How to remove wax stain from matte graphics?

[Mike Phillips]

How to remove wax stain from matte graphics?



Anytime I get questions via e-mail, a PM or a FB message I prefer to invest my typing time where

A: It's easier for me to share links, pictures and videos.

B: More people can read and thus benefit from the information. (no just one set of eyeballs)


The reality is, most people that contact me found me via an article I've written or a reply I've written on this forum. The thing is, instead of figuring out that the whole reason they are contacting me is because they found me via an article or answer I wrote on the forum that they to should bring their question to the forum because not only will that help them.... but it will help a future "them". If I answer everything in a private e-mail or other touch point, no one would find and contact me. It's a cycle or pattern that repeats as long as everything is shared in the public domain.

The above is kind of wordy but re-read it slowly and it will make sense.


So I get an e-mail asking,

Hi Mike!

My name is Tony, I have a small detailing business based out of Springfield, NJ. I have a been a big fan of your work, expertise and training and I wanted to reach out today for some advise.

The past year I've worked on a 2016 Dodge Hellcat, one of my partners who helps me here accidentally applied carnuba wax to the vinyl stripes.

At first, all looked fine but weeks later a white residue appeared on the stripes and looked to be dried out. At that point, we washed the stripes with mild dish detergent and applied Mother's "Back to Black". Everything looked fine but once the Back to Black wore off, the question arose again. This vehicle is kept outside in the elements of New Jersey winters/hot summers and he also drag races.

The customer has called again and is complaining about his stripes, threatening us to have them replaced. I've read on Hellcat blogs, that these stripes have had fading issues in the past anyway.

Any advise on how to resolve this issue is greatly appreciated!

Best,
Tony

Great questions Tony,

I apologize I don't have a great answer. My experience is that once you stain matte graphics it's game over. I have detailed cars that have been stained by other people and while I promise the owner I'll do the best I can I've never been able to 100% remove the staining from compound, polish or wax and sealant residue once these things have been applied, dried and stained the surface.

Here's the problem - in order to dissolve the substance, (whatever it is), you need some type of solvent or soap. Besides the liquid aspect you will then need to scrub. Both of these things, the solvent and the scrubbing will tend to marr matte graphics and also matte paint.

So the best thing to do is to always tape-off and cover-up these types of materials and paints. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Also from experience - anything you apply like a dressing or Mother's Back-to-Black, the results will be temporary and the stain appearance will come back. I have had good luck with CarPro PERAL to mask staingin but it too wears off and the stain re-appears.

PERL Coat Plastic & Rubber Protectant, vinyl and rubber dressing, interior protectant


I'm sorry to say that in order to do the right thing by the customer you might have to replace the graphics.


Here's examples of how I avoid staining other people's cars with matte surfaces...


Review: Pinnacle Jeweling Wax - 2014 Maserati GT Sport detailed by Mike Phillips

I used tape to tape-off the area nearest the paint. You can even tape-off the edges and then place a cover-up towel over the rest of the matte area.










Hope that helps and feel encouraged to join our forum, this is where I answer questions. Email and Facebook messaging is okay, but the forum is a lot more powerful.


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[Sleper]

I know peanut butter will remove white residue from plastics. I would give it a spot try. The oils do remove the white residue and it does not return. Good luck

[Mike Phillips]

I know peanut butter will remove white residue from plastics. I would give it a spot try. The oils do remove the white residue and it does not return. Good luck

Actually, it's not the "peanut" part of peanut butter that removes white residue from plastic trim it's the "oil" part that does the job.

See here from 2010

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...tml#post399445


The person that contacted me can try vegetable oil, that is try rubbing some onto the graphics and then washing it off. My guess is the oil will darken the graphics and make it look like it removed it but a few days down the road the stain will appear.

You never know what you can do until you try....