Need HELP with weathered hard rubber trim around windows.... How do you clean them ?
- Thread starter DM101
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
My beater-Tahoe has trim that was baked in the desert for the first ten years of its life, much worse than the similar trim on my Yukon. I polished it back to life with Hi-Temp Heavy Cut, followed by ZAIO. I've had *VERY* good luck using abrasive polishes on GM SUV trim, from my beater-Blazer to the Yukon to the Tahoe it always worked well. Just don't let the polish dry and I wouldn't expect any problems.
I'd used 1Z Paint Polish on the Blazer and 1Z Metallic Polish on the Yukon, both topped with 845. When I switched the Yukon over to FK1000P (previously had Collinite on all of it) I used the Klasse twins on said trim and that worked well too.
On the *rubber* bits, I use KAIO. Some people then remove the KAIO with something and apply a rubber dressing, but I just top it with either KSG or 845 (or somesuch LSP) and I've never had it mess up the rubber (been doing this on the Jag for decades so I have a long-term perspective on it).
I'd used 1Z Paint Polish on the Blazer and 1Z Metallic Polish on the Yukon, both topped with 845. When I switched the Yukon over to FK1000P (previously had Collinite on all of it) I used the Klasse twins on said trim and that worked well too.
On the *rubber* bits, I use KAIO. Some people then remove the KAIO with something and apply a rubber dressing, but I just top it with either KSG or 845 (or somesuch LSP) and I've never had it mess up the rubber (been doing this on the Jag for decades so I have a long-term perspective on it).
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
The surfaces can be cleaned using a damp micro fibre towel and Iz einszett 'Plastik-Reiniger' Use Iz einszett Gummipflege to treat all seals and caskets.
Alternative products-
1. Swissvax Seal Feed-Gum Feed (contains glycerine) to treat all seals and caskets.
2. Gummipflege Stift - It applies directly from the bottle like a shoe polish; when it dries it creates a dark matte seal, durability measured in months it has a little sponge on top of the bottle so you always get the right amount of product on your weather-stripping or rubber seals. Once applied to rubber they will take on a dark but natural shine. Use bi-annually to provide UV protection to avoid rubber from hardening or freezing – Detailer’s Domain
3. Zymol Seal a natural plant anti-oxidizing agent, it will prolong the useful life of the seal by restoring the original moisture and resist tearing and sticking
4. Wurth Rubber Care Gel Stick- a silicone-free, biodegradable, and water repellent
Alternative products-
1. Swissvax Seal Feed-Gum Feed (contains glycerine) to treat all seals and caskets.
2. Gummipflege Stift - It applies directly from the bottle like a shoe polish; when it dries it creates a dark matte seal, durability measured in months it has a little sponge on top of the bottle so you always get the right amount of product on your weather-stripping or rubber seals. Once applied to rubber they will take on a dark but natural shine. Use bi-annually to provide UV protection to avoid rubber from hardening or freezing – Detailer’s Domain
3. Zymol Seal a natural plant anti-oxidizing agent, it will prolong the useful life of the seal by restoring the original moisture and resist tearing and sticking
4. Wurth Rubber Care Gel Stick- a silicone-free, biodegradable, and water repellent
Accumulator
Well-known member
Wurth Rubber Care is good too. If you get the aerosol version I'd spray it onto some kind of applicator to keep things tidy.
MDRX8- If you get that 'Plastik-Reiniger' struff, post back about how it works for you.
MDRX8- If you get that 'Plastik-Reiniger' struff, post back about how it works for you.
Bill D
Hooked For Life
froboy272 said:
Yep, its my go-to for my Cadillac's white wall tires. Makes them nice and bright and the tire in general is super clean. I don't see how it couldn't be used on trim. Might do a very good job.
Accumulator
Well-known member
froboy272 said:
Pretty sure you have those two products mixed up:
-Rubber Cleaner (pn 11136/11137) is the regular-use, mild stuff
-Rubber Prep (pn 11071/11050) is the heavy-duty stuff
I use 'em both. The Rubber Cleaner is awfully gentle, maybe too gentle for many people. The Rubber Prep is *VERY GOOD*, I simply love it and I use it for all sorts of jobs. Keep it off auto glass though, and I take that warning seriously; this might make for issues regarding rubber seals around windows.
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Try a really simple product and then judge for yourself.
Plain old IPA with a white towel. Don't dilute, just put it on, nice and wet, let it dwell until it starts to dry, rewet and wipe off.
Look at the towel, it should be "black", that's the oxidized rubber that's come off.
Then put some protective product on, which will wash off.
Or, put on a coat of UV-Gard or two and forget about it for a couple of years.
Grumpy
Plain old IPA with a white towel. Don't dilute, just put it on, nice and wet, let it dwell until it starts to dry, rewet and wipe off.
Look at the towel, it should be "black", that's the oxidized rubber that's come off.
Then put some protective product on, which will wash off.
Or, put on a coat of UV-Gard or two and forget about it for a couple of years.
Grumpy
Accumulator
Well-known member
Ron Ketcham- So if you keep redoing the IPA, at some point should you quit getting black transfer (i.e., when you get through all the oxidized rubber, down to the "still healthy" stuff)? What about the :nono about IPA drying out rubber (not that I give much more credence to that than I do about people scolding me for using waxes on it).
Ron Ketcham
Active member
You will know when it's clean.
IPA will only be active as long as it's wet, once it's dry, do what ever you wish.
Sure, it will appear to "dry" out to the un-informed, as they may panic when they see the residue coming off.
It will remove some of the mold release agent used in production, it will remove most over the counter "protectants", etc.
Better to have a clean, almost virgin surface when applying any product.
Just think that you "are painting" and one would not apply a permenant coating like paint on a dirty, oxidized, contaminated sureface, now would they?
Grumpy
IPA will only be active as long as it's wet, once it's dry, do what ever you wish.
Sure, it will appear to "dry" out to the un-informed, as they may panic when they see the residue coming off.
It will remove some of the mold release agent used in production, it will remove most over the counter "protectants", etc.
Better to have a clean, almost virgin surface when applying any product.
Just think that you "are painting" and one would not apply a permenant coating like paint on a dirty, oxidized, contaminated sureface, now would they?
Grumpy
Bill D
Hooked For Life
Maybe I'll touch up spots on the white walls of my tires, stuff like brake dust lines and dressing run off lines made from driving, with IPA in between full tire cleaning and redressing.
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Want to really help your car?
Wipe the rubber blade edge of your wipers with the IPA, watch the dead/oridized rubber come off that is created by high ozone and UV rays, especially in sunbelt or high density cities.
Lot of wiper blades are replaced when they don't need anything more.
Not to say it is a "cure-all" just that an oxidized blade sure won't wipe clean.
Grumpy
Wipe the rubber blade edge of your wipers with the IPA, watch the dead/oridized rubber come off that is created by high ozone and UV rays, especially in sunbelt or high density cities.
Lot of wiper blades are replaced when they don't need anything more.
Not to say it is a "cure-all" just that an oxidized blade sure won't wipe clean.
Grumpy
Accumulator
Well-known member
Ron Ketcham- Heh heh...OK, gotta try IPAing some rubber next time.