Recommendations on getting fingerprints off?

[getsometom]

I washed the truck for the first time today. First a foam cannon, then rinse, dry, repeated BKF, Windex. But the fingerprints refuse to go away. I also tried denatured alcohol with no effect. It’s driving me batty.

Does anyone have other recommendations? The truck was delivered this way but I didn’t think it would be this difficult to remove or else I would have said something at delivery.

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[cyber_danko]

Get it wrapped. You can remove them. It’s a full time job.

 

[getsometom]

Even if I was to wrap it, I’d still like to remove the finger prints before wrapping

 

[Texarado]

How many times have you done BKF spray and windex?

 

[getsometom]

Somewhere around 5-6ish

 

[InTheShadows]

I have had luck so far with the orange rainx windshield washer fluid. It’s slightly base and alcohol is its base. Spray it on and wipe it with a microfiber towel. Then follow sit up with a dry microfiber towel. Water also beads like it’s freshly waxed too. The ONR I got wasn’t nearly as good.

 

[ideaXfactory]

I don't use BKF or windex. I wonder why those fingerprints still show?

Ok, actually I would soap it down good with dilute Dawn detergent (soapy water) using a cotton rag. Rinse, buff dry, then spray it with Citrisurf, let it sit 15-20 minutes, but keep it wet with a spay bottle of plain water. Rinse it about three times (really good). No windex. Buff dry with a microfiber or cotton towel.

All spots should then be gone, and the stainless should look new...

 

[HaulingAss]

I washed the truck for the first time today. First a foam cannon, then rinse, dry, repeated BKF, Windex. But the fingerprints refuse to go away. I also tried denatured alcohol with no effect. It’s driving me batty.

Does anyone have other recommendations? The truck was delivered this way but I didn’t think it would be this difficult to remove or else I would have said something at delivery.

I haven't had a problem with persistent fingerprints. Any fingerprints seem to go away when I wash with warm soapy water and a truck brush, followed by a rinse and a dry with a microfiber towel. But I don't understand the hand prints in your photo. It looks like they were done on purpose, given their odd upside down placement, maybe with something else on the hand than normal body oils. It looks like whatever it was cuts through the natural oxidizing that forms on the surface of the stainless steel.

I'm not sure what the purpose is of a foam cannon on a truck with Hard Frickin' Steel, just use a bucket of warm soapy water and a brush with an extendable handle. Mine looks like this one:

After this easy care regimen, I noticed the fingerprints don't show up as easily as they did right after I took delivery. I've been on a lot of wet sloppy dirt roads over the last 3 weeks and have washed it twice and hosed it off four times. I was just noticing today how, after I drove an hour through the rain, a bunch of the mud splashes were still there, but they are hard to see, and the overall impression looks better than when it's polished perfectly clean. The shine of the metal shows right through the road grime and you can hardly tell it's dirty. I can't see any obvious finger prints either. The metal just glows. I'll try to post some photos tomorrow to illustrate what I'm talking about.

 

[getsometom]

I haven't had a problem with persistent fingerprints. Any fingerprints seem to go away when I wash with warm soapy water and a truck brush, followed by a rinse and a dry with a microfiber towel. But I don't understand the hand prints in your photo. It looks like they were done on purpose, given their odd upside down placement, maybe with something else on the hand than normal body oils. It looks like whatever it was cuts through the natural oxidizing that forms on the surface of the stainless steel.

I'm not sure what the purpose is of a foam cannon on a truck with Hard Frickin' Steel, just use a bucket of warm soapy water and a brush with an extendable handle. Mine looks like this one:

After this easy care regimen, I noticed the fingerprints don't show up as easily as they did right after I took delivery. I've been on a lot of wet sloppy dirt roads over the last 3 weeks and have washed it twice and hosed it off four times. I was just noticing today how, after I drove an hour through the rain, a bunch of the mud splashes were still there, but they are hard to see, and the overall impression looks better than when it's polished perfectly clean. The shine of the metal shows right through the road grime and you can hardly tell it's dirty. I can't see any obvious finger prints either. The metal just glows. I'll try to post some photos tomorrow to illustrate what I'm talking about.

