What is this?

C

cdvma

New member
I'm starting to properly clean the interior of my new to me car but there is pretty weird stuff from either the previous owner or dealership that has started to haze. All interior silver trim, including interior door handles, has is this film that I cant identify. It reminds me of the junk left from an armor-all towel.

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As you can see it picked up finger prints before setting. It doesn't smudge if I rub on it with my fingers or a dry towel. It appears to be water soluble so if I put a damp towel on it, it just spreads around. I can't then pick it up with an MF towel - its "stuck" to the plastic so I end up just moving it and making smudges. I tried the BF APC diluted 4:1 and same deal. Before I try any harder stuff I was wondering what the experts suggest.
 
Living up here with some of the Whitest people in the world (Im not one of them, Im Hispanic), I would have to also vote for that dreaded - SunScreen -
And has already been said, a good All Purpose Cleaner (APC), plastic cleaner, etc., should be able to remove this.
Dan F
 
Hmm its door panel on a X5:)

On that silver, I would go with a little strong APC or even a cleaner wax..
 
Some woman who wore to much makeup. Is it all over the stereo and turn signal handle too?

Easy to remove...
 
dd1101 said:
Hmm its door panel on a X5:)
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Indeed, it is!

Trouble said:
Some woman who wore to much makeup. Is it all over the stereo and turn signal handle too?
Click to expand...

It likely isn't makeup or sunscreen because it isn't on any control surface and it is on every single bit of silver trim including the gear selection lever, glovebox and doors. They are all hazed and happen to have some spots that are imprinted. I'll try a less diluted APC and report back.
 
Same panel and this hopefully describes what I mean that any product just "pushes it around". You can really see the streaks on the left and the untouched on the right.

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I've tried (in different sections as tests): BF APC (not diluted) then went to Autoglym intensive tar remover, then Autoglym glass polish (a paste that goes dusty as you work it) and said "heck why not" and hit it with Sonus SFX-2 and still nothing comes off! Last ditch was some IPA and nada. Water still moves it around. Once its dry, it doesn't rub but all you have to do is lick a finger and presto it moves.

It may be my technique as I'm not confident. I'm using very little product applied to MF or cotton and then applying it to the plastic. Should I just go at it with something and let it dwell? :wall
 
Once I had to resort to greased lighting on leather.... Apply it to a applicator and try a small spot first. clean with a wet towel and then apply protectant. Any pics of the X5 :) Its one of my fav SAVs....
 
dd1101 said:
Once I had to resort to greased lighting on leather.... Apply it to a applicator and try a small spot first. clean with a wet towel and then apply protectant. Any pics of the X5 :) Its one of my fav SAVs....
Click to expand...

No pics yet. Working on the interior (this is the very last part!) and once I do the exterior I'll take a few shots.
 
My all time go to Interior cleaner is Einszett Deep Plastic Cleaner. It works great, doesnt need rinsing, and you just wipe it off..

Good luck with this.
Dan F
 
Do you have an P21s TAW, probably falls short since the APC didn't really do anything? Thinking that it's so sticky, what about 3M adhesive remover as a first step and then follow up with BF APC at full strength (since you obviously already have the BF). If that doesn't work, maybe something with a little bit of bite might help. P21s metal cleaner that comes in a tube with a dot of 3M Hand Glaze on a MF pad. Mix it around and then apply. I would also consider a quality glass cleaner. Okay, that's all I got but I'm liking the adhesive remover the best for now!
 
Do you have a cleaner polish or an AIO like Klasse? I think you could try something like these that have a chemical cleaner and no abrasives to try to clean that up.
 
I have P21S TAW and KAIO and some Autoglym machine cleaner which is pretty intense. I wonder if something simple like goo gone will work. More attempts tomorrow.
 
Is the trim on an X5 plastic or real brushed aluminum?

To recount you have tried all purpose cleaner (BF APC at 4:1 and 1:1)?
You have tried IPA (which rule out using a window cleaner which would be my first suggestion).
When you lick your finger you can move the spots?
You tried a polish on them and still couldn't eliminate the spots?


If I had to guess I would assume that when you wet the surface (with any product) and you see them moving around it would be the moisture (cleaner/saliva) that you see moving around vs. the actual stain.

If it as aluminum I would think that something caustic etched into the aluminum and penetrated enough into the thickness that you cannot remove them.
 
Todd Helme said:
Is the trim on an X5 plastic or real brushed aluminum?
Click to expand...


Plastic

To recount you have tried all purpose cleaner (BF APC at 4:1 and 1:1)?
You have tried IPA (which rule out using a window cleaner which would be my first suggestion).
When you lick your finger you can move the spots?
You tried a polish on them and still couldn't eliminate the spots?


If I had to guess I would assume that when you wet the surface (with any product) and you see them moving around it would be the moisture (cleaner/saliva) that you see moving around vs. the actual stain.

If it as aluminum I would think that something caustic etched into the aluminum and penetrated enough into the thickness that you cannot remove them.
Click to expand...

The final answer was .... dilute. Dilute the crap out of it with water. I applied water with a towel and then dried it, rotated both towels, repeat. Whatever it was, it was super concentrated. Once it was mostly gone I put some goo-gone on a cloth and rubbed that in and then wiped off with a damp towel. Presto all better. Very strange stuff.
 
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