Be Careful With Stoner Interior Trim Cleaner!!!

M

Matt M PA

New member
My experience with Stoner's spray can products has not been postive. With the exception of the Interior Trim Cleaner and Glass Cleaner...all the rest went to the trash.



While working on my Cobra yesterday, I noticed a shiny place on the door panel where you would grab to pull the door closed. I reasoned that it was general dirt from using the door. I applied some of the TRim Cleaner to a cloth and wiped. After a couple gentle passes, I noticed that it was removing the paint from the plastic. (Ford molds this part in black and then paints it to match.)

I suppose that you can't get any cleaner than that.



I had a similar problem in another car that had an interior part that seemed to be molded in color...but wasn't. And, sometimes it's hard to tell what is molded in color.



Just a friendly warning to others. For me, I am done with anything Stoner makes. At least in spray can formats..their products have been very caustic.
 
Yeah, I'll agree, if not greasy, caustic or only partially effective. I was never fully satisfied with them either. YMMV of course.
 
I had the same problem with my glove box door in my F150. Started wiping it down and noticed black on the towel. I was like wow..this thing is really dirty.



Next thing I know the paint is coming right off of it. I can't remember what product I was using but I am very careful on what chemicals I place on my vinyl now.
 
I have never used Stoner's Trim Cleaner, but I am a big fan of their More Shine Less Time for exterior vinyl, rubber, and plastic trim.



Thanks for the heads-up with the Trim Cleaner, but this doesn't automatically make the rest of their lineup bad.
 
pats300zx...I first had an issue with a vinyl cleaner when it wiped off the lettering around the window switches of my former '94 Bronco.



chml17l...glad you are happy with the MSLT.



FWIW, I tossed that in the can too when I found out about the silicone content....in my book a "no-no" for rubber and vinyl. Interestingly, their "real" detailers products that come in bulk do not contain the silicones.



From my experience, I have found thier line to be very harsh chemicals that are more suited for detailers and dealers to get done quickly without regard to future potential issues.
 
Matt M said:


FWIW, I tossed that in the can too when I found out about the silicone content....in my book a "no-no" for rubber and vinyl. Interestingly, their "real" detailers products that come in bulk do not contain the silicones.
Click to expand...



I did the same. The detailer products come in 1 and 5 gallon sizes I believe. Is there/which dressing is the one without dimethyl silicone?
 
Matt M said:
chml17l...glad you are happy with the MSLT.



FWIW, I tossed that in the can too when I found out about the silicone content....in my book a "no-no" for rubber and vinyl. Interestingly, their "real" detailers products that come in bulk do not contain the silicones.



From my experience, I have found thier line to be very harsh chemicals that are more suited for detailers and dealers to get done quickly without regard to future potential issues.
Click to expand...



Not trying to start a :argue , but silicones are not universally bad. Body shops need silicone-free products mainly because they can cause fish-eye defects if not totally removed before a repaint. That is where most people equate silicone=bad.



Silicones are regularly used in waxes, qd's, and other detailing products more than you might think. In general they tend to increase gloss, waterbeading, and slickness.



See the attached link for an indepth discussion on silicone use in car care products.http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=42



Stoner's does have a water based version of MSLT that does not use a solvent carrier. I haven't tried the water based version, but I have used the MSLT on exterior trim (grills, plastic molding, bumpers) on two Audi's for 3+ years without any signs of a problem.



My A4 has a large grey plastic body strip around the rocker panels that includes the bumpers. I spent a great deal of time trying to maintain this prior to using the MSLT. It can be sprayed on quite precisely and any overspray is easily wiped away. If you prefer a matte finish, as I do, a quick wipe is all that is needed. IMO MSLT isn't greasy even when sprayed on a black plastic grill with no wiping after it dries.



Just trying to share a good product/experience with the Stoner's MSLT because it really does work for me and as a bonus it also saves me time.
 
I like some Stoner's products a lot, but I'm not gonna deny that they're pretty strong stuff. They're aimed at a market that sees filthy cars on a daily basis. For the perfectionist, I'd try Woolite and water.
 
chml17l, I have read that article. That is an article that is regularly referred to about silicones. With all due respect to yourself and the author…it was written by a Meguiars’ employee. Many, if not most of their products contain silicones…would you expect them to write anything else? I first started using Stoner many years ago when they were giving away free cans at Carlisle events here in PA. I believe that the tires on my then vehicle dry-rotted (for want of a better term) because of this product. I had never had that problem before, even on my car trailer that sits for weeks without being moved. (Having tires in use is beneficial to them.)



My experience with the Stoner “consumer� line has been that they are very strong and I no longer use them. After reviewing the Ardex line, I’d say the same about it as well.



BillD…I don’t know which is which in Stoner’s “proâ€� line. When I contacted them years ago about ingredients and the like, they basically told me that “all products like these have siliconesâ€�. It was on this forum that I found out about Stoner's pro line being silicone free, There are other good products to use so I did not chase Stoner for info.



There is excellent info at the link below about plastic/vinyl/rubber.



http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=33





Hope this helps.
 
chml17l said:
Not trying to start a :argue , but silicones are not universally bad. Body shops need silicone-free products mainly because they can cause fish-eye defects if not totally removed before a repaint. That is where most people equate silicone=bad.



Silicones are regularly used in waxes, qd's, and other detailing products more than you might think. In general they tend to increase gloss, waterbeading, and slickness.



