Whether it’s nice and sunny outside or it’s pouring down rain, some debris will land on your car.

If you drive your car at all, you’re prone to getting some above surface contaminants onto your paint. So, has my car always had this rough texture? How did it get there? Do all cars have this? Above Surface Contamination And How It Worksĭon’t worry, above surface contamination is not a technical term, that’s just how detailers describe what you have going on. In this article, I’m going to go more in-depth on how your paint got to the point of the rough texture and how you can remove it ( the paint should feel as smooth as glass). It can be things like industrial fallout, paint overspray, metal shavings, dust, etc… In short, that rough texture that you feel is basically a mix of micro-level dirt that has stuck to your clear coat that won’t come off with a simple wash.

Don’t be alarmed! This is perfectly normal (although it’s something you’d want to fix by claying the paint). However, that doesn’t mean your paint is completely clean.Ī common complaint I hear from people is even after they’ve washed their vehicle, they feel a rough texture when they run their hand over the paint. Your car does look a lot better since you removed the heavy-caked on layer of dust and dirt. The common thought most people have is when you wash your car, that means you have effectively removed all the dirt, grime, and debris that was accumulated during driving.Īt a higher surface level, this is true.

Get my paint