Best way to clean and polish exhaust tips?

[mcpp66]

DP Cleanse-All to clean, followed by a metal polish, 000 & 0000 wool? I have some of the Menzerna Polishing Cream which is for fine polishing, but what polish would be appropriate for stronger cleaning duty? It's for the exhaust tip on my aunt's car. Not sure what kind of metal it is.

[Jimmie]

If the tips are not chrome I've used P21S Polishing Soap to clean. After almost every wash I use DG831 on our pipes/tips to maintain.

[HeavyMetal]

If the tips are brushed stainless, you can use #0000 steel wool and any soap or car wash to clean. Follow up with a commercial polish like Simichrome. For chrome or polished SS, I'd just go with a commercial polish. A Brillo pad works great on the inside of both.

[alko]

I was just thinking of this topic this morning. Thanks for bringing it up.

[C. Charles Hahn]

P21S TAW or S100 TCC (same difference) to lubricate #0000 steel wool for cleaning, then polish with whatever metal polish I grab out of the bin. Usually Meg's NXT Metal Polysh.

[mcpp66]

How can you tell what kind of metal exhaust tips are made of?

[HeavyMetal]

How can you tell what kind of metal exhaust tips are made of?

Generally by the color and surface texture. Chrome has a bluish tint and tends to be highly polished. SS is silver colored and is typically a brushed finish for exhaust tips. If it's post-90s OEM, it's probably SS.

You could also do a magnet test. Chrome is typically over regular steel which is magnetic. The 300 series SS used for car trim is generally non-magnetic. However, some SS's like 304 phase shift from non-magnetic to magnetic if they were heavily formed and not annealed. They will be magnetic (and rust) in the areas of heaviest deformation. So, the magnet test is not always perfect. OTOH, since I've never seen rusting SS on a car, so I think the auto boys are aware of this.

[reality33]

I like to use P21S polishing soap. If they are really nasty, out comes the Megs D103 and the #0000 SW then the polishing soap.