Did steam cleaner burn my plastic?

[dpk20x]

I was messing around with my new McCulloch steamer the other day. I wanted to clean the dirt in my AC vents that I can never seem to reach with a microfiber towel. And I also tried to get in between a few of my HVAC knobs. I hit both of those areas with a quick shot of steam. I did not hold the stream in the same spot for more than a second, I kept it moving fairly quickly. However it looks as if I may have burned some of the plastic as it now looks chalky white.

I tried cleaning the area up with 1Z deep plastic cleaner as well as OPC with no luck.

Dressing it is having no effect either. I've lost count of how many layers of PERL I've put on there since cleaning. So what do you guys think? Is this damage permanent?

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/dpk20x/IMG_00881_zpsd7ae85ed.jpg (http://s858.photobucket.com/user/dpk20x/media/IMG_00881_zpsd7ae85ed.jpg.html)

[mamut]

Try a plastic polish like plast-x. See if it helps

[A.P.A.D.]

what kind of vehicle is this?

[ken tuep]

You've probably got to get a bit more aggressive with it. I steam interiors and when it turns white, I keep steaming and agitating with a gentle brush to remove this. The controls and turn signal stalks are common places for oily stuff to build up, I think the white is the oil when its moistened, but not removed.

I'm not sure how much sense that made, but it sounds good to me! Haha.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AG Online

[ken tuep]

Or you may have softened the white paint and spread it around also.

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[dpk20x]

Thanks Ken. That's what I thought it was at first. But it doesn't look like the lettering has faded at all.

I was also thinking that the steam might have reacted with a previous dressing and caused it to run all over the place.

But I'm glad to know that this is a somewhat common occurrence. This is my first time using a steamer and needless to say I was starting to get a little freaked out lol!!

I think I'll wrap a towel around one of the small brush attachments and see if I can remove this residue.

[mfrickman]

If that's what I'm thinking it is, it is residue from the HVAC symbol's paint. Some signal light stalks and cruise control buttons do that whenever they are cleaned with a chemical or in this case steam. See if you can use an APC to clean a spot away from the markings and see if it clears up.

Edit: saw you said you tried OPC. Try to stream the area with a microfiber around the head of the steamer away from those markings and see what happens.

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[Rico24]

Not sure if it is burned or not. But i have burned a few things when i first got my steamer. Had the temperature on the highest...

It turned white, thankfully was on a friend's car. I put on some dressing and it made it a lot less noticeable.

[spiralout462]

Not sure if it is burned or not. But i have burned a few things when i first got my steamer. Had the temperature on the highest...

It turned white, thankfully was on a friend's car. I put on some dressing and it made it a lot less noticeable.


I think I would have rather it been my car. ???

[David@DCSPrecision]

I think I would have rather it been my car. ???

I think he meant he was thankful it was on a friend's car, and not a client's car. But yeah...

[swanicyouth]

I hate to tell you this, but I think that plastic piece is toast. If you tried 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner with no results - I ain't comin' off IME.

[lyodbraun]

If nothing works to bring it back to normal looking, try a heat gun on it ..

[dad07]

is it me or does it look like scratches?

did you have a brush on the end of your steamer?

It has been a long day for me.......but I'm thinking out loud.

[dpk20x]

is it me or does it look like scratches?

did you have a brush on the end of your steamer?

It has been a long day for me.......but I'm thinking out loud.

Nope no brush. I was trying to get the gap that runs around the knob so I hit it with a straight burst of steam.

[dad07]

Nope no brush. I was trying to get the gap that runs around the knob so I hit it with a straight burst of steam.

OK......now I'm going back to the thinking tank.