How to Remove Dried-On Wax from Textured Black Plastic or Rubber Moldings?
by Chad RaskovichA common mistake owners make when waxing their vehicle is that they use too much wax, and sometimes they may have a tendency to be sloppy and excessive with the application. The end result is dried, hard to remove wax on moldings, in the cracks, edges of pin striping/decals, and around emblems. This unsightly wax can often be very difficult to remove for most owners, and more often than not they decide to just live with it. Luckily a lot of the newer waxes and sealants on the market today are safe from this and will not leave white residue behind. Optimum Opti-Seal is a very good example of such a product. Regardless, we still need to remove the dried wax which is currently detracting from the overall appearance of the car.
While there are several methods that can be used to remove this white residue, I find that the use of an All Purpose Cleaner (APC) and a good detail brush works best. I’ll do this by thoroughly washing the whole car first. Then I will spray an APC like P21S TAW on the affected areas and let it dwell for a few seconds and then gently agitate the areas using the detail brush. I also like to dip the brush into my wash bucket to get some soapy water on it too. Repeat if necessary.
Keep in mind however, that the cleaner will most likely remove wax from all painted areas it comes in contact with (areas where you WANT wax!), so you may want to re-apply wax to those areas in particular once you’re finished.
Hope this helps.
Great tips Rasky! Good timing too – a family member just took delivery of a new BMW and the dealer got wax residue all around the sunroof. Typical dealer hackjobs. I can’t wait to see what the paint looks like once the filling glaze wears off.
Rasky,
Excellent post! After cleaning the exterior rubber seals, what would you suggest to seal/protect those? Would you seal with one product then top that with a product like 303? Also, how would you seal/protect portions of trim such as the rear diffuser area on many performance cars? Would you use a sealant such as BFWD or a vinyl/plastic protectant like 303?
Thanks for your help!
~Ray
Hello Ray,
303 is normally my go to product for seals and protection of black plastic trim, but there are also many other good options. For the actual door seals, many of my fellow detailers and car enthusiasts seem to love the Einszett 1Z Gummi Pflege, so that would be another option for you.
As far as using BFWD goes, I personally only use it for painted components of the car. While I have not noticed any kind of staining on plastic/rubber trim from BFWD, I usually try not to use products outside their intended purpose and I think 303 would be a better option IMO.
Hope this helps,
Rasky
I wax ed my new trailhawk jeep and got wax on the the Gray and black trim it looks like scuff marks all over it how do I fix this?
Thanks for your insight, Rasky!
I like your rationale for using BFWD on just the painted items. How often do you redress the items you’ve protected with 303? Each wash? Also, how do you protect clear pieces like the headlights, taillights, or quarter panel turn signals?
Thanks again,
~Ray
Hey Ray,
I’m fortunate not to have any trim that requires regular dressing on my car, but if it did I would likely reapply 303 each time I wash the vehicle since it’s water based. If your trim is already neglected and faded, there are more durable options for dressings too.
For plastic headlights, tail lights, and side maker lamps I will usually just use any good sealant. Opti-Seal works especially well since it’s clear and you don’t have to worry about getting product in raised lettering or seams found on many of the light covers.
Cheers,
Rasky
After trying hot soapy wash, rubbing alcohol, and other mentioned remedies; the thing I found that worked the best (and did not damage adjacent waxed painted areas) was to use Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover applied with a cloth then brushed in using a toothbrush. Then remove the Turtle Wax Cleaner with a micro fiber cloth. I followed this with Mother’s Back to Black to help shine and restore the black color. I have pictures showing the results and they were very good.
Does anyone know wether the Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover leave a white residue on black plastic trims??
god old fashion creamy peanut butter will do the trick every time. make sure to use a tooth brush to get it out of the crevices. rub it on the effected areas with a towel, then rub off. removes every trace of wax.
Your right it is amazing!!!
I cannot believe it but the peanut butter worked! Thank you so much! Now my question is how did you even figure that out?! The wax had been on my black bumper for a long time and I didn’t think anything would get it off.
Hi
I’ve been struggling with the some nasty Carnauba wax as well. Had almost tried everything until I got the crazy idea if using an eraser .. you know a rubber used to remove pencil writing. I must say that did the trick, and it took no time.
That worked perfectly for me!! thanks for the idea
The eraser worked excellent. Thanks for the tip.
The eraser trick worked for me. I used a non pink eraser (not sure if the brand) but it worked. Thanks Christian. 2016 Subaru Forester I just hand waxed two weeks ago on its birthday/anniversary.
So glad people are talking about this, thanks for sharing. I think I’m going to try the eraser first rather than put peanut butter on a 6 figure car, but it’s a mindblower idea. Peanut butter will be plan B, I happen to have a jar right next to the car in the garage for baiting chipmunk traps, then I drown ’em.
I had white wax on the black molding of my truck especially around the door handles. I used an eraser and it did an excellent job. Removed all white areas. Thanks for the tip.
Using a rubber eraser worked great!
I’m sure peanut butter would be a great solution: however the PB would be quickly be consumed by the detailer. Not leaving enough to do a through job in completing the wax removal job at hand. Chemical guys Trim Clean penetrates dissolve, clean, and remove embedded wax, glaze, sealant, and polishing compound from plastic and rubber car parts to fix those careless misapplication mistakes in one easy step or two! Spray on let it dwell as long as environmental factors will allow. Agitate with a small soft brush and wipe off. For stubborn mishaps hit it with some steam and scrub with attached brush. Use the stiffer one in this situation just keep it off the paint to avoid scratches. after satisfactory removal dress area with whatever product floats your boat to match the rest of the trim piece. It works quite well, done it many times. Its quick too.
how do you remove white polish from a new grill please
Lyn – Some polishes can stain trim pieces like grills, so you want to make sure you remove it as soon as possible. I generally recommend using a car shampoo and water to start and if you need more cleaning power you can use an item like the Gtechniq Panel Wipe or a tar remover. If you do bump up the cleaning power, make sure you dress the grill to help protect the surface moving forward.
Sorry guy the peanut butter failed, but tasted good