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HowSomethingYouSprayOnYourKidsCanMeltYourCar’sPaintIt’searlyevening:You’reworkinginthegarageandswarmsoftinybugsarefeastinguponyourflesh.Yougrabthebugspray,coatyourentirebody,andcacklesomethinglike,“Comeandgetmenow!”Onlywhenyouwakeupinthemorning,you’renolongerlaughing:Thecar’spaintworkisdestroyed—thebugsprayeffectivelymeltedtheclearcoat.HowdoIknowthis?Ithappenedjusttheotherdaytomyneighbor,MoAlmalag,aprofessoratIndianaUniversity.Andafterhearinghisstory,IwentontotheInternetanddiscoveredlotsofunluckypeoplepostingaboutthesameissue.ApparentlytheDEETusedinbugsprayisknowntomeltcarpaint.Yeah,Iknow.Bugspray.Meltspaint.Andweputitonourbodies.Letthatsinkinforaminute.AlmalagboughtthenewsilverJeepGrandCherokeeparkedinhisgarageafewmonthsback.TheincidentoccurredaftersomeoneinthefamilyappliedSCJohnson’sOFF!familycareinsectrepellanttochildrenpriortoplayingintheyard.Thisnamelesspersonorpersons(wedon’twanttostartafamilyorneighborhoodwar)didsoincloseproximityofthecar,andevidentlythesolutionwentonboththeleftrearbumperandrightsidedoors.Thenextday,thedriedrepellenthadturnedwhite,asifahooliganhadmademischiefwithacanofspraypaint.Wipingitdownremovedthewhiteresidue,butleftthecolorofthecar’spaintworkconsiderablylightened—andtheclearcoatgoneentirely,replacedbytinybumpsthatlookedliketeenageacne.Almalagtriedeverythingtoremovethemarks,includingyourtypicalcarpolishesandevenaClayBar.Thepicturebelowisasgoodasitgets—aftercountlesshoursofbuffingandwaxing—withoutacostlyrepaint.(Notethestreaks;althoughitappearsconsiderablyworseinpersonasyoucan’tseetheminutepaintbubblesandotherdefectsinthispicture.)Whatcausesthemarks?TheDEETwithintheproduct—anoilyliquidknownasdiethyltoluamidethatmosquitosandotherinspectsintenselydislike.DEEThasbeenknowntodestroythevarnishonwoodentables,meltplastics,andevenpermanentlymarkTVscreens.(OneInternetgoerclaimsbugspraywithDEETistheperfectsolutionforaquickheadlamprestoration,whichistellingtoitslevelofferocity.)AutoexpertandYouTuberwhogoesbythenameofChrisFixpostedafollowuptothisvideo,explainingwhyusingbugspraytorestoreyourheadlampsisactuallynotaclever—orlonglasting—idea.TheDEETactsasasolventandeffectivelydissolvestheplastic,andtheoilswithinthesprayfilltheporesintheheadlampcovers,temporarilyofferingclarity.Thiseffectwillsoonwearoff,however,andinthevideo,ChrisFixwarnsofthepermanenttroublethesolutioncauseswhenitgetsontothecar’spaintorplasticbumpers.“Ifawomanwantedtoremovehernailpolish,she’duseacetone,”ChrisFixtoldYahooAutos.DEETisasolventsimilartoacetone,hesaid.Butunlikeacetone,itkeepsondissolvingthematerialittouches.“It’sverydifficulttoneutralizeusingnormalhouseholdproducts—soapywaterdoesn’twork,alcoholdoesn’twork,nothingreallyworks.”Wecanseehowaccidentallyleavingthesolutiontodissolvethecar’sclearcoatovernightcancausesuchvastdamage,whichcanbecostlytorepair.“Theproblemismostplaceswontwanttojusttouchuptheclearcoatbecausetherecouldbedamagetothebasecoatorlingeringbugspraywhichwouldcauseanynewpainttobubbleup,”Chrissays.“Instead,theywouldprobablytryandsanddownandrepaintthewholepanel.”SCJohnson,thecompanythatmakesOFF!,issuesawarningonitswebsite:“Donotapplyonornear:acetate,rayon,spandexorothersynthetics(otherthannylon),furniture,plastics,watchcrystals,leatherandpaintedorvarnishedsurfacesincludingautomobiles.“Still,fewpeoplerealizethestrengthoftheproductandthedamageitcancause—Imean,wesprayitontoourskin.Andontoourchildren.Howbadcanitbe?TheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesstatethatthesideeffectsforusingDEETonourselvesremainsminimal,providingyoudon’tinhaleorgetthesolutioninyoureyes;rashes,blistersandotherskinirritationsarethemostcommonissues.(Itdoes,however,suggestpeoplewashtheirskinthroughlywithsoapandwaterimmediatelyuponreturningindoors.)AnSCJohnsonspokespersontoldYahooAutos,DEETisregulatedbytheEPAandcanbeusedwithconfidencewhenusedinaccordancewiththelabel.Thecompanycontinued,statingavoidingmosquitoesisthebestwaytocombatWestNilevirus,pointingtotheCenterforDiseaseControlandPrevention'srecommendationtouserepellantscontainingDEET.Photoofthe“chickenpox”effectbugspraycancause,viaMDivisionTherearenumerouscasesonlinewherepeoplehaveinadvertentlywreckedtheirvehiclesfightingmosquitos:OneE39BMWownersprayedhimselfinbugsprayandthenextdayfoundalargeportionofhispaintruined,requiringittobecompletelyrefinished.Thatownerdescribedthemarksasbeinglike“chickenpox.”“Theactualpainthasbubbledupandtheclearcoathasbeendestroyed!”theownersaidonline.“Ispenthoursbuffing,waxing,claybar—didn’tdodamthing!!!”ThesamefatebefellaHarleyDavidsonowner,wherethespraydissolvedthepaintonhiscruiser’stank.Thenthere’sthisguywhoventedhisfrustrationonlinehavingbeenworkingonhistruck,sprayedhimselfwithbugspray,andsoonafterfoundhismotorbikecoveredinirreparable“littlebumps.”InthecaseoftheJeep,theOFF!bugspraycontainedjust15percentDEET,whichisonthelowerend.Manycontainaround30percent,andsomehardyoutdoorsmenevenuse98percentDEET,althoughresearchsuggeststhatisoverkill.Sodon’tassumethatbecauseyourbugsprayislowonDEETyouwon’tfacethissameissue.WereachedouttoVertellus,themakersofDEET,regardingwhetheri