Hey there all...
I waited the recomended "3-months" to wax my new Nighthawk black 'E'.
(I sometimes wonder if the person who invented the, "30-minutes wait-time after eating something before you swim" came up with this idea as well). Regardless, after successfully waxing my 'E', I happened to notice that I had also successfully gotten an over smear of wax on the majority of the outer edges of composites around most of the car upto and including the door handles, and the side-mirror's.

Initially, the white edged outline did not bother me as much as it does now. I was told by my neighbor/auto-detailer that these white cloud marks on the edges of the plastics will most assuredly become a more permanent fixture on my Element if I dont do something about it soon. Is all the this talk of peanut butter truly factual? I have to admit, I have my doubts. Can I get some confirmation and then the question of, "How do I get the peanut butter off?" arises. I am a very proud owner of a Dremel tool as well. I know it has polishing/cleaning capabilities and was curious if anyone has used this technique to assist in the previously mentioned problem.

Any help in the matter at hand would be terribly appreicated..

-Shmee

Try the peanut butter. Its easy to get off with a damp cloth.

Search the boards for more information. Many people say it works. Plus it can't hurt, can it?

<------- (shifts to left cheek so the jar of PB in the right pocket doesn't pinch)
Try the Peanut Butter you'll like it,,, cleans right off :roll:

www.303products.com 303 is known as miracle in a bottle, and it truly is. However, it's a little costly at $16 a bottle. You may wanna try a $2 jar of creamy Jiff first.

and next time try taping off the panels when waxing id did with masking tape and it worked fine

Thanks for all the replies....
As far as taping off the edges? Well, I guess if i were to paint the car I'd probably do that. I'm guessing taking the over-smear of wax off is easier then 30minutes of taping. Just the matter of finding the appropriate product to take the excess off is consuming very large quantities of my spare time.

I had a different idea then the peanut-butter theories mentioned. I was going to make an attempt with peanut oil or vegetable oil. Has anyone ever used this as an alternative? Seems less messy and possibly a bit more practical/applicable. I'm guessing the 'active' ingrediant in the P-butter is the oil in it that removes the wax. I have a deep fear if i use peanut butter that I will be followed by herds of squirrels or be bombarded by Dumbo looking at my 'E' and thinking it's the food-car from the circus.

Reminds me of an old song...
"I dun seen about everythin' when i seen an Element fly.."

Thanks for the input guys. Most appreciated!

-Shmee(tm)

That composite material has a pretty low melting point, and Dremels turn some hefty rpm's! Even with any of the soft cloth-like buffing tips, I'd stay far away with that tool in your hand. Better to go convert some wood to sawdust with it!

Try one of the exterior vinyl cleaning/conditioning products mentioned in the posts... like 303, or Macguire's, or Zaino.

I use Zaino products. If i get a little polish on the vinyl panels, it cleans up when I condition the vinyl. If I get vinyl conditioner on the painted panels, it wipes right off with Z6 spray cleaner/gloss enhancer. No muss, no fuss.

If you use an acrylic polymer "wax" such as Klasse, you won't have these issues (as much). I just put a super thick winter coat on our cars and did up alot of 303 on the panels.

pating off is actually pretty easy considering you can open the doors to wax them mainly just taped off front fenders didnt take but an extra 5 minutes

I got new finish on my panels and it's driving me nuts... the PB worked but it's like it wore off or something.. next time I wax I will just tape it off... saves me some headaches.. I heard the mothers back to black works... any one with some experience?

i did mine with back to black it looked great doesnt rinse off from rain easy either gets my vote

On the Element I have chosen to use the "wax as you dry" product over the entire vehicle after each wash, instead of waiting months and then masking off all the plastic panels during a paste wax of the paint only.

I deliberately apply this product not only to the paint, but also the plastic panels!

I use 303 protectant ONLY on rubber parts like the front door window trim, skylight frame, and weatherstripping.

Simple green on a rag worked great on my explorer sport trac, which had very similar grey plastic trim, though a bit more textured than the E. PB works great on hard stains like tar or even a random tire mark.

We've had two snow storms and the panels have been completely coated with salt for weeks at a time.

Even so, here's how the car looks after washing and using wax-as-you-dry over EVERYTHING (except tires) including the plastic panels:

http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/quarter109.jpg

You guys should check out Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax. I just tried it and it's amazing! It's easy on easy off and dries clear. (but I always make sure to wipe it off right away if it gets on the plastic) It also helps with swirl marks! They say it's new technology and a lot better than their Gold Class liquid wax.

