What's happened to the paint job?

[Tin Pot]

I've washed it twice, once with Muc Off, once with Fairy, neither have made any difference.

For comparison, the down tube looks fine:

The only difference I can think of is my sweat - could it be that corrosive it's marring the gloss?

 

[fossyant]

You haven't dinged it have you. Try some car polish to see if it takes it off.

 

[Tin Pot]

You haven't dinged it have you. Try some car polish to see if it takes it off.

No, whole top tube looks like that.

Car polish? I have Autoglym shampoos, but no polish per se. What type of polish would be appropriate?

 

[Illaveago]

Have you or anyone else handled it with sun cream on their hands. It can leave strange dull patches on car paintwork which can be removed using an abrasive car polish such as Farecla G3 or G10. Do not try using an amonia based polish as this can cause acrylic paints to become dull.

 

[fossyant]

Autoglym would do it. Super resin. It's not too abrasive.

With regards suncream, that's what it is. Our friends car is like that.

 

[Smokin Joe]

View attachment 98891

I've washed it twice, once with Muc Off, once with Fairy, neither have made any difference.

For comparison, the down tube looks fine:
View attachment 98892

The only difference I can think of is my sweat - could it be that corrosive it's marring the gloss?

Sow us the whole bike. It looks like it would be a beaut.

 

[Tin Pot]

Okay, not likely sun cream IMO but I'll get some polish and try that.

Then maybe take some more pics

 

[Globalti]

It's hard to tell from the first pic what's the problem. Is it the uneven look of the reflection? To me that looks just like imperfections in the carbon layup.

Try polishing it first with a non-abrasive polish like Mr Sheen, which contains a solvent that will remove any contamination then as it dries will leave a layer of hard wax, which will buff up. If that fails go for car polish, which is mildly abrasive, but nothing any harsher or you'll ruin the paint. That means not using T Cut for example.

 

[Illaveago]

Autoglym would do it. Super resin. It's not too abrasive.

With regards suncream, that's what it is. Our friends car is like that.

I discovered that out on my brother in law's car a few years ago, it can leave dull patches everywhere.

 

[Tom B]

Lots of things can leave a milky white finish on today's low voc paints. I have very oily skin and skin oils do I it on my car... White spirit does it on my bike.

Do you handle the bike with the top tube?

A very mild abrasive cleaner will deffo do it along with a wax wash / polish to finish off... On the bike I generally use gt85 on a rag I've heard about Mr sheen also being used too.

 

[Globalti]

Aerosol furniture polish is an underrated product. It cleans by solvent and then leaves a microscopic layer of hard wax, which repels water and dirt and makes cleaning easier next time. I use it on the insides of house windows and it works a treat. Someody also suggested using it on matt black frames and it works really well there; because it contains no abrasive it doesn't leave white smears but it gives the paint a super dull sheen and makes water bead up and run off. I also use it for lightly lubricating gear cables and for protecting and lubricating the metal mechanisms on plastic house windows.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Aerosol furniture polish is an underrated product. It cleans by solvent and then leaves a microscopic layer of hard wax, which repels water and dirt and makes cleaning easier next time. I use it on the insides of house windows and it works a treat. Someody also suggested using it on matt black frames and it works really well there; because it contains no abrasive it doesn't leave white smears but it gives the paint a super dull sheen and makes water bead up and run off. I also use it for lightly lubricating gear cables and for protecting and lubricating the metal mechanisms on plastic house windows.

I use that stuff on the track on a stiff sliding door. Works well and doesn't attract dirt.

 

[Illaveago]

It would be interesting to know whether the problem is just in the lacquer or as another person suggested may be deeper. Surface contamination as mentioned by other members should polish out.

 

[Tom B]

Thinking about it depending on the paints and paint finish and especially with red. Lots of uv light/sunlight candidates fade/send it milky too.

Vauxhall red (pink) anyone... Old royal mail vans. That can be cut off until you use all the paint up.

 

[summerdays]

I discovered that out on my brother in law's car a few years ago, it can leave dull patches everywhere.

My friends kids burn easily so they are always covered in sunscreen and their car is covered with hand prints of different sizes