Cleaning lower, exterior plastic trim?

[chrisofpa]

Armor All doesn't last long but better than nothing. If you don't mind spraying and wiping down all the black plastic with it after every couple washes it's fine. Yes, those are the wipes I used. You have to clean it with strong detergent first and make sure it's completely dry. Then it takes a while to get it on nice and even everywhere but once done you can forget about it for at least 2 years afterward. FWIW - one guy on the Promaster van forum said his still looked 'almost' new after 5 years.

That is worth the effort for the labor it would save overall, by "Strong Detergent" you mean something stronger than say the car soap concentrate I use in my pressure washer and Dawn Dish Soap?

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[h1k3rb]

That is worth the effort for the labor it would save overall, by "Strong Detergent" you mean something stronger than say the car soap concentrate I use in my pressure washer and Dawn Dish Soap?

I washed all the plastic down with Dawn dish soap, super rinsed, then let it dry fully. Afterward the Cerakote application went very well.

 

[Letsride]

After washing. I rub down all black parts with Black Magic Tire Wet. Makes parts look like new.

 

[chrisofpa]

I washed all the plastic down with Dawn dish soap, super rinsed, then let it dry fully. Afterward the Cerakote application went very well.

That doesn’t sound too bad, these plastic surfaces aren’t too vast. I might be doing this in the near future, thanks for breaking down the application process!

 

[chrisofpa]

After washing. I rub down all black parts with Black Magic Tire Wet. Makes parts look like new.

How do you like that product? Years ago I got a tire wet product, the name escapes me now, and it actually shot greasy black particulates onto my paint around the wheel well. After that I avoided those products.

 

[CurtisB]

So I finally managed to get my Mabett mud flaps on, they're really nice, however before I managed to do that I got the plastic trim behind my wheels stained from road debris, thanks to Pen-Dot having to resurface roads/place grave during the busiest times of the year... Anyway, I cleaned the area with a shammy cloth, soap and water, it removed most of the stains but I can still see some of it on the plastic. I was wondering if anyone has a technique or product that can deal with this to save me a trip to a detailer? See photo below, thanks.

Cerakote Black Trim Restorer.

CERAKOTE
Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer - Ceramic Coating Guaranteed Restoration to Last Over 200 Washes – A Ceramic Coating, Not a Dressing
4.54.5 out of 5 stars
(22.8K)
10K+ bought in past month
Price, product page$16.88

 

[chrisofpa]

Cerakote Black Trim Restorer.

CERAKOTE
Ceramic Trim Coat Kit - Quick Plastic Trim Restorer - Ceramic Coating Guaranteed Restoration to Last Over 200 Washes – A Ceramic Coating, Not a Dressing
4.54.5 out of 5 stars
(22.8K)
10K+ bought in past month
Price, product page$16.88

Thanks for posting the link, I have it in my Amazon Wishlist!

 

[Toddman45]

Meguiars car wash soap and water with a wash mit has always worked for me.

 

[chrisofpa]

Meguiars car wash soap and water with a wash mit has always worked for me.

That is quite effective, I use a concentrated pressure washer soap that I apply after wetting the surface and then clean the plastic parts with a cloth, then I rinse.

 

[Letsride]

How do you like that product? Years ago I got a tire wet product, the name escapes me now, and it actually shot greasy black particulates onto my paint around the wheel well. After that I avoided those products.
[/QUOT

If you get it on paint or glass, wipe off with dry rag. Product is clear and consistency of mineral oil. Used it on my previous truck for ten yrs, no issues. Never used it on tires

 

[rtphokie]

I like either Mothers Back to Black or Meguiars Black Plastic Restorer. A little goes a long way there if you are doing it fairly regularly. Know that these both have a little black tint in them so dont use them on anything but black plastic.

Ask a pro detailer and they're probably going to mention Solution Finish. It's great but it's also 2-3 times as expensive as the above. It was my choice when my wife's RAV4 came back from the body shop with new trim that didn't match the 4 year old trim. Solution Finish on all the trim made them all look brand new.

I'd steer clear of ArmorAll especially the hasn't-changed-in-50-years multipurpose cleaner. It leaves a greasy finish that attracts dirt, especially on exterior trim. I tried their Outlast black trim restorer on a minivan I used to own and it lasted two days before going right back to chalky grey. Mothers looked jet black for 2 months at half the price.

I like Harbor Freight for these products. Their prices are competitive with Amazon and the selection is much better than all. the auto stores. This is where a lot of detailers shop.

 

[rtphokie]

I use a Heavy Duty Magic Eraser to clean the lower plastics. Dry thoroughly, then I coat everything with Griot's 3-in-1 Ceramic Spray Wax.

This is a good use of Magic Eraser. A wet Magic Eraser, used gently, is excellent for removing wax or grease before sealing again as suggested above.

But I wouldn't use it for any other purpose.

The formaldehyde isn't the problem, it's the sponge itself. When dry, that sponge is about as abrasive as 500 grit sandpaper. Even wet, scrub too hard and you'll see it forever.

 

[Toddman45]

That is quite effective, I use a concentrated pressure washer soap that I apply after wetting the surface and then clean the plastic parts with a cloth, then I rinse.

The only time I break out my pressure washer for any vehicle is if I went through a shit ton of mud or during the winter to get all the salt off the undercarriage.

 

[rtphokie]

The only time I break out my pressure washer for any vehicle is if I went through a shit ton of mud or during the winter to get all the salt off the undercarriage.

I clean the bed with a powerwasher pretty frequently. The spray-in bedliner looks like the day it was installed as a result. I hit the wheel wells with the pressure washer as needed.

 

[Toddman45]

I clean the bed with a powerwasher pretty frequently. The spray-in bedliner looks like the day it was installed as a result. I hit the wheel wells with the pressure washer as needed.

Yeah my OCD don't allow for that I've got one mit for the rims and tires another one for the wheel wells and lower plastic, then two more for the paint and windows.

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