I don’t understand why or how the finger prints are on the hood either.

I prefer a foam cannon so I don’t have to apply any pressure to the body when it is applied. (Probably not necessary) The foam sits there for a bit before I rinse it off then go over it again with a sponge with soap for the spots that didn’t naturally come off with the foam cannon.

 

[Texarado]

Somewhere around 5-6ish

Maybe try letting BKF sit on it for 30 minutes or so and then try to wipe off with windex or other cleaner. Heads up though this will require two doses of BKF. The first one will probably leave what appears to be stains when you wipe off after 30 or so minutes. Then follow with a second coating of bkf and immediately wash off with windex/cleaner.

 

[edc]

The winner is a black soft polish pad, buffer, and some polish. I used the meguairras ultimate polish. Works great! First try the BK FOAM cleanser but if that doesn't work like it didn't for me with etched in water spots, the polish did a great job.

 

[DRKTruck]

I haven't had a problem with persistent fingerprints. Any fingerprints seem to go away when I wash with warm soapy water and a truck brush, followed by a rinse and a dry with a microfiber towel. But I don't understand the hand prints in your photo. It looks like they were done on purpose, given their odd upside down placement, maybe with something else on the hand than normal body oils. It looks like whatever it was cuts through the natural oxidizing that forms on the surface of the stainless steel.

I'm not sure what the purpose is of a foam cannon on a truck with Hard Frickin' Steel, just use a bucket of warm soapy water and a brush with an extendable handle. Mine looks like this one:

After this easy care regimen, I noticed the fingerprints don't show up as easily as they did right after I took delivery. I've been on a lot of wet sloppy dirt roads over the last 3 weeks and have washed it twice and hosed it off four times. I was just noticing today how, after I drove an hour through the rain, a bunch of the mud splashes were still there, but they are hard to see, and the overall impression looks better than when it's polished perfectly clean. The shine of the metal shows right through the road grime and you can hardly tell it's dirty. I can't see any obvious finger prints either. The metal just glows. I'll try to post some photos tomorrow to illustrate what I'm talking about.

Please provide more info on your truck brush. What brand, etc. looks like you found the sweet spot

 

[CyberGus]

I washed the truck for the first time today. First a foam cannon, then rinse, dry, repeated BKF, Windex. But the fingerprints refuse to go away. I also tried denatured alcohol with no effect. It’s driving me batty.

Does anyone have other recommendations? The truck was delivered this way but I didn’t think it would be this difficult to remove or else I would have said something at delivery.

What most call "fingerprints" are just oily residue. What you have there is... something else. I'm guessing someone (maybe the shipper?) with contaminants on their hands touched the steel and left it, causing a surface reaction.

BKF (at al) and the ScotchBrite blue pad should work, but it might take repeated applications. You don't want to bear down with the scrub pad so as to avoid scratches.

Don't think of it as "removing the marks" as much as "finishing the panel for an even appearance".

 

[agordon117]

Those look like the fingerprints I have on the edges of my doors. They were clearly there before I got the truck (I have pictures of them from before delivery, I assumed they'd come off with BKF). Nothing I've tried has gotten them off, short of sanding the door.

The sign that you have the same issue is that the fingerprints are lighter than the surrounding metal. Normal fingerprints are darker than the surrounding metal and come off with glass cleaner.

 

[getsometom]

What most call "fingerprints" are just oily residue. What you have there is... something else. I'm guessing someone (maybe the shipper?) with contaminants on their hands touched the steel and left it, causing a surface reaction.

BKF (at al) and the ScotchBrite blue pad should work, but it might take repeated applications. You don't want to bear down with the scrub pad so as to avoid scratches.

Don't think of it as "removing the marks" as much as "finishing the panel for an even appearance".

Since this is not something I can correct myself easily, my assumption is Tesla service will need to do the correction especially since it was delivered like this. I will add this to my upcoming request.

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