How do you guys clean windshield wiper gutters?

SuperBee364

SuperBee364

New member
At least, that's what I call em. Not sure what they are *really* called, but they're the plastic trim pieces that go around the base of the windshield wipers, at the attach points. Most of the time, they have little cutouts all the way along the base of the windshield. I have the worst time cleaning those. Some of it is self induced... I don't mask off the windshield with tape and paper before polishing, so the wiper gutters always suffer from Menzerna dust and the UF sling. Even without the additional stuff I'm responsible for, they would still need to be cleaned anyway.



Anyway, pointers would be great. I'm spending way too much time on them lately. I've been using Q-tips with a glaze. There's gotta be a better way...
 
Other than keeping really nasty stuff off of 'em in the first place ;) (and I can't talk..you oughta see the M3 :o )....my biggest gripe with swabs is that many have weak sticks so you can't bear down on 'em much. The Griot's "double ended" swabs at least have plastic sticks.



Or, I'll wrap some narrow tool with MF and use that. Often AIO works well, but when it doesn't I usually reach for AutoGlym Bumper Care, which is a dressing that contains mildly abrasive (don't read too much into that) cleaning agents...sorta like a facial scrub. Sometimes I'll work the Bumper Care with a small brush to really get it into the plastic's texture.



When AIO *does* work, I then apply KSG. And yeah, it can take a while and it's not exactly fun.
 
Usually I just apply some PB's Trim Restorer with a cotton terry towel.



I'm pretty sure I know what you're referring to but do you have a picture to show what you're talking about anyway?
 
I'll go snap a couple. But it'll be a while, cause I gotta clean em first. No way I'm gonna post a picture of a dirty windshield wiper gutter. Not here, at least. ;)



Edit: Thanks for the tips, Accumulator, looks like I'll be putting another product on the order list. It does get aggravating having the swab sticks breaking all the time.



I've tried using a flat blade screwdriver wrapped in an MF, but I'm concerned that the screwdriver will go through the MF... and that couldn't be good.



Just now I tried using a tire swipe, and it worked ok. Not great, though. The foam is too soft to really do more than just apply a dressing; any dirt in the crevices it isn't going to get.



I'm wondering if this would be a good job for the steamer and the small round brush tip? No way I'd try it on a customer's car, I'd test it on my car first. I'm not sure that this would be any safer than the flat blade wrapped in an MF.



I was also thinking about using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, but I wanted to get input from you guys first to see if it was safe to use one on this soft plastic.



Here's a pic of the area in question, partially cleaned. This car is seven years old, and hasn't ever seen anything more than a swirl-o-matic automatic car wash. Needless to say, the gutters are a mess.



IMG_1032.jpg
 
This one part of the car totally takes the fun out of detailing for me. I've always hated cleaning these darn things.



Just added a pic of the area in question...



So what do you guys think?



MF wrapped flat blade screw driver (seems dangerous)



Steam cleaner (melted plastic.. yeesh)



Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (is it gentle enough for this soft plastic?)



All hints and suggestions welcome.
 
An old toothbruch perhaps or maybe a Dremel with soft, scrubbing attachment? I'm not even sure if those exist.



Just throwing things out there.
 
For what it's worth, if you're going the toothbrush route, what about the automatic/circulating models? I mean, you can pick one up for $5. Not sure if that would be any better than a good ole' soft bristle toothbrush with a little more elbow grease behind it.





SuperBee364 said:
I'll take anything you want to throw, Eisenhulk. A soft tooth brush just might be the ticket.
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Yeah, as if textured plastic trim wasn't bad enough by itself, let's make a part out of it with all kinds of nooks and crannies that you can't get into.



I'm not sure the steamer would be so dangerous...that cowling has to get pretty hot in the sun, especially with engine heat billowing out over it. Screwdriver....doesn't Danase sell some plastic sticks for wrapping MF's around? Obviously, a test of the Magic Eraser in an inconspicuous spot will tell you if it's ok (perhaps open the hood and rub on a portion that's covered by the hood when it's closed).



I always thought a part of the problem with this kind of trim in general is that it gets UV damaged, and the only thing you can do is mask it with oily stuff to make it look good. I remember crowing about some trim on mine that SG did a great job on...only to be scolded by Accumulator that once it got older I wouldn't be so lucky. I'm still lucky with that car, but most others this type of trim seems to turn whitish pretty quickly regardless of what you do to it.
 
SuperBee364 said:
Thanks for that, Setec. :) As you can imagine, I think of something totally different when I think about a "cowl". You could park this car inside of what I would think of as a "cowl."
Click to expand...



LOL! Sorry about that, the irony escaped me when I was googling "cowl" and a bunch of aircraft references came up.
 
Spray with APC, wait a minute or two, pressure wash. Then I like to lay a terry towel to cover the paint and glass, and spray them in with More Shine Less Time or any rattle can dressing.
 
I'm sure glad my gutters aren't like that with nooks and crannies. Hmm, I was going to suggest a normal house sponge since it's squareness might get into that a little better. I might think of something better later on today... maybe.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
.............doesn't Danase sell some plastic sticks for wrapping MF's around?..................
Click to expand...
Yes he does, they're called the Slick Stixxx, and I even forgot I had a set of them. They do come in handy and they look almost perfect for the task at hand. And if this link causes Supe to spend some $$$ then my job here is done ;)



Slick Stixxx Detailing Component System
 
- I think instead of a flat head screwdriver, I'd use a #2 pencil wrapped with MF towel.

- A steam cleaner (with caution) would make short work of it.

- Like accumulator wrote - cover them up and/or de-sling your process and keep the product on the paint. (I just discovered that if I initially apply the product evenly over the panel with a hand held applicator I can leave the PC set at 5+ and get little if any sling at all.)
 
I would use the slick stixxx and then use some In and Out spray from Adams. I have never used either product but have been wanting to and this sounds like a great place for the two.
 
- I think instead of a flat head screwdriver, I'd use a #2 pencil wrapped with MF towel.

- A steam cleaner 9with caution) would make short work of it.

- Like accumulator wrote - cover them up and/or de-sling your process and keep the product on the paint. (I just discovered that if I initially apply the product evenly over the panel with a hand held applicator I can leave the PC set at 5+ and get little if any sling at all.)
 
Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll admit that this is one area I hate doing so on my car I will neglect it. The only cleaning it gets is from the pressure washer, and then whatever area I can easily wipe with my GS and wash solution. And then I'll try and dress whatever I can easily reach. I just don't care for all the time necessary to do it properly with cotton swabs.



I don't know why I never thought about it before, but with all this mention of Slixx Stix, screwdrivers, pencils, and what not, I might use one of my chopsticks wrapped with an mf to clean it next time. I'm not referring to the cheap, disposable wood chopsticks that most people think of, but the sturdier, reusable kind that you would find at an Asian store.



I've never tried using my steam cleaner, but one problem I *think* I'd encounter is that my steamer hose would not be long enough to reach from the ground to the center of the windshield "gutter".
 
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