I also received a tip to try their Trim Detailer on the plastic paneling and it was incredible. Since the panels aren't that dark, it's hard to see a huge difference but you can tell that it completely conditioned the plastic and gave it a richer look.

Ok. My Fiancee figured this out. But boy does it work. Has anyone heard of the new Mr. Clean Magic Eraser? Yeah Yeah I know but it truly works! It ROCKS! It just uses water and is non abrasive. I made the mistake of putting NU Finish on my E last year and made a mess. I have tried everything to remove the stains it left on my panels! Peanut butter & Back to black both worked for a while but the stains came back. I've used every degreaser I could find and none of that worked in the least. This REALLY WORKS! I no longer have wax stains on my panels. I hope that helps someone else.

[quote:15ab75b483=" "]On the Element I have chosen to use the "wax as you dry" product over the entire vehicle after each wash, instead of waiting months and then masking off all the plastic panels during a paste wax of the paint only.

I deliberately apply this product not only to the paint, but also the plastic panels!

I use 303 protectant ONLY on rubber parts like the front door window trim, skylight frame, and weatherstripping.[/quote:15ab75b483]

Just picked up my '04 EX 4WD last tuesday, and washed it Sat. I used the same product, Eagle one's wax as you dry. Worked great, left the paint smooth as a baby's a$$, and the comp. panels clean and rich. Used a Chamois as well.............

has anyone found a good product to take wax residue off the body panels after waxing. I have white wax smudges on the corners of the panels after I wax and it won't come off with ANYTHING. what takes it off ??
thanks

:D

creamy peanut butter....supposedly.
apply liberally like you're polishing your panels and wash thoroughly before the creatures start gnawing away at your E.

supposedly the oil in the "creamy" part help break down the wax while the fine grit of the peanut butter help remove the wax entirely....or something in that order.

give it a shot...can't hurt to try on a small area.

Peanut butter really does work. I thought it was about the silliest thing I ever heard of, and I tried everything else first. Nothing worked, so I broke down and tried it. it takes the residue off quickly and it doesn't come back. It only takes a little dab.

Dave

Trust us who've already been there. I didn't believe it either. Check out the past posts on this topic in search. Just a little dab on your finger and rub,rinse with a damp sponge. IT WORKS, I did it. 8)

USE THE MAGIC ERASER BY MISTER CLEAN, IT WORKS GREAT.

Peanut butter sounds a whole lot cheaper haha

http://www.elementownersclub.com/uploads/files/jif-e.jpg

Oil. Some say Olive Oil works as good as the Peanut Butter. Would lead me to think it is the oil in the peanut butter that might be working. Thus, You might be able to use Peanut Oil as well. Heck, if you are in a bind and don't have peanut butter on hand try any vegitable oil. Whether butter or oil, I would do this. Get a small bottle of the oil or some peanut butter, and a rag to apply it. Dampen a rag with DAWN or other grease cutting dish soap and another with clean water. Wipe the area with the oil or peanut butter and remove the wax. Wipe down with the soapy rag and clean thouroughly to remove the remaining oil. Then wipe down with the water to get the soap off and then dry.

how do you get the peanut butter off? shouns to me like the old lady that swallowed the fly....

As I said in my post, I would clean off the oil or peanut butter by washing the area with DAWN dish soap. Dawn is formulated to cut oil and grease. Then rinse the area off with water to remove the detergent. You might use dampened rags or sponges to apply the soap and water etc. so that you don't effect the other areas that you just washed and waxed.

Also, while the peanut butter might act more like a mild abrasive I would just use oil. A sponge or a terry wash rag would probably provide a sufficient amount of abrasiveness to remove the wax residue. Then all you have to do is wash off the oil. You don't have to worry about the pasty nature of the peanut butter. Not that that would be a problem. I have never done it so I don't know if the peanut butter might just come right off by wiping it.

Olive oil and a paper towel has worked just fine for me to remove the white splotches. I do it before washing the Element, then NEVER again use a wax that leaves that residue.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING IF YOU DON'T BUY THE MAJIC ERASER. IT ALSO TAKES OUT SCUF MARKS . YOU GET 4 ERASERS IN THE SUPER MARKET FOR $4.00 .

