Jerry Feather

I would try Prep All which is available from you auto paint store. This is used by the upholstery guys to clean up glue and stuff from their work pieces. Next step up is 3M Adhesive Cleaner. I think it is a similar solvent to Prep All, but more powerful. But, I have no idea if either will work with enamel. I would try, though.

P.S. I looked on the 3M Adhesive Cleaner can and it appears that the two main ingredients in it are Xylene and Naphtha. It says that it will not harm Automotive paint that has been properly cured. I suppose this may not be available where you are.

Gary Knox

If it is actually enamel, then I believe mineral spirits is better. MEK (lacquer thinner) is OK for taking lacquer off the leather but NOT vinyl.

Ed Scherer

For the harder surfaces that can take it, I'd also recommend and a nice scraper tool. I didn't even know plastic blades existed until a couple of years ago or so, and have found many uses for the ones I got at that time. Lots of times the plastic blades are safe to use where the more common metal blades are just too risky.

SeanR

Damn.

I had a customer leave an SUV size can of Fix-A-Flat in his car and it exploded. That was a very bad week of cleaning. Cant imagine cleaning this up.

Black Sea RD

Suggest contacting a local auto paint store and ask them. They can probably help since they probably have customers who need to clean up overspray after a paint job on a customer car.

mark kibort

geez!!!!!! thats a bummer..... i wouldnt even know where to start. is this worse than a blown engine? some would say, yes! ugggg!
I hope you can get it all out without damaging the leather.

RennPartsDirect

Some of you might greatly disagree with this practice but I use standard CRC Brakleen in the red can to remove stains and paint from vinyl and leather surfaces. It is strong but it evaporates so quickly that it doesn't damage the finish or dry out the material. Just don't use generic brake cleaners. That stuff is super potent, especially the **** from Napa. That stuff melts the finish right off...

Snark Shark

My car had a lot of overspray when I bought it. I was able to just gently scrape off most of it. Auto paint doesn't really stick well to rubber and plastic bits. I used a screwdriver, but I like the plastic razor blade idea better. You can probably cut a piece off a blade to get into tight spots.

DeWolf

Might have nailed it. I sprayed some yellow VHT Caliper paint onto an old leather foot stool and let it dry in the sun for a few hours. It was 32C here today so it was dry. Then got some really old Polly-S Decal & Coating remover. Testors ELO now. Soaked a rag in it and hey presto paint started lifting off. I have sprayed more on the foot stool and will let it sit overnight and see what happens. I've taken pics so you guys will be able to see the results.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tes/tesf542143.htm

DeWolf

Seems to work

GeorgeM

Since it's a spray can vice hardened car paint, try Oil Flo Safety Solvent or Cleanup Solvent 22.

UpFixenDerPorsche

Sort of shaking my head here.

As a 10yo kid in the early 60's, I read Reader's Digest articles describing the injuries (and sometimes deaths) caused by exploding aerosol cans, inadvertently placed in innocuous everyday household situations, where these were heated to the point of explosion.

Corporations blamed the stupidity of the User. Yet day-to-day User's weren't well versed in the high school physics PV/T.

The RD eventually reported on corrective actions taken by aerosol can manufacturers. Whew. Saved by concerned fatherly action re demanding of better manufacturing standards.

And here was me thinking all this "exploding can stuff" was in the past.

Silly me.

MGW-Fla

Sorry to see this.
+1 on Constantine's advice of talking to a paint shop & I'd check with some auto upholstery shops too. Whatever drying has occurred won't be that much different in one more day. I also agree that you should test first whatever you try. Mineral spirits might work some, but I wonder if it'd take it all off & Lacquer Thinner would likely destroy any leather or vinyl unless you were a chemical magician with it & worked in small doses & fast. 3M does have a Citrus based auto glue remover, but as good as it works for that use, I doubt it take off enamel. The Polly S/Testors ELO looks like it had promising results. Maybe you could have the leather re-dyed afterwards to even out & cover over any residue.

Good Luck & keep us posted.

dr bob

Try one of the graffitti-removal products like Goo Gone. Takes off new paint OK. The CRC Brake-Clean mentioned is mostly acetone, which will quickly start lifting the color from the leather, and will damage vinyl quickly.

My worst exploding-can episode (so far) was a soda can in the console of a Saab between the seats. Besides all the exploding spray on everything, it made its way through the console-mounted ignition lock and switch, and the lock for the gear lever. And the seat rails, rugs and padding. Paint would have compounded the disaster 900 turbo times.

traxtar928

So, since we are on the topic of keeping pressurized containers in the car... is a fire extinguisher considered fine since it has a safety factor in the design? Are there any report of brand-name extinguishers exploding in cars when left in the hot sun?