Cleaning Black Trim
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Don't laugh. Kiwi black shoe polish. I've used it for years. I have a 1996 Dodge Truck and the expanse of black plastic on it looks showroom new.<P>Put it on with a cloth and buff it off like it was a pair of loafers <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"><P>
Thanks guys. A few further questions...<P>Steve - neat idea (really - not laughing!) but did you ever find the shoe polish to run - like wash off and onto the paint after it rained?<P>Drew - thanks but it doesn't look like that thread led to a real solution other than trying mineral spirits which seem a bit abrasive...have you tried mineral spirits and how did it work out?<P>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Vetteguy:<BR><B>Don't laugh. Kiwi black shoe polish. I've used it for years...</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>But on my 2.4T the "black" trim is really a dark gray. Not an issue with the black polish, I presume?<P>Maguiar's has a product called "Trim Detailer" which is also supposed to take care of the problem, but a phone order taker told me the stuff really only hides it, which I can accomplish now with their vinyl cleaner.<P>
Yea i made that mistake too, ummm i was really bored and thought instead of covering it up might as well take it off... i used one of those denture brushes and started chippen away, after bout 4 hours or so most of it was gone..... O yea, Those plastic moldings seem to be placed right were inconsiderate people will leave a few door dings, does ne one that has had those moldings painted have a problem with chipping?<BR>~spencer<P>Ps. O yea does the shoe polish run??? that sounds like a good idea..
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Calamazoo:<BR><B>Hey guys.<P>What's the best way to get the black exterior trim "black" again after you get cleaner or wax on them and they get these white marks all over?<P>Thanks.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I have used a product called "Black Magic" on the black trim on my S60. It seems to clean and restore the trim to a nice matte finish and not run when wet. The black trim on the S60 seems to take a beating and look really weathered and this product works well and seems to last for a few months. I cannot assess how well it will remove wax, but it is cheap and would be worth a try.<P>
Guys - tried Mother's Back to Black and it seems similar to the Black Magic - so far looks great and was really simple to apply.<P>Was going to paint the trim but the stuff worked so well that I am thinking to keep them black!!! Makes the trim a bit blacker (started off a bit more grey) but on my silver car, looks awesome.<P>
There are two products I use. The first is called Plexus, it is a paint and plastic polish. it will add a deep color and a nice sheen, it will also just polish up the paint so you don't have to be careful where it goes. Second Honda polish, it works the same as the Plexus...Maybe better.<BR>If all else fails use Lemon Pledge, but give it a good buffing afterwards or it can apper a bit milky....Enjoy
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Calamazoo:<BR><B>Hey guys.<P>What's the best way to get the black exterior trim "black" again after you get cleaner or wax on them and they get these white marks all over?<P>Thanks.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR>Guys,<BR>don't spend any money on any gimmicks. Here, at work, we have tried a lot of things; we spent anywhere from a couple of bucks to $20 with various results. The best (and most economical way) is to get a pretty hard paint brush (make sure it is hardened) and when you get those white streaks on those vinyl moldings, you just rub those spots pretty hard. You will notice that 80% to 90% of the white wax residue is gone, by now. Then take some kind of bumper or vinyl dressing and apply it with a rag. The best dressing we found was from STONER. Your moldings/bumpers will look as good as new, you will not spend a fortune and it only takes a couple of minutes with minimal effort!<P>Yannis<P><P>
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yannis is right about using the brush once you already have wax in the mouldings. Shoe polish is basically like a wax and all you're doing is covering over... not a bad short term solution, but you will have to reapply. When waxing your car, try WURTH Rubber Care. Dress the rubber BEFORE you wax the car... I know this sounds backwards, but it seals the rubber so the wax can't adhere in the "grain" of the trim pieces. No silicone formula means that it doesn't streak up in the rain either. Good Stuff.
Autoglym make a trim cleaner - it's a green gel that can be either brushed on (in awkward areas) or applied with a cloth. Seems to be the only thing that will cover up Autoglym polish stains...funny, that!<P>Graeme<BR>S60 Register Keeper<BR>Volvo Owners Club (UK)
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I recently got Mother's Ultimate 3 phase system cleaner, sealant,and wax on the black trim on my S60. Mother's Back to Black used on its own will only hide the wax for as long as the car stays out of the rain or water. Promptly after a thunderstorm my wax streaks had come back with a vengence. My second attempt was to cut down a toothbrush, dip it in mineral spirits, and brush out the white residue. Two or three goes did it, and it is useful to have a mineral spirit-soaked rag to wipe away the wax as you brush it out. Otherwise you may just spread the wax up and down the length of your trim. After the mineral spirits dried and the trim appeared nearly black, I applied Mother's Back to Black dressing to darken things up. Finally I put Mother's Preserve dressing on to seal the plastic and help release any future smears of wax.<BR>
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