Just remember magic eraser IS AN ABRASIVE.
I was working on a bit of tree sap on the roof of my wife's Accord with that and noticed I quickly ate through the clearcoat and some paint. OOPs!
Luckily my wife is short and will hopefully not notice. :oops:

I will NOT use the eraser on paint. It MIGHT be ok n the panels, but if olive oil does the job....why use anything more AGGRESIVE?

how do you get the peanut butter off?
My dog loves peanut butter!! :D

8)

My late summer cleaning I thought came out great. Then later that week I noticed that the wax had gotten along all the edgesof the metal and plastic panels....even though I tried my hardest to avoid the plastic.

Well it got cold fast and have not washed it by hand since October. I have run it through a brushless wash and has yet to come off.

Once it warms up what do you recommend to loosen the old wax residue and get the white marks off the panels? Any suggestions?


Oh, the wax was Maguires Gold...in a bottle form.

...........

lol, fairly new to this forum, so to be honest, I dont know if you are serious, or not :-D

No, actually some swear by good ole' plain peanut butter. You might click the search link above and look for "wax"... there are lots of other good products out there too.

LEGO

Hey,

Yes, Lego is giving you the best thing for the panels; PEANUT BUTTER. Something about the oil in it cleans those messes right up.

Thx,
Phil

has anyone tried peanut oil?

i use tire foam and a fresh new towel little elbow grease and BAMN no more wax on panels

any oil will do.

i use plain kitchen vegetable oil, canola.

just pour a bit on a paper towel and rub the wax right off the plastic

Thanks for the tips guys. Lets hope that by the time it warms up it isnt scared permanently.

The "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser" also works well to take off wax.

Olive oil also works very well.
I used "regular" wax once before switching to Eagle One, which is the only reason I happen to know........

So after you get the white out with the oil you......?

So after you get the white out with the oil you......?

you wash the car normally, switch to Eagle One wax as you dry, and swear to never EVER use "wax" again...........

baby shampoo works. a company buy the name of Pro wax makes a wax for plastic. you can find them at prowax.com. The wax is called Cherry wax. I swear by it.

Hey, I've used M.E.K. Some pretty serious stuff, but didn't overdull the finish and didn't leave a "blank spot" where the wax was. Just lay off of lighting up a cigarette right after.

Hey, I've used M.E.K. Some pretty serious stuff, but didn't overdull the finish and didn't leave a "blank spot" where the wax was. Just lay off of lighting up a cigarette right after.

Lets me think.....choose between a HIGHLY carcinogenic MEK solvent, or olive oil? For some reason I think I will stick with olive oil..........

I have to confirm the effectiveness of peanut butter. I removed a big splotch of wax of both my rear panels. i applied a thin layer of peanut butter (creamy variety) and then wiped it off with paper towels. no more wax, no peanut butter stains. it's like a minor cleanign miracle. :grin:

what about something like goo gone?

what about something like goo gone?

Why?

And why do people keep insisting on making this so much harder than it is? Odds are pretty good that most people have olive oil or peanut butter around the house and those are probably about as non-toxic as you can get.

I bet pouring gasoline over it and dropping a match would probably get rid of the wax too, but..........

I bet pouring gasoline over it and dropping a match would probably get rid of the wax too, but..........

LOL. Cool, burn that wax off like a candle.

Peanut butter.......what doesn't remove the wax...you can lick off as a meal

any issues with spoiling of oil or stray peanut butter patch that you didn't wipe off? like, if you use vegie oil to wipe off the wax spot, and then you wipe the area "clean" with a rag instead of washing the car, would the remnants of the oil spoil and cause odors, etc? just curious.

so, like, any cooking oil or creamy-variety peanut butter should remove waxy patches. will try it this weekend :)

will

i tried the peanut butter this weekend

worked liek a charm

:)

i tried the peanut butter this weekend

worked liek a charm

:)
Did you use "chunky" or "smooth" PB? :-D

i tried the peanut butter this weekend

worked liek a charm

:)

How long had the wax stains been on there? Mine have been like 5 months now...long winter!

Also, is this like the chicken or the egg? If I wash my car then wax, then use peanute butter, do I need to wash it again? Makes me wonder how do I wax it if its damn near impossible not to get the wax on the panels, then have to clean the panels to get the wax and of but then clean everything again to get the PB off?????

Or is there something else I can use as a "plastic panel wax" to clean the panels and remove regular wax....sort of my last step in the cleaning???

How long had the wax stains been on there? Mine have been like 5 months now...long winter!

Also, is this like the chicken or the egg? If I wash my car then wax, then use peanute butter, do I need to wash it again? Makes me wonder how do I wax it if its damn near impossible not to get the wax on the panels, then have to clean the panels to get the wax and of but then clean everything again to get the PB off?????

