# cleaning plastic body trim/pieces



## FadedKM83 (Jan 27, 2003)

first off... i couldnt find anything really when i did a search...

does anybody have any tips or tricks when cleaning the plastic trim pieces on our cars? (for example, the center piece between the tail lights on the sentra/200sx. the plactice trim around the windows, the grill, etc)

im not really sure how i should go about cleaning/polishing such parts. im worried that if i use the wrong chemicals, they will become discolored quicker. i know soap and water works, but im talking about what i can use to really shine em up...

today i used armor all on the window trim, but when i got some on the rear view mirrors, it left an ugly dark oil streak i cant seem to remove.

what do you guys use? what works? what have you had bad experiences with? any help would be great... 
thanks,


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## Punkrocka436 (Jul 8, 2003)

meguiars makes a product, i dont know what its called though, sorry i couldnt be more help


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## BFinlay (Apr 20, 2003)

its meguiars gold class trim detailer. its great stuff. i use it on my fenderflares and tire cover. works great.


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish might be what you're looking for. I haven't used this product before but I would be interested in trying it. *Meguiar's Hot Rims /Cool Care All Wheel Cleaner* or their *Gold Class Bug & Tar Remover* would probably work as well if you're just looking to clean the plastic and they are both clear coat safe.

Since you mentioned you want to detail your trim pieces like the around the window, either inside or out, I'm going to suggest a few products. Personally I use *Turtle Wax Vinyl and Plastic Protector* for shining up both interior and exterior trim pieces. I only use this product because it was free in a wash bucket kit I bought for $10($30 value) just so I could get the Meguiar's Soft Wash Gel but besides that it included an Eagle One Wet Tire Shine mini spray bottle with 2 applicator sponges(love those ), Amour All wax, Dura Lube air freshener and a few other odds and ends not to mention the bucket itself which is great because now I have two the same; one for the soap and the other for rinsing the sheepskin wash mitt.  

I find the *Turtle Wax* protectant leaves a nice even finish with out being greasy. I also use it to detail my engine and find it fairly long-wearing. I love how it restored the look and shine of my interior plastic panels and console, especially on anything that is black, not to mention the clean, _new product_ scent. I've also used *Meguiar's Natural Shine Vinyl & Rubber Protectant* but on a friends car and I liked this product even more so. It appeared to be thicker and provided a more rich, longer lasting finish but again with a non-greasy feel.
I love the results I get from the other Meguiar's products I use, not to mention the price, so I'm going to suggest their *Gold Class Vinyl/Rubber Protectant* and *Gold Class Trim Detailer*(similar to Mother's Back-to-Black). 

For cleaning and protecting your dash the last thing you want to use is a spray or wipe that leaves a high gloss because you will get a reflection in the windshield which can be distracting. For that I use *Black Magic's Semi-Gloss Dashboard Protectant*. It is also a cleaner with an anti-static formula to keep dust to a minimum. Like it says on the bottle, it doesn't leave an oily residue either and has a nice citrus smell, which I enjoy.

I personally do not like products like Amour All interior protectants as they seem to have a strong chemical scent and I wasn't impressed with the finish it left. Also, I've read some users of this product saying it cracked their dash yet they never had any problems before application. Quote from one Epinion.com user:

_"...it contains harmful dimethyl silicone oils and petroleum distillates. In other words, rather than restoring materials back to original condition, the "cleaners" (petroleum distillates) will remove the protective coating, and let the "protectant" (harmful dimenthyl silicone oils) add greasy residue."_

Well, I listed what I think would be good for you to use mainly because I use some of those products myself with great results!


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## FadedKM83 (Jan 27, 2003)

thanks guys, and thanks 95sentrab13 for what has to be the most thorough and informative answer i have EVER gotten to one of my questions on NF.

i hope i havent alreadt fucked up my trim with that armorall.. i use it honestly about once a week on my interior. i was pretty proud today because i spent extra time getting the shit out from between the little cracks here and there... and the interior looks brand new (minus a few small scratchs here and there)
nothing feels better then driving a car with a clean interior.

im headed to pep-boys tomorrow to buy some of the meguiar's stuff. 

thanks again guys


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## Exalta (Jan 21, 2003)

I have a trick when restoring interior pieces....done this on several cars i've worked on ranging from a W123 200D Benz to my Sentra

1. Mix joy or mild detergent with water in a small pail or bucket.
2. Dip an old toothbrush on the mixture and use it to scrub the interior panels.Make sure it foams.
3.Using a rag,wipe off the foam/moisture before it drips
4.Dry off all areas completely.
5.Apply Armor-All.It will shine better than just plain armor all cleaning only.

Hope this helps


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## UofLsentra (May 25, 2003)

They gave you great advice.... just DON'T use Armor all on your mirrors or door. DON'T!!!! It might look nice for a while, but kills it later on.


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## Slayer2003 (Jun 4, 2003)

^ for the mirrors, every few months i use this stuf called Back to Black....i think it a Mothers product, but dont quote me on that. works great though. i also use it on the black doorhandles, just dont get it on the paint, looks like grease er something...


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