A nearly new Audi Q7 with paint spilled in the back -- the customer had followed the wet towel advice and got it to us quickly. Some paint had dried by arrival, including on the speaker switch which had to be taken apart and cleaned. Paint splatter on the wheels too. Gary: "working up a sweat but we're over the line."
A practically new Audi Q7 with paint spilled in the back. Gary pulls back the wet towels the customer had laid over it: "they've done their best -- it's not completely wet, but some of it is dry." The wet towels had kept most of the paint workable. The bits that had dried were going to take more work.
Why Speed Matters -- the 48-Hour Window
Once paint has dried it becomes very difficult to remove. Once it has cured -- around 48 hours -- it is almost impossible. This is why we repeat the wet towel advice every time: cover the paint with damp towels, lay plastic sheeting over those, keep the car cool and out of the sun, and get it to us as soon as possible. This customer did exactly that. It made a significant difference to the outcome.
The Job
Paint had gone into the boot lining, around the rear compartment, onto the speaker, and there was splatter on the wheels from the impact. The sections that had dried needed an electric brush -- "crazy really but it does a lot more than one that's not electric." Solvent on the partially dried patches. The speaker switch had paint in it; it was taken apart, cleaned, and reassembled. It works.
Gary filmed progress reports and sent them to the customer as the work progressed. The final video: "look at that, amazing. We're pretty pleased with that to be honest. I think you will be. We've been working up a sweat on it -- but we're over the line."
How We Charge for These Jobs
We start every paint spillage with three hours of work. In about half of cases that is enough to clean up a small spill entirely. When there is more to do, we send a video report showing what we have found and what remains, and the customer decides how much more to authorise. This pay-as-you-go approach means nobody pays for work they did not agree to and nobody gets an estimate that builds in time for every possible complication -- which would always be expensive.
Insurance and the Paint Supplier
Call your insurance company immediately. Tell them you have had a paint accident, you are not making a claim yet, but you are dealing with it. They will note it. If the job comes in under your excess, you have not lost anything; if it does not, the option is still open.
If the tin opened by itself, talk to the shop or DIY centre. Not aggressively -- politely. If the container was defective, they have something to discuss with you. In our experience, approached reasonably, they often contribute to at least half the bill. Some pay all of it.
See our car paint spill clean-up service and our paint spillage emergency guide for first-response advice.
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