Every year the Department of Transportation conducts road painting
operations starting in mid April and continues operations into the fall,
sometimes as late as the end of November.
Motorists are advised to heed the warnings and follow the instructions
on the Department’s road painting vehicles. Motorists are also
urged to watch out for safety cones and other markers indicating fresh
or wet paint and are warned specifically to stay off any wet yellow
or white painted road lines that might be encountered.
When possible, motorists should take alternative routes to avoid painting
operations and are encouraged to visit the Department of Transportation's
website at www.511maine.com where
additional information may be found regarding the location of road painting
operations.
The Department of Transportation generally uses environmentally friendly
waterborne paint. The Department recommends that you take prompt action
if you accidentally get road paint on your vehicle. The following instructions
for removing road paint are suggested.
PROCEDURES FOR REMOVING ROAD PAINT FROM CARS
- As soon as possible after getting road stripe paint on any vehicle
wash the vehicle at a pressure car wash. Doing this should loosen
and remove most of the paint unless it has dried for more than a day.
- If the pressure car wash does not remove the road stripe paint,
allow the water to dry and then spray the residue with WD-40 and allow
the WD-40 to stay on the area for 1-2 hours and then rewash the vehicle.
The WD-40 usually softens the road striping
paint without hurting the vehicle finish. If there is a heavy concentration
of paint the procedure can be repeated.
- For paint that has dried for several days or very heavy accumulations,
apply a generous coating of petroleum jelly (vaseline) to the dried
road striping paint. Allow it to stay on for 8 to 12 hours to soften
the paint and then take the vehicle to a pressure car wash and wash
it. This should remove most of the road striping paint. If necessary,
repeat the procedure.
DO NOT SCRUB THE FINISH WITH A SOLVENT OR SCOURING CLEANSER!!!!
THIS WILL DAMAGE THE FINISH.
- After cleaning the road striping paint away apply a good coat of
car wax to the vehicle’s finish. The wax should remove any lasting
signs of the road striping paint.
- Paint removal from wheel wells can be very difficult because they
are normally a flat finish. Apply a liberal coating of vaseline to
the area and leave it on for several days and then pressure wash.
- Applying an alcohol like rubbing alcohol to the area in the wheel
well may also help soften and remove any residue left after the vaseline
procedure is completed. Again DO NOT SCRUB! Just apply with a very
wetted rag or sponge. Remember that alcohol is flammable so please
be careful.
The Department of Transportation provides this information as a courtesy
only and does not accept any responsibility for its use.
Please understand that the Department of Transportation does not accept
responsibility for any damage that results from driving on wet paint.
The Department of Transportation thanks you in advance for your patience
and understanding and apologizes for any inconvenience road painting
work may cause. Please remember to drive safely.
