Ash from fires could damage paint on vehicles

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) Those holding off on washing ash from wildfires off your car might be in for an unpleasant change to their paint job.

Car experts tell KION that ash, if left sitting for 48 hours, can cake into the paint. At that point, washing it off, even with a professional wash job, can leave the car looking spotty.

"It doesn't matter how much you wash it or how much you scrub it, even if you pay $500 for a clay bar. That's the only way you can get it off," said Gentil Sena, the Sales Director at Premier Chevrolet Hyundai of Seaside.

Rain does not necessarily help either. Experts tell us rain can make the damage worse, but did recommend getting a detail.