically, Back-Set may be used to remove cured concrete, mortar, grout, and stucco from virtually any surface without harm. Always apply to a dry surface area