Automotive Care & Detailing Discussions on washing, waxing, polishing, detailing, cleaning and maintaining the beauty of your Lexus.

How to remove wax from black plastic parts . . .

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-15-16, 06:26 PM
  #1  
Aron9000
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
 
Aron9000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: TN
Posts: 4,592
Received 28 Likes on 27 Posts
Default How to remove wax from black plastic parts . . .

Hey I'm going to be detailing a 2013 or 2014 Rav4. It has that lower black plastic body cladding and fender flares/mouldings on it. Whoever tried to wax it last got wax all over those black plastic parts, like they were doing a circular motion applying wax and overlapped a bit on the plastic.

Anyways, what's the best way to get those white "ghosts" off the plastic and get it looking like new? Car is fairly new so the plastic hasn't faded yet, hoping I can get it looking great again.

Car is black and probably needs a paint correction as well, but I don't have a buffer and since this is a freebie job, I'm not going to spend $$$ on compounds/pads, etc.
Old 03-15-16, 07:34 PM
  #2  
Dr. Jekyll
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (1)
 
Dr. Jekyll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 1,742
Received 28 Likes on 25 Posts
Default

Have you tried a liquid wax over it and then using ye olde toothbrush yet?
Old 03-15-16, 08:41 PM
  #3  
Aron9000
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
 
Aron9000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: TN
Posts: 4,592
Received 28 Likes on 27 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Dr. Jekyll
Have you tried a liquid wax over it and then using ye olde toothbrush yet?
I haven't tried anything yet. Its my sister's car, was going to detail it for her later this week.

When you say liquid wax, do you mean like a spray wax that you spray on as you dry???
Old 03-16-16, 05:09 AM
  #4  
CdeFabio
Lead Lap
 
CdeFabio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Missouri
Posts: 660
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...FY4lgQodABgBmg
Try this, I have used their products in the past and they are very good.
Old 03-16-16, 09:59 AM
  #5  
kene
Lead Lap
iTrader: (2)
 
kene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: ca
Posts: 686
Received 11 Likes on 10 Posts
Default

hot water in some type of sprayer?

or

if the pieces can come off the bumper easily, set them on the ground and continuously pour a pot of hot boiling water over the part until the wax melts away? (more work involved here)


not sure, but just trying to help.
Old 03-16-16, 10:10 AM
  #6  
Dr. Jekyll
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (1)
 
Dr. Jekyll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 1,742
Received 28 Likes on 25 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Aron9000
I haven't tried anything yet. Its my sister's car, was going to detail it for her later this week.

When you say liquid wax, do you mean like a spray wax that you spray on as you dry???
A liquid wax will have something in it like petroleum distallates to keep the wax suspended in liquid form. That should breakdown the wax on the rubber / plastic to wipe off most of it and when it dries you can brush the remainder off with the toothbrush.
Old 03-16-16, 10:13 AM
  #7  
flektone
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
 
flektone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 960
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Pink eraser. If theres a lot its going to take awhile. But give a spot a test try. Trust me it works
Old 03-16-16, 10:13 AM
  #8  
LeX2K
Lexus Champion
 
LeX2K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Alberta
Posts: 19,420
Received 2,707 Likes on 2,292 Posts
Default

Isopropyl alcohol.
Old 03-16-16, 10:24 AM
  #9  
kitlz
No, I don't play soccer!
 
kitlz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,652
Received 159 Likes on 134 Posts
Default

Peanut butter
Old 03-16-16, 10:38 AM
  #10  
typocl
Instructor
 
typocl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: CA
Posts: 785
Received 35 Likes on 32 Posts
Default

the peanut butter thing will work, but it's just hiding things and will reappear

the pink eraser does work, I used that on my RAV4 (ok, I'm the one who got the wax on those parts too)

I finally got tired of seeing the white wax on those parts and googled. Easiest thing to try was the pink eraser as I had one, and surprised that it worked.
Old 03-17-16, 06:39 AM
  #11  
jfelbab
Moderator
 
jfelbab's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: FL
Posts: 3,283
Likes: 0
Received 58 Likes on 45 Posts
Default

I use the pink eraser trick. This is a very useful tool as you can trim it to an edge that will get into the smallest of crevices and remove wax or polish residue with one swipe.
Old 03-17-16, 08:01 AM
  #12  
zmcgovern4
Auto Detailing Master
iTrader: (2)
 
zmcgovern4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 3,463
Received 93 Likes on 78 Posts
Default

How have I not heard of this eraser trick? I've got to give it a shot... sounds great
Old 03-17-16, 09:55 AM
  #13  
mx5mike
Rookie
 
mx5mike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: WA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 1 Post
Default

I use Isopropyl alcohol to remove dried wax off plastic and rubber trim. you can get it at any store like fred meyer, rite aid ect... comes in a bottle. I mix it 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. works well as a wax remover to strip wax off paint before correcting also.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MustangSal
Automotive Care & Detailing
1
02-07-17 11:05 PM
gtoden1
Automotive Care & Detailing
4
10-27-10 08:45 AM
slickgt1
Automotive Care & Detailing
19
08-01-07 12:13 PM
Gary H
Automotive Care & Detailing
4
10-18-06 05:01 AM
Molar 1
Automotive Care & Detailing
9
01-08-06 09:22 AM



Quick Reply: How to remove wax from black plastic parts . . .



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:39 AM.