Black plastic exterior moldings

Does any body know of a good product to clean these? OK, so I got a little excited with the waxing a few weeks back, and accidentally got a little on the black plastic piece that the side-view mirror comes out of. Didn't notice it at the time. However, now the wax can be seen if you get up close and it doesn't want to come off, almost like it is fused to the plastic or something. I tried scraping with my fingernail just to see and no luck.

Is there something that can get this out? Has anybody had this problem (with any car, not just the 3)?

armor all and elbow grease

Wipe at the wax-laden plastic part with just a cloth to get most of the exterior stuff off (you might be able to rid of all the wax that way.. it was better designed to stick to clearcoat, not plastic) and then use some armor all on the cloth to make the part shine like new.


I haven't tried this on the 3... but when I got wax on my golf's moulding, or my mom's honda moulding, it was easy enough to just buff it back off and then cleaning it with the stuff that basically rejuvinates plastic and rubber.

I occasionally armor all the weather stripping and plastic moulding all around the car after I wash... but before I wash the windows (otherwise you get this greasy smear and you just have to wash the windows all over again) any armor that moves onto the paint just evaporates off eventually (or can just be wiped off with a rag)

You also have to use a LOT of armor all on the interior... it helps keep it cleaner, and you never have to use as much as you do the first time (the primer coat)... but all those nooks and crannies in the texturized plastic in the dash and door sills loves to catch human skin cells and other dust.

good luck!

peanut butter.

i was skeptical at first, but peanut butter and a toothbrush works great to get rid of imbedded wax. i had wax from my first wax job almost 2 years ago in my roof rack rails and peanut butter got it out.

Wow, I wasn't expecting peanut butter but I will sure give it a shot! thanks!

I saw something today at pepboys..it was for the plactic exterior...spray and walk away..I didn't investicahte it since all of my body parts minus the underside of the side mirors and grille are painted...I was in a ruch before they started blocking off streets and highways....(See location and It'll make more scence)

I picked up a bottle of Mother's Back to Black cleaner.

Works great....gives the vinyl a good look too I think. Makes it a little bit shiny....so it sorta matches my black mica

Levitron said:

I picked up a bottle of Mother's Back to Black cleaner.

Works great....gives the vinyl a good look too I think. Makes it a little bit shiny....so it sorta matches my black mica

Click to expand...

That stuff DOES work great... I've used on the older cars that I've had - brings 'em right back to life.. never thought of using in on new vinyl, though!

Thanks!
~Bart~

how the heck did you come up with using peanut butter?

would that mothers stuff be useful for cleaning the interior plastic as well? my wonderful friends have the nasty habit of kicking the doors and leaving shoe marks that won't come out with only water and rubbing..

Levitron said:

I picked up a bottle of Mother's Back to Black cleaner.

Works great....gives the vinyl a good look too I think. Makes it a little bit shiny....so it sorta matches my black mica

Click to expand...

Yep thats the stuff I saw...also you can use carpet cleaner spray to remove scuff marks on plastic door kick pannels. Who the hell actually kicks the kick pannels...sheese :flip:

TuRbOtEcTicS said:

how the heck did you come up with using peanut butter?

Click to expand...

I don't know who first thought of peanut butter, but it's been used on plastic parts for years.