See the attached link for an indepth discussion on silicone use in car care products.http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=42



Stoner's does have a water based version of MSLT that does not use a solvent carrier. I haven't tried the water based version, but I have used the MSLT on exterior trim (grills, plastic molding, bumpers) on two Audi's for 3+ years without any signs of a problem.



My A4 has a large grey plastic body strip around the rocker panels that includes the bumpers. I spent a great deal of time trying to maintain this prior to using the MSLT. It can be sprayed on quite precisely and any overspray is easily wiped away. If you prefer a matte finish, as I do, a quick wipe is all that is needed. IMO MSLT isn't greasy even when sprayed on a black plastic grill with no wiping after it dries.



Just trying to share a good product/experience with the Stoner's MSLT because it really does work for me and as a bonus it also saves me time.
Click to expand...



Yep silicones in the case of polishes is just fine. It's the dimethyl silicone in dressings that concerns folks, used on rubber surfaces in particular.



I just apply AIO +SG, whatever other other sealant on my gray plastic body strips. I don't have to worry about it, may reapply as often as like the rest of the car or when the rest of the car needs a full reapplication.





Matt,



303 is my dressing of choice on vinyl and rubber :up
 
I use their Tarminator with awesome results. I like their glass cleaner too.



For vinyl cleaning, I have had successful results with Meguiar's #39. Also, diluting an APC to the proper ratio works well too when used according to the instructions. I like EFHI for this from CMA.



My dressing of choice is Meguiar's #40 and 303 when I want a matte finish.



For tires, I have great results with Armor All which is water based. Cheap (huge sale at Costco the other month), plentiful, long lasting, easy to adjust the sheen with an old rag.



Like BillD, for exterior trim, I use AIO with awesome results. I follow up with a wax when I wax once a month. For exterior rubber trim, I like Meguiar's #38.
 
Thanks for the heads up Matt. I recently acquired a full bottle of trim cleaner but never really thought much of it. I can pretty much just use Woolite and water for most of my interior. I think after reading this I'll just chuck my can in the trash. I don't need my paint peeling off and I take your word since I also own a Cobra.



Maybe we can blame Stoners, or maybe Ford for poor quality. But I have never had paint come off from Woolite!
 
Im glad to see that Im not alone in this. I have thrown several Stoners products away because of performance issues. Ive read a lot of praise for their glass cleaner but Ive found it to be very mediocre as well. In general, I havent found aerosols to be a very good way to use any detailing products.
 
Yeah, I have to second that about the glass cleaner, Invisible Glass. For an aerosol glass cleaner, ( I don't use just them exclusively) I find Zep is a bit better. However, if you're not in the position to religiously keep on top of glass, cleaning can still be a frustrating task. You might have to use an aerosol followed by IPA:water if the new Meguiars NXT glass cleaner alone doesn't do it altogether.
 
I have no doubt that Matt M, PA believes silicones in the Stoner's Trim Shine/MSLT caused his tires to dry rot. If I used Stoner's exclusively and my tires dry rotted, I would probably have come to the same conclusion. Also, please understand that I am not trying to dispute any facts he has conveyed about his personal experiences with the Stoner's products. But, I cannot find any other posts regarding silicone tire dressings that have been suspected to cause dry rot on Autopia.



As a chemist, I am concerned when a particular chemical is "demonized" by the public due to a lack of understanding. Dimethly silicone is used in a wide range of chemical applications. Other uses include damping fluids, lubricants, and heat transfer fluids. It is chemically inert to most materials, stable at high and low temperatures, has a high oxidation resistance, and provides excellent lubricity.



Attached is a link to a great post by DetailKing quoting an article by DavidB on tires/rubber and the pro/cons of silicone vs. water-based dressings.

http://autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17923&perpage=12&highlight=dry rot&pagenumber=1

I tried to locate David's original article, but I was unsuccessful. I pretty much agree with everything stated in the quote.



My exceptions with the article are:

I know that UV protection can be added to a silicone-based dressing. It is mostly a matter of cost on the manufacturers part and not because of some deficiency in choosing to use silicone.

I agree that overexposure to petroleum distillates can be harmful to rubber, but if you use mineral spirits or some other low boiling solvent the contact time with the rubber is minimal and IMO would not cause any long term damage. Petroleum distillates are generally used as carrier agents for the active ingredients and the silicone when the dressing is sprayed from a pressurized can. The solvent evaporates and leaves the protective agents and silicone behind.



I agree the consensus here is to prefer water-based protectants like 303 over solvent-based protectants that contain silicone. I too like and use 303 for certain applications.



Water-based protectants definitely have a durability trade off when compared to solvent-based silicone protectants. Solvent-based protectants (like MSLT) can provide an ease of use aspect in that it is applied from a pressurized can with minimal overspray and doesn't require wiping. Regarding solvent-based silicone vs. water-based tire protectants, you will probably end up replacing your tires long before any damage might be done to the tire. If you are still concerned about possible damage to rubber, stick with the water-based protectant.



It all comes down to really being more of a personal preference. Both have their advantages and it shouldn't be turned into a silicone "BAD" water-based "GOOD" argument.:wavey
 
chml17l...excellent response. I understand your side...and that's what makes a forum like this work. It's refreshing to have a conversation rather than the chatroom "this stinks"-"this rules" arguements.



That said, my post certainly took a twist. It was intended as a warning to those that my use the earlier mentioned product and have an issue like I have. This is the second time it has happened to me.
 
Hey guys, the tire dressing saga is always an interesting one. Let me just start a new thread on them....
 
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