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Old Chrome cleaning

Started by chazchuzzlewitt, 15 May 2006, 08:24 AM

chazchuzzlewitt

anyone got any secrets for getting old scratched chrome trim cleaned up a bit nicer? some of mine comes up looking almost new just using a bit of metal polish where other bits have faired badly.

oscar

Hey Chaz,

Which bits are you trying to clean up?  There's two types of shiny bits which before I joined this forum, I thought was all chrome. 
Basically, bumpers and grill are chrome.  But the surrounds of windows, pillars, gutters are anodized aluminium.

For chrome I use Autosol

For anodized aluminium, DON'T use autosol or similar. (Even though I have in the past, a few here and the manufacturer says no)   There's suggestions from steel wool to acid cleaners which I recently used which did bugger all. 
Alushine was my latest product.  All it contains is watered down rust converter, ie phosphoric acid.  I only hesitantly tested a small spot.  The best result I've had is with car polish on this stuff. I'm yet to find a method of removing completely the blemishes off the aluminium.

Keep in mind that all the above is for polishing and removing stains, not to remove scratches. All I can say is clean scratches look better than dirty ones.

Here's two links of similar threads.  Search the forum, I thought there was more.
Chrome
Anodized Aluminium
1973 350SE, my first & fave

chazchuzzlewitt

I was mainly trying to get the rear boot-lid piece to improve- that seems to have faired the worst out of everything on the car with scratches and bothers me a bit! I tried metal polish/brasso etc on the chrome + trim, but WD40 seems to have done the best job cleaning everything!

Des

Ever seen the TV show mythbusters?

They once tested all these different myths about Coke a Cola, apparently makes a good crome cleaner for the bumper on your car.

never tried it myself.


oscar

Mythbusters' a great show.  Didn't see the coke episode.  Did they try it on duco of a car.  I always thought coke eats car paint.  Another myth perhaps.

I'm amazed wd40 worked.  If I didn't say it before, ordinary car polish gave me the best results on anodised aluminium.

Chaz, is that chrome piece you speak of pitted at all.  I had a bumper piece that no matter what I did I couldn't remove these tiny tiny dots until I realised they were little divots.  Only occured in one spot.  If it's scratches your combating, all you can do is try and clean the scratches out with metal polish but using the finest of applicators or brush.  Fine cloth perhaps? I'm not sure what I'd use but I reckon you'd have to physically remove the discolouring within the scratches.  Maybe high pressure water on the area.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Des

It was on the front bumper of a F100 pickup or something like that, seemed to work quite well.


jjccp

Thanks for the tip. I just tried WD 40 on the metal around my windows and it really shined up. A very light coat only took a couple of minutes.

Great info!

Jim
1977 280 SE
1978 San Juan 23
1979 6.9 #6846

BAR

I've tried many of the products commercially available as polishes.  There is a new product from Maguires that is supposed to be great....

NXT GenerationĂ¢,,¢ All Metal Polysh cleans, polishes, and protects all wheels, stainless steel exhausts, chrome air intakes and valve covers, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, and all other bright work components. Meguiar's Microscopic Diminishing Abrasive Technology (MDAT) removes built-up oxidation, tarnishing, and staining faster and safer than traditional harsh abrasives. Anti-corrosive technology locks in the shine.

The friendly chap on their help desk suggested that one would be sure that it's working well when, during the application of polish and rubbing of the aluminium, one notices a black film building up.  This is an indication that it is actually polishing the metal.  If not, then nothing's happening!