Or is there something else I can use as a "plastic panel wax" to clean the panels and remove regular wax....sort of my last step in the cleaning???
I kinda was wondering the same thing...I wanted to do the PB treatment tonight, but am wondering how to clean the PB off...do I just wipe clean w/ a wet towell? Or...I know this is probably a dumb question for those that have done this before, but help me out puhleez!! :?

How long had the wax stains been on there? Mine have been like 5 months now...long winter!

Also, is this like the chicken or the egg? If I wash my car then wax, then use peanute butter, do I need to wash it again? Makes me wonder how do I wax it if its damn near impossible not to get the wax on the panels, then have to clean the panels to get the wax and of but then clean everything again to get the PB off?????

Or is there something else I can use as a "plastic panel wax" to clean the panels and remove regular wax....sort of my last step in the cleaning???

Mine were on roughly 5 months ish and thru the harsh winter

I just used the peanut butter with a new wax applicator and a fresh clean rag to "wipe it into the spot" than wiped back and forth till it was all gone
i think using a wet towel would void the whole peanut butter thing lol

pushing 3 days... and still no wax stains coming back!

Just catching up on this peanut butter thing. I know it's a wonderful cure for removing chewing gum in the hair. Has anyone come up with a particular brand that works better than others? I'm thinkin' crunchy wouldn't be so good. :grin:

Olive Oil works too to remove the spots. Which might avoid all the neighborhood dogs making a chew toy out of your element with peanut butter flavored plastic cladding.

I have tried Popeye yet, to see if he works too.....

Let me toss in my vote for plain ol' store-brand vegetable oil. Had some stains of various age yesterday. Now they are gone. Used a thin rag. Some older wax marks needed a little elbow grease.

And the oil doesn't smear up the plastic that much. I even hit a couple spots after I'd washed and dried and then did those with Eagle One to even out the oily spot and it looks great. Just put the oil on the rag, not on the car.

what about something like goo gone?
Goo Gone is not good for plastics, it will dissolve plastics.
I tried clean window pannels(black trim around window-Exterior) with Goo Gone & it dissolved and ruined my pannel.
But it is good for removal any white paint that you got from new painted rooad.

I don't know if this has been suggested in other posts, but I've tried it once since I thought of it and it worked beautifully so I thought I'd share. My apologies if you've heard it all before!

I got really sick of the white marks showing up after waxing, no matter how careful I was. I wanted to keep the wax off the plastic altogether, rather than figure out how to get it off, so I went to Home Depot and bought some of that blue painter's tape. It's that lightweight masking-type tape that's not overly sticky, seen regularly on interior design TV shows. I bought the widest roll they had: 3". Then, once my E was clean and dry, I taped along the edge of all the plastic cladding and waxed to my heart's content. The tape peeled off very quickly and easily, and almost a week later, no white streaks anywhere! Sure, it added 20 or so minutes to the process, but waxing without fear of touching the plastic was definitely worth it for me.

I know the long loved tradition of putting peanut butter on the car is what people tend to go with. I prefer my peanut butter with jelly on bread, and not on my car so I searched for new methods that would get the wax off the bumper and other black plastic.

Enter the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (or cheap Target version that I buy). All I had to do was wet it a little and scrub the areas where the wax was. It left the plastic alone and the wax came off. I did notice that there was a fine white powder left from the wax which wiped off with a wet towel. After I applied some F21 protectant and the panels looked better than new.

Please note, I haven't done this a lot so I don't know if the abrasiveness of the sponge will do anything over time, so try to use it sparingly. I also used the sponge on the windshield with excellent results. I'm staying away from paint right now as I don't know if it will scratch things.

Mineral oil on a sponge also works well....

I have never tried that. Does it work on natural and synthetic?

I just get really close with a pressure washer and blast all that crap out. Stupid dealer decided to wax my car/panels before I picked it up and left that stuff on there. Morons.

I'll stick to my peanut butter. :)

Dawn dishwashing liquid, in warm water, will do the trick as well.

Peanut butter? Are you serious? LOL

But really, the best wax removing can be had simply using APC like Meguiars APC+ and scrubbing with a short bristle brush. It'll get rid of it real quick.

P21S carnuba wax leaves no residue, I love the stuff. I concoured my 1980 911SC Porsche and thought it gave the best shine and easy to use, wipe on, wipe off. I'm using it for the first time on my "new to me" 07 Element. It's a little pricey, but worth it.

