removing wax residue from plastic trim

F

fd3annen

New member
This always happens to me when I wax, I get some of the caranuba wax on the plastic trim and can't seem to get it off. Any suggestions? Thanks for the tip
 
First suggestion is switch to a wax that dosen't do that. Pleanty of options out there that won't cause this issue. But for the time being. I usually use glass cleaner to get out old wax from rubber trim. Rubbing alchol will work well too but it can dry out the rubber so treat accordingly afterwards.
 
IPA, Mineral Oil, APC, and agitation.



To avoid in the future, spread wax in the center of panel and work toward the edge, keep a MF on your shoulder and hit gaps/edges/trim with the MF as you go along, panel by panel.
 
I usually use an APC and agitate with a toothbrush (especially if it is "bumpy" plastic). If, after cleaning, it is faded or dull, I use the leatherique trim restorer dye that works very well and holds up for quite a while. I did my wife's plastic trim at the bottom of her windshield about 4 months ago, and it is still holding strong and looking brand new.



In the future, maybe you can just tape around the trim. As said before, treat after cleaning.
 
Ok well I tried the windex and a little green scrubby but it didn't do as good of a job as I thought it would. I don't think it there was alcohol in the windex though. I am also worried about the green scrubby making the plastic dull. does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to remove the rest of that white look and then some way to restore the nice black look? thanks for all the suggestions
 
I've tried several different things before as well and none of them worked on years old wax stains. What worked best (on the black trim all along the bottom of my wife's white Honda Accord) was a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Wet it, wring it out, and lightly rub it on the wax residue. It takes it right off, then wipe the area down and put some protectant on the trim. Viola, for about $1 you are done. Many oils (peanut butter for instance) and protectants will only mask the residue and it will come back. (in my experience) The Magic Eraser removed it completely and it's never come back. Don't rub too hard however as I'm sure you "could" dull an area if you rubbed really hard.
 
My truck is my test dummy for everything so I can practice on it and not on the customer's car. When learning to machine polish I slung some product on the bedliner's black textured plastic and the tonneau cover. I tried all kinds of solvents, scotch brite pad, elbow grease, apc, etc, etc. I read on a thread in here somewhere to use a magic rub eraser. I couldn't find that particular brand, although I know it's out there somewhere. I went to Walmart and found the next closest thing, rubbed it on the affected areas and it worked out very well. It is the white rectangular eraser with cardboard around it to hold onto. I think it can be used for crafts and artwork and I found it in the school supplies area.



Don't know if this process greyed the black textured areas or not as an after affect, but something did. I used a trim dressing product and it only lasted a few rains and went back to the same problem. I had to buy a dye to get it back to black and it lasted a whole lot longer. However, even dyes will only last so long.



Hope this helps!!
 
have you tried any of the other methods mentioned above yet? there are quite a few. some of which you may already have around the house.
 
Murphman said:
My truck is my test dummy for everything so I can practice on it and not on the customer's car. When learning to machine polish I slung some product on the bedliner's black textured plastic and the tonneau cover. I tried all kinds of solvents, scotch brite pad, elbow grease, apc, etc, etc. I read on a thread in here somewhere to use a magic rub eraser. I couldn't find that particular brand, although I know it's out there somewhere. I went to Walmart and found the next closest thing, rubbed it on the affected areas and it worked out very well. It is the white rectangular eraser with cardboard around it to hold onto. I think it can be used for crafts and artwork and I found it in the school supplies area.



Don't know if this process greyed the black textured areas or not as an after affect, but something did. I used a trim dressing product and it only lasted a few rains and went back to the same problem. I had to buy a dye to get it back to black and it lasted a whole lot longer. However, even dyes will only last so long.



Hope this helps!!
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To Murphman's point, I've found the Mr Clean Magic Eraser more gentle than some of the generic brands of erasers. I would try a test spot to be sure.
 
P-nut said:
Lemon juice and a toothbrush. Nothing works better than citrus.
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That's one i haven't tried yet, thanks!



If your toothbrush is going to actually touch the paint, you might consider getting an Extra Soft or Children's Soft toothbrush. Then, do the "CD test" to make sure you won't mar the paint.
 
SuperBee364 said:
If your toothbrush is going to actually touch the paint, you might consider getting an Extra Soft or Children's Soft toothbrush. Then, do the "CD test" to make sure you won't mar the paint.
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You ain't kidding. My friend Jr's car has rubber around *everything*, and when she first got it and before I found Autopia (and had been out of the detailing habit for a while) we were using Meg's OTC products which stain that rubber like an SOB. After I got a little more educated, I decided I needed to clean the wax staining off of the rubber, so I used an old (soft) toothbrush and some APC, figuring if my gums can survive this brush, it will be no problem on the paint around these thin rubber sections. Wrong!!
 
EisenHulk mentioned peanut butter. It works hust use it sparringly with a Q-tip. I posted on hear afew weeks back asking the same question and reseached the forums and decided to try it out. It worked on my black textured plastic. The stains are still gone. Plus it is not as harsh as other methods and it washes off. It may draw flies till you wash it away but, you won't have it on there long. Keep us informed.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
You ain't kidding. My friend Jr's car has rubber around *everything*, and when she first got it and before I found Autopia (and had been out of the detailing habit for a while) we were using Meg's OTC products which stain that rubber like an SOB. After I got a little more educated, I decided I needed to clean the wax staining off of the rubber, so I used an old (soft) toothbrush and some APC, figuring if my gums can survive this brush, it will be no problem on the paint around these thin rubber sections. Wrong!!
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'



LOL, yup, that's pretty much what happened to me, too.
 
buzzb said:
I've tried several different things before as well and none of them worked on years old wax stains. What worked best (on the black trim all along the bottom of my wife's white Honda Accord) was a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Wet it, wring it out, and lightly rub it on the wax residue. It takes it right off, then wipe the area down and put some protectant on the trim. Viola, for about $1 you are done. Many oils (peanut butter for instance) and protectants will only mask the residue and it will come back. (in my experience) The Magic Eraser removed it completely and it's never come back. Don't rub too hard however as I'm sure you "could" dull an area if you rubbed really hard.
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+1 - best way to do it, most cost effective way to do it, most convenient way to do it all in one
 
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