Mike or anyone ever seen this?

[Mike Hoekstra]

So the Mercedes I detailed this past weekend has this on the grill. It's a plastic grill that's been coated with a matte aluminum finish. As you can see in the pictures, it appears that someone has touched it with their bare hands and left finger print marks on the grill due to the acids/oils of our body chemistry. Glass cleaner, APC, and car wash soap did not work. I tried clay at the end, and I noticed the aluminum color transfer to the clay right away so stopped and just left it alone and moved on. I'm sure it's a permanent stain the way it's coated etc. but would like to hear if anyone else has encountered this. Thank you!

[fly07sti]

Interesting to say the least. Sub’d to hear if anyone has ran into this before.

[TrustJesus]

That looks like someone with greasy hands decided to lay hands. I’ve seen cars with those, on parking lots but don’t know how to clean that. Try something safe like a dedicated interior cleaner perhaps, with a soft microfiber towel to not scratch finish. Like a Griot Garage interior detailer maybe....

[Dr Oldz]

Yup. See it a lot. Usually a cleaner wax will fix that. BF One Step will do the trick.

[TrustJesus]

Jim, thanks I was curious myself.

[Mike Phillips]

When you say the paint is matte, from experience this also means it has a light texture when you feel it - correct?

Here's what I would try - clean with any light cleaner and a soft bristle brush, even a car wash mitt or microfiber towel. It's just like oily grime that has impacted into the textured paint.

A car wash soap, an APC, any interior cleaner, etc. Something light should do it.

If the above doesn't remove it - it should improve it. If it doesn't remove it this means the paint is physically stained. The next step would be more aggressive cleaning, heck maybe even a Mr. Clean Magic Erasure.

SONAX makes one of these in their line.

SONAX Dirt Eraser

[scv2005]

My wife's old Mercedes CLA had a similar grille, usually an IPA wipe cleaned it up or a light buff with a cleaner wax... If I remember correctly it was more of a painted plastic insert...

[TrustJesus]

Mike, if you can let us know if they buffed out. I’m curious as to this myself

[Mike Phillips]

If I remember correctly it was more of a painted plastic insert...

I believe you're correct. We've owned two MBs recently and they both had FLAT silver grills and I remember this being a smooth, not textured painted plastic.

If that's the case for this grill Mike is working on then a simple cleaner/wax should remove.


SLK 350




SL 500




Good shot of the grill on the SL 500






Fun cars...

[Dr Oldz]

BTW It is actually not fingerprints. It is dirt staining build up from rain water dripping off the hood. Looks like fingerprints tho.

CarPro DLux it a nice way to protect those areas.