I'm sticking with good-ole peanut butter. I had 4 years of wax spots on my 03 E (some from me, a few from the dealer prep) I used less than a tablespoon of creamy PB and an old toothbrush to clean it all up.


It was cheap and easy.

I too was in a hurry to was my Element one day and got some wax on the panels and some of it is STILL visible even after many washings since the waxing (on a side note, it does lend support to the durability of Meguiar's waxes :razz:).

What I found worked nice was taking a roll of painter's masking tape (usually it's green in colour) in a width that would protect the plastic panels far enough down for the waxing method you choose and masking off the edge of any plastic panel close to where you are waxing.

Depending on the model of your Element and whether or not it has a lot of painted panels will determine how much masking you have to do. The first time will seem awkward but after a few waxing sessions you will be able to mask it off like a professional painter in no time. Eventually it will be a cakewalk to do all necessary panels and will soon become a quick and choreographed part of your waxing routine. When you look at it time-wise in comparison to having to go back and clean all the wax from the panels with a cleaner and a brush, you'll wonder why you ever bothered to NOT mask it off from the beginning.

FYI...good professional detailers mask off textured plastic panels or any other parts of a car which are not receptive to wax.

I used the PB method this past weekend - I was very impressed on its effectiveness.

I had wax marks on there for more than 18 months. Gone.

Kinda funny to sniff your car and smell peanut butter on it. :D

I used the PB method this past weekend - I was very impressed on its effectiveness.

I had wax marks on there for more than 18 months. Gone.

Kinda funny to sniff your car and smell peanut butter on it. :D

Just make sure you got all the PB off, and out of seams. Any residue will soak up brake and road dust, turn into a black cement and is a booger to remove.. :twisted:

I think that Goo-Gone is a great adhesive/wax/pitch solvent. Actually, my first stripper of choice for plastic is kerosene, followed by goo-gone and then dawn dishwashing soap and then lots of regular soap and water. Basically, most plastics are hydroPHOBIC and anything like that really sticks/adheres. So, petroleum waxes and E's black plastics are like-like. Messy. The sequence I have above moves from hydrophobic (oil soluble) to hydrophylic (water soluble) and so, represents a success wash cycle toward water wash. Natural bristle or plastic bristle brushes and scrubbing to mechanically aid the plastic cleaning help. for sure, like all 'dishwashing' activities. Has anyone worked with a pressure washer to remove each step of cleaning/stripping of the plastic? I use a 2600 PSI one for each step of washing and waxing vehicles. Pounds the wax into the irregularities of paint/clearcoat surface and saves your hands. Masking the plastic when waxing the painted metal is a great preventive medicine time/work/effort saver, too. Better living through collective knowledge and CHEMISTRY!

Peanut butter? Are you serious? LOL




Yes, Peanut Butter (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45976&highlight=Peanut+butter) !

Dom

I tried it with canola oil on Sunday, and it had worked out perfectly. I followed that treatment up with a spray on of Aerospace 303. Looks like the day I got it from the dealer. Thanks for the tip!

Kyle

I only use and have always used #303 on my 06 E works great and my plastic looks like the first day.
Try the clay bar system from "Mothers" and you'll have the clean you forgot your paint had.

I know the long loved tradition of putting peanut butter on the car is what people tend to go with. I prefer my peanut butter with jelly on bread, and not on my car so I searched for new methods that would get the wax off the bumper and other black plastic.

Enter the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (or cheap Target version that I buy). All I had to do was wet it a little and scrub the areas where the wax was. It left the plastic alone and the wax came off. I did notice that there was a fine white powder left from the wax which wiped off with a wet towel. After I applied some F21 protectant and the panels looked better than new.

Please note, I haven't done this a lot so I don't know if the abrasiveness of the sponge will do anything over time, so try to use it sparingly. I also used the sponge on the windshield with excellent results. I'm staying away from paint right now as I don't know if it will scratch things.

I foolishly, without thinking, sprayed some stupid wax on the panels thinking it would be fine...well, I can't get it off. I have sprayed the hell out of it with a pressure washer and soap and no dice. What is this Mr. Clean Magic Eraser stuff and does it really work?

