BMW plastic issue

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Lxgreen

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Hi, first post for this newbie so hope I can get some help. Just started personal detailing and learning as I go. I’m sure I sprayed something on the plastic tac lens cover but not sure what. Interior glass cleaner didn’t to anything. Do I polish this out or is there some other magic plastic cleaner I need?
 
Clear plastic can be a bit tricky and especially since you see this part of the car every day when driving, I would be extra careful. Have you tried to wipe it off using a microfiber towel and some dilluted APC? I would try this first and if it doesn't work I would consider another type of product. They are called clear plastic cleaners or something similar, for example Meguiars PlastX. However, I'm not sure whether this product might be a little too rough, maybe someone could chime in?
 
You will have to clean the plastic before you polish it. Chances are you will scratch that plastic in the process of cleaning that goop off of the surface. A plastic polish like PlastX will work or you can try a regular polish like HD Polish+. I used HD on the A, B and C pillars of my Ford Explorer and they turned out perfectly.
 
Proceed with caution. I'd try this first:
McKee's 37 Plex-All aerosol plastic cleaner,plastic polish,clear plastic cleaner polish,DP plastic polish,plastic protectant,headlight cleaner

If it doesn't work, only then would I move to an abrasive product. Even with super fine abrasive polishes, you can really do a number on soft, clear plastics. Typically, your applicator or towel of choice will instill scratches of its own during the polishing process.

If the McKee's aerosol doesn't work, then I'd try Meg's PlastX worked with a suede "lens cloth".
 
Yikes. Can you feel something on there? What kind if products did you use in that area? If you can feel a reside, maybe dab a little goo gone on there and see if it dissolves it.


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Thanks. The only stuff I recall spraying around there previously was leather cleaner and 303 protectant. If I had to guess, I think it is the 303 protectant. I like the idea of using non abrasives first but will have to purchase your recommended ideas first
 
I think plex-all will get it off if it's 303.
If you move to PlastX- here's my process:
I cut a small piece of lens cloth and wad it up inside another lens cloth. So you have a little pea shaped ball. You hold your fingers around the outer cloth and that "pea" is now your polishing pad. Put a dot of product on the "pea", dab it on the plastic in a few spots, then proceed to gently buff. When it gets tacky, add a little more polish. Being a diminishing abrasive, PlastX needs to be worked through its cycle. The first couple cycles I don't work it all the way through, as I add more product when it gets tacky. When I think I've got the blemish beat, I work the product through the end of the cycle. It will begin to clear up.

Here's the key-- don't try to wipe/buff until its smudge free. That last bit of remaining product should be removed with a new clean lens cloth and the Plex-all. It's very hard to get it back to "new" condition with this method. But I get close. The only way to do better would be to remove the panel entirely and buff it with a machine.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Looks great. What did you use as an applicator?
Click to expand...

The Plasticx bottle says to use a foam pad but I didn’t have any clean ones so I used a plain terry cloth to apply and microfiber to remove. I didn’t see the post about using a lens cloth til after I tried it. No scratches though.
 
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