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How to remove wax from plastic side runners

Spartan1

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This seems like it would be easy, when I bought the car a year and half ago I used traditional wax (I have now graduated to the ceramics), and I got some on the plastic runner below the doors.

I have tried a few things to get it off, scrubbing, using the brake cleaner that came with the caliper paint kit, etc. and nothing works.

Has anyone run into this, and any luck getting it off. It's white on black and fairly noticeable, thanks.
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NGOT8R

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Have you tried a stiff bristle toothbrush or carpet brush with some Dawn dish soap? That should cut right through it.
 

Cobra Jet

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This seems like it would be easy, when I bought the car a year and half ago I used traditional wax (I have now graduated to the ceramics), and I got some on the plastic runner below the doors.

I have tried a few things to get it off, scrubbing, using the brake cleaner that came with the caliper paint kit, etc. and nothing works.

Has anyone run into this, and any luck getting it off. It's white on black and fairly noticeable, thanks.
This is what you want:
Duragloss Wax Eraser #481
https://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-wax-eraser.html

It’s not a “cover up” product, it actually works to remove the dried on or embedded wax from black plastic body panels. Follow the directions and you’ll never want your detailing kit to be without it.
 

br_an

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A few years ago I had a black F150. One day I polished/waxed it and was a bit careless with the wax and got some on the bed rail caps, which I didn't have taped off. They were black ABS plastic just like the side skirts on the S550. I ended up with a sorta chalky white residue in a few spots that would not wipe off. I tried a lot of "internet remedies", including a few trim cleaners and solvents, but those didn't help much at all. Oddly enough, one thing that did seem to work a bit was a vinyl Magic Eraser but even that didn't totally remove it. I could shine up the plastic with a detailing dressing, but the spots would reappear when that wore off.

You may get lucky with a newer trim cleaner, or a member here might have a method I didn't try. I learned to live with it until I sold the truck, and now I tape off the plastic parts when I'm using wax/polishes. 🙂
 

13GetThere

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This is what you want:
Duragloss Wax Eraser #481
https://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-wax-eraser.html

It’s not a “cover up” product, it actually works to remove the dried on or embedded wax from black plastic body panels. Follow the directions and you’ll never want your detailing kit to be without it.
I need to get some of that stuff.
Do you know if it's sold in any brick and mortar stores?
 

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Spartan1

Spartan1

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A few years ago I had a black F150. One day I polished/waxed it and was a bit careless with the wax and got some on the bed rail caps, which I didn't have taped off. They were black ABS plastic just like the side skirts on the S550. I ended up with a sorta chalky white residue in a few spots that would not wipe off. I tried a lot of "internet remedies", including a few trim cleaners and solvents, but those didn't help much at all. Oddly enough, one thing that did seem to work a bit was a vinyl Magic Eraser but even that didn't totally remove it. I could shine up the plastic with a detailing dressing, but the spots would reappear when that wore off.

You may get lucky with a newer trim cleaner, or a member here might have a method I didn't try. I learned to live with it until I sold the truck, and now I tape off the plastic parts when I'm using wax/polishes. 🙂

That's where I'm at, I can get it dulled down a bit, but the chalky white reappears. And I was pretty careless when waxing, it's on a few spots.
 

Cobra Jet

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I need to get some of that stuff.
Do you know if it's sold in any brick and mortar stores?
I've never seen it anywhere locally.

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I've also heard and read some people saying to use peanut butter and a toothbrush to remove wax/compound. They say to work it into the affected sections and then wash. I don't see that as being a fix but more of a cover up due to the natural oils in the peanut butter.

Dawn dish soap may work, but usually works better on the metal/urethane body panels than textured plastics.
 

ArgentumS550

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Save some money and try a regular pencil eraser. Worked for me.
 

GT450

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Save some money and try a regular pencil eraser. Worked for me.
We have a product in Australia called Bowdens Own Mr Black trim restorer. It comes in a kit for best use or a bottle only . I bought the kit with various bits including primer but i only used the restorer itself on the rear bumper bar of my wifes RAV4 which constantly drove me nuts with the streaks the rain and road grime left. After trying many other items this is by far the best i have found and after 1 treatment its still looks new some 4 months on. I highly recommend it and surely there must be a similar product in the states. I had previously used various Meguiars trim detailers and CRC ceramic, which was expensive, but ineffective over time.
Look up Bowdensown.com.au their products are among the best in the world.
 

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Good gravey, don't use brake fluid. Go to an auto body supply store and get wax and grease remover, safe on paint and plastic. Or go to your auto parts for get something expressly for black plastic parts. Edit, sorry thought you said brake fluid, re-read and saw breaker cleaner, if your skirts didn't melt, Iguess it was worth a try...
 

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Rain-x.

Laugh if you want. Use it on your plastic/ rubber trims. Will clean it up, make it black and won't run off on the paint when wet.
 

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Save some money and try a regular pencil eraser. Worked for me.
This!!

I am super careful and use masking tape on my car, but my retired neighbor pur wax on his wife's brand new Hyundai Santa Fe, all black. He just went and waxed the whole car, including trims.

I heard about the sanford magic eraser, so I ordered a pack of 3 from amazon. It actually works perfectly! Be careful because some harder erasers can marr the surface of the plastic. The Magic erasers are super soft, but hard enough to take off the wax.
 

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This seems like it would be easy, when I bought the car a year and half ago I used traditional wax (I have now graduated to the ceramics), and I got some on the plastic runner below the doors.

I have tried a few things to get it off, scrubbing, using the brake cleaner that came with the caliper paint kit, etc. and nothing works.

Has anyone run into this, and any luck getting it off. It's white on black and fairly noticeable, thanks.
Did you try hot water or toluene?
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