I think that Goo-Gone is a great adhesive/wax/pitch solvent. Actually, my first stripper of choice for plastic is kerosene, followed by goo-gone and then dawn dishwashing soap and then lots of regular soap and water. Basically, most plastics are hydroPHOBIC and anything like that really sticks/adheres. So, petroleum waxes and E's black plastics are like-like. Messy. The sequence I have above moves from hydrophobic (oil soluble) to hydrophylic (water soluble) and so, represents a success wash cycle toward water wash. Natural bristle or plastic bristle brushes and scrubbing to mechanically aid the plastic cleaning help. for sure, like all 'dishwashing' activities. Has anyone worked with a pressure washer to remove each step of cleaning/stripping of the plastic? I use a 2600 PSI one for each step of washing and waxing vehicles. Pounds the wax into the irregularities of paint/clearcoat surface and saves your hands. Masking the plastic when waxing the painted metal is a great preventive medicine time/work/effort saver, too. Better living through collective knowledge and CHEMISTRY!

I was wondering, are you sure that goo-gone and especially kerosene, are not too abrasive for the panels? Have you tried it?

I foolishly, without thinking, sprayed some stupid wax on the panels thinking it would be fine...well, I can't get it off. I have sprayed the hell out of it with a pressure washer and soap and no dice. What is this Mr. Clean Magic Eraser stuff and does it really work?

Use peanut butter already.

Just used the magic eraser again and it worked pretty well. I decided to try some interior stuff on the outside and used the Black Magic Anti Stat detailer. It works really nice on the interior (shiny but not too shiny) and it worked great on the plastic. One benefit is the anti stat keeps the pollen off (at least for now).

I've had wax on the edges of my E's panels for 4 years, and after rubbing and rubbing it wouldn't come off. After reading through this thread about using peanut butter....I tried it. The wax magically disappeared and after applying some 303, everything looks new as the day I brought it home. Now I've got a craving for some chocolate.

I need make any of all this tips thanks

I've had wax on the edges of my E's panels for 4 years, and after rubbing and rubbing it wouldn't come off. After reading through this thread about using peanut butter....I tried it. The wax magically disappeared and after applying some 303, everything looks new as the day I brought it home. Now I've got a craving for some chocolate.
What is 303???

What is 303???

303 Aerospace protectant.
http://www.autogeek.net/303aerprot.html

I have found using a detailing brush with firm bristles works well, it got every spec of dried wax off of my rocker panels! Plus it is great for getting in the cracks and since its a brush it won't leave residue or anything like that!

I decided to wax the whole Element with the Ice paste wax, last time I just waxed the paint. I waxed on/off and noticed the next day all the plastic panels were a white swirly mess. I can take my finger nail and scrap off it unlike other types of wax. I'm hoping there is another solution besides PB because that's a lot of PB, any ideas?

I decided to wax the whole Element with the Ice paste wax, last time I just waxed the paint. I waxed on/off and noticed the next day all the plastic panels were a white swirly mess. I can take my finger nail and scrap off it unlike other types of wax. I'm hoping there is another solution besides PB because that's a lot of PB, any ideas?

Being someone who has used Ice paste on my panels a few times,it sounds as though you left the paste on the panels too long and it had dried into the plastic.I would recommend reapplying a few fresh even coats of Ice paste on each of those panels.Oh and I've found that I would get the best results by only working on one area/panel at a time.
Good Luck.:-)

I waxed my E the other day and got some wax on the edges of the plastic panels and it wont come off!! ive tried to clean it up with armorall and goo gone, and it doesnt work! what can i do to get it off!!??

Threads Merged.


In all the years i have been here peanut butter has been the most common answer for getting wax off panels.

i was out of pb....used veg oil, worked great. we will see how it looks in a few days. thanks guys

.....also saw a post that someone used veg oil and it got sticky....so i washed the e with dawn to remove all oil residue.

What you have to do is "Activate" the old residue. There are a few products out there you can use that will assist in this, but most of all you want to get a soft bristled brush (not hard bristled, but those washing brush heads that come on a pole, where you can remove the pole, they'll have ends split and feather to make the tips softer, they call this "Flagging").. Something similar to this type of bristle pattern: http://www.hardwareworld.com/Deluxe-Wash-Brush-9-inches-pKZR1J6.aspx Don't use boars hair, over time it'll get too soft when you wash the car and/or for this application I wouldn't recommend it, the poly bristles (remember, flagged at the tips to make them soft) are the way to go. Incidentally, you can wash your whole car with these in hand, they work great and they get into all the knooks and crannies, inside the windows, around mirrors, tires, wheels, lights, grills, etc... also, they don't PUSH the dirt into the car, they lift it, the long bristles give them great reach.. just put one in each hand and go over the car..

