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View Full Version : Cleaning sticky residue off weather stripping and seats?



DetailingGeek
08-10-2013, 01:19 PM
So I got a car recently, and the previous owner was having a problem with the rear window and tried to fix it themselves. They had duct taped the window to the door to keep it up, since they had somehow popped out the strings of the regulator. The door panel was also off, and somehow they managed to get that sticky, never-dry, black glue that holds the plastic weather shield all over the rear seat near that window.

I fixed the window by putting a new regulator and motor in, put everything back, and I cleaned the tape residue off the glass by steaming it and scraping it. It was easy, but the tape residue on the weather stripping is not coming off so easy. Theres also some on the plastic black door trim around the window. Should I use a plastic/rubber squeegee? since I know I cant use a metal scraper.

Also that sticky black non dry glue does not come off the seats too easily. I steamed it and tried to clean it with a microfiber, but it takes forever to get off. It tries to smear before it cleans up. Plus then it gets stuck to my microfiber cloth, and its hard to clean off my microfiber cloth. This is no matter how much I steam it. I guess it is supposed to be weather proof glue haha, it sure is working.

Vegas Transplant
08-10-2013, 08:44 PM
Cloth, leather, or vinyl seats?
Goo Gone/Goof Off type cleaners have worked for me in the past on the weather stripping/adhesive issue.

Never tried the Tarminator product but hear it works well.

DetailingGeek
08-11-2013, 01:42 AM
The seats are leather. Ill try goo gone tomorrow.

swanicyouth
08-11-2013, 04:48 AM
The seats are leather. Ill try goo gone tomorrow.

I wouldn't use Goo Gone on leather seats. IME GG takes off almost everything, maybe even the leather clear coat and colorant.

May sound odd, but maybe try peanut butter?

Vegas Transplant
08-11-2013, 11:25 AM
The seats are leather. Ill try goo gone tomorrow.



I wouldn't use Goo Gone on leather seats. IME GG takes off almost everything, maybe even the leather clear coat and colorant.

May sound odd, but maybe try peanut butter?

+1.
I have seen the effectiveness of said product, and the horrors of same. Kind of a crap shoot.

DetailingGeek
08-11-2013, 12:18 PM
Yeah I wasnt going to try it on the seats, I was only gonna try it on the rubber weatherstripping.

You know, when I was using the steamer to try to clean the seats, I sometimes held the nozzle very close to the seat, sometimes touching it, to try to remove those sticky spots. Sometimes it worked, but I noticed the spots where I touched the leather with the nozzle, changed to a lighter beige color. It happened almost right away, but I wasnt sure if it was a permanent change or just the steam. But now that everything dried, it definitely left a permanent discoloration. Maybe it took off some of the leather's protectant?

So how am I supposed to clean fairly dirty leather seats? Seems like they have been dirty for a while, because they dont come off as easy as other leather seats I have cleaned.