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Drivers with layer of dust on car warned over ruining paintwork

Home> News> UK News

Published 12:03 8 Sep 2023 GMT+1

Drivers with layer of dust on car warned over ruining paintwork

Cars up and down the country have been covered in Saharan dust this week

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

If you're one of the millions out there who woke up to find your car covered in dust, listen up.

Drivers have been warned about cleaning weird substance off as it could damage their motor:

The covering of dirt confused motorists up and down the country yesterday (7 September), with people scratching their heads as to where it had come from.

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However, it turned out that it was in fact caused by sand that had been blown thousands of miles from the Sahara desert.

But if you've had the urge to clean it off or even draw puerile imagery on the back of someone else's car, don't.

According to experts, the dust can seriously damage your vehicle if it's not cleaned off properly.

Swansway Motor Group explains on its site that you have to be really careful when tying to remove it so as not to damage the paintwork.

Don't rub the dust off.
TikTok/hannah.parker91

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It says: "You may have noticed your car going from clean to looking quite mucky overnight.

"A Saharan red dust left a fine layer of sand across the UK, giving everything an orange hue, from your house windows to your car and outdoor furniture.

"When dealing with the desert residue on your beloved car, it's important to be cautious. Instead of simply rubbing the sand off, which could potentially damage the paint, follow our guide for safe removal methods."

The advice goes on: "The first step in removing saharan dust from your car is to rinse it thoroughly with a hose or pressure washer. This will help to remove any loose dirt and sand from the surface of the car.

"Make sure to direct the water stream downward, rather than upward, to avoid forcing sand and dust underneath the paint.

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"Next, either use snow foam or fill a bucket with warm and soapy water.

Take care if you're cleaning the dust off your motor.
TikTok/hannah.parker91

"Apply the soapy water to the entire surface of the car, paying close attention to areas where sand and dust have accumulated."

They added: "Allow the car to soak in the suds for a few minutes before rinsing."

The Met Office explained that the dust will remain in the atmosphere for a few days, so you may want to wait until it's passed before cleaning it off you car.

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"Saharan dust has been in the atmosphere around the UK in recent days," said Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon.

"Some of this has been rained out in early morning showers, which gives this ‘dirty’ look that some people will have noticed on their car this morning.

"The levels of Saharan dust is lower in concentration over the coming days, before moving away early next week."

So there you have it.

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/hannah.parker91

Topics: UK News, Weather, Viral, TikTok

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

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@SmithersDom

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