Methods:

1. Use Klasse All In One treatment (Red bottle), you can use a slight amount of it and brush it on with the brush and work it in, or you can use a microfibre cloth, keep working it in, it's a cleaner/solvent, it'll work wonders, then tip your brush in a warm bucket of soapy water and wash it all off, spray it down.. should take it off. When you use the Klasse it'll look like you're going to stain it all over again, you won't, just keep working it in and let it penetrate the old stuff.

2. Kerosene may take it off, don't worry, it won't hurt the paint or damage the panels, work it in with the soft brush in a circular motion, follow up with cleaning it with regular car washing suds in a bucket of HOT water (not boiling hot, hot tap water)..

3. In the future use the turtlewax Ice (Clear bottle, liquid) to brighten up the panels, it won't hurt the plastic and you won't get any of it to turn white, it's great stuff, I've liberally applied it to my 2010 bumpers and rocker panels, no problem.. it protects as well as seals. I put it in a spray bottle and just use it the same way I'd use Armour All or some other treatment (like Klasse Interior, or F21 (which I think is better than Armour All)).

4. For the upper panels on the car (or ALL of the plastic, if you want to go for bonus), instead of the TurtleWax Ice use Klasse Interior/exterior treatment, if you can get the Klasse VLR where you're at, even better...(VLR is a solvent/oily base, not like nonfat milk like the new formula, don't worry, neither will stain the plastic either).. Either one you get, apply it with a microfiber wax pad (you can get them at Kragen's or any auto store, real cheap)... On the Roof, use your index finger to follow the line down between the plastic and the roof, so you don't go over onto the paint (it won't hurt paint and wipes off easily).. open the doors and suicide door so you can get under it as well. The Klasse Interior Treatment is the best product I've ever used, it won't dry greasy and you don't have to buff it down, great stuff. You can use it on the entire interior, vinyl, plastic, dash, Leather (if you have leather in other cars), everything... has a uv protectant and isn't "Greasy".. it's bizarre stuff, truly different. If you can get the VLR it also makes your car always have that "new smell".. When you use it on the interior, DON'T use a polyester or Microfibre cloth to buff it down, just use a non linting old plush towel, like an old dish towel (black if you can get it, make sure it's been washed numerous times and it doesn't lint).. If you wipe it down with a microfibre towel it generates static electricity and just attracts more dust than anything, if you must use microfiber, use a hard WRUNG out microfiber cloth, when it's damp it won't generate the static.. wring it out good though, it'll level set the treatment onto the interior, it won't wipe it off.

(No, I don't work for Klasse, I've just used their products for years on my BMW, Mercedes and now my Element, it's truly the best stuff out there.. it's a bit expensive, but well worth the money if you really want to protect your investment)..

-MH

sure seems like Peanut butter is a whole lot easier. (olive oil works also.)

What you have to do is "Activate" the old residue. There are a few products out there you can use that will assist in this, but most of all you want to get a soft bristled brush (not hard bristled, but those washing brush heads that come on a pole, where you can remove the pole, they'll have ends split and feather to make the tips softer, they call this "Flagging").. Something similar to this type of bristle pattern: http://www.hardwareworld.com/Deluxe-Wash-Brush-9-inches-pKZR1J6.aspx Don't use boars hair, over time it'll get too soft when you wash the car and/or for this application I wouldn't recommend it, the poly bristles (remember, flagged at the tips to make them soft) are the way to go. Incidentally, you can wash your whole car with these in hand, they work great and they get into all the knooks and crannies, inside the windows, around mirrors, tires, wheels, lights, grills, etc... also, they don't PUSH the dirt into the car, they lift it, the long bristles give them great reach.. just put one in each hand and go over the car..

Methods:

1. Use Klasse All In One treatment (Red bottle), you can use a slight amount of it and brush it on with the brush and work it in, or you can use a microfibre cloth, keep working it in, it's a cleaner/solvent, it'll work wonders, then tip your brush in a warm bucket of soapy water and wash it all off, spray it down.. should take it off. When you use the Klasse it'll look like you're going to stain it all over again, you won't, just keep working it in and let it penetrate the old stuff.

2. Kerosene may take it off, don't worry, it won't hurt the paint or damage the panels, work it in with the soft brush in a circular motion, follow up with cleaning it with regular car washing suds in a bucket of HOT water (not boiling hot, hot tap water)..

3. In the future use the turtlewax Ice (Clear bottle, liquid) to brighten up the panels, it won't hurt the plastic and you won't get any of it to turn white, it's great stuff, I've liberally applied it to my 2010 bumpers and rocker panels, no problem.. it protects as well as seals. I put it in a spray bottle and just use it the same way I'd use Armour All or some other treatment (like Klasse Interior, or F21 (which I think is better than Armour All)).

4. For the upper panels on the car (or ALL of the plastic, if you want to go for bonus), instead of the TurtleWax Ice use Klasse Interior/exterior treatment, if you can get the Klasse VLR where you're at, even better...(VLR is a solvent/oily base, not like nonfat milk like the new formula, don't worry, neither will stain the plastic either).. Either one you get, apply it with a microfiber wax pad (you can get them at Kragen's or any auto store, real cheap)... On the Roof, use your index finger to follow the line down between the plastic and the roof, so you don't go over onto the paint (it won't hurt paint and wipes off easily).. open the doors and suicide door so you can get under it as well. The Klasse Interior Treatment is the best product I've ever used, it won't dry greasy and you don't have to buff it down, great stuff. You can use it on the entire interior, vinyl, plastic, dash, Leather (if you have leather in other cars), everything... has a uv protectant and isn't "Greasy".. it's bizarre stuff, truly different. If you can get the VLR it also makes your car always have that "new smell".. When you use it on the interior, DON'T use a polyester or Microfibre cloth to buff it down, just use a non linting old plush towel, like an old dish towel (black if you can get it, make sure it's been washed numerous times and it doesn't lint).. If you wipe it down with a microfibre towel it generates static electricity and just attracts more dust than anything, if you must use microfiber, use a hard WRUNG out microfiber cloth, when it's damp it won't generate the static.. wring it out good though, it'll level set the treatment onto the interior, it won't wipe it off.

(No, I don't work for Klasse, I've just used their products for years on my BMW, Mercedes and now my Element, it's truly the best stuff out there.. it's a bit expensive, but well worth the money if you really want to protect your investment)..

-MH

sure seems like Peanut butter is a whole lot easier. (olive oil works also.)

I'll have to try that sometime (if I don't eat it first) :-)

Another product that should be in the arsenal of every car detailer (That would work as well) is 3M adhesive remover, this is so multipurpose it goes beyond saying (removing old wax, bugs, wax residue on panels, old decal glue, rubber oxidation)...

http://www.autogeek.net/3m-adhesive-remover-32.html

after the first application of a "wax" on my '03 element(original owner), and having to remove the residue off the panels with olive oil, I have used a combo of Eagle One "wax as you dry" an E1 "Nanowax" spray. I have never had a problem with residue since going to E1, and in fact it seems good for the plastic, and its an '03 that still looks like new, other than the parking lot door dings. And its REALLY easy to apply E1. But if you need to make if more difficult than that....go for it. :-)

I recently used Mr Clean Magic Eraser as suggested earlier in this thread. It worked great and was very easy to use. I purchased a box of 4 at Walmart for $3.47. Thanks to all who have suggested it for the recommendation.

I recently used Mr Clean Magic Eraser as suggested earlier in this thread. It worked great and was very easy to use. I purchased a box of 4 at Walmart for $3.47. Thanks to all who have suggested it for the recommendation.Since you basically lightly sanded the wax off, I'm sure it did work great.:shock: Be careful using those on your vehicle, as they are abrasive and can/have been known to cause damage.

I use "Back to Black"....when I get wax on a plastic pannel. Available about everywhere. Cheap. It's also a good idea to take about a 2" paint brush, cut about 1/2 the bristles off, then use that along edges to get wax out.

I use "Back to Black"....when I get wax on a plastic pannel..

+1...worked fine for me. Several here liked peanut butter more....and so did my dog :grin:

I just bought a 2006 E from a dealer who had obviously worked hard to make the plastic panels look salable with poor results. I figured that for less than a grand I could buy replacement panels, so I didn't care much how they looked. I saw a post here about Mr Clean Magic Eraser, and gave it a try. Wow! It's fast, it seemed to remove five years worth of armorall in 2 or 3 wipes. The little sponges get black very quickly. I had a bucket of water to rinse them out on hand. I did the front clip in less than ten minutes. I then applied 303. The results are amazing! It truly looks brand new. All of the discoloration is gone. All of the water stains are gone. They look perfect! I hope it lasts. I'll post again in a month or so with the answer.

I agree with the previous posts: Take care around your paint with these. I don't know from personal experience.