Waxing car and messing up black trim
 

I've always had this problem. I wax the car and I try hard to keep the wax from getting on the trim around the windows and whatnot, but some wax always gets on. The wax dries, then you wipe if off and you have a light grey/white smear on the black trim that is always there.

It's so hard to avoid doing it. Any of you have the same problem? or is there a product that you use that can restore the black trim to its full perfect blackness?

There is some stuff at pep boys or autozone....

I forgot the name it may be back to black but it's probably not.

Just look and you'll find it.

You may try to find a wax that doesn't stain trim. Otherwise, the best way to avoid the problem is to get some 3M painters tape and tape everything off. It might be a pain, but those extra few minutes you spend saves you the time fixing stained trim.

Try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or Eagle One's A to Z wheel cleaner (don't get it on the paint) to fix your trim though. I've also heard people using peanut butter. :shrug:

-Dacali

Didn't know there was a wax that didn't stain trim. I will look for that. I'm using a bottle of Formula 2001 from like 10 years ago.

I just got some magic erasers. I'll try that on the other car that has the stained trim.

Taping would be a pain, but like you said better than making a mess.

peanut butter doesnt work to well I tried it, it faded it away for a few days but came back

all peanut butter does is oil it up so you cant see it. You need a trim detailer that advertises removing dried wax. Mothers Back to Black does and ok job, but my trim looked like crap a few days later. I use Meguiars Trim Detailer myself, i think it works better.

if i get wax on the plastic trim i hit it with a clay bar immediately. if it doesn't come off, then use trim restorer.

to avoid this in the future...dress the trim before you wax with a vinyl product you would use for interior. you should dress your exterior trim every time you wash your car to avoid it fading, dressing it will allow you to wipe of the wax right off

I have had regular Armor All remove wax from moulding with some elbow grease.

i second this.

as he said, you've to wipe it really haaaaard until all the white wax goes off...

In my opinion, if you are going for a perfect wash/wax, thats the best thing to do. I cover the plastic trims up with some 3M painters tape, wax the body, than line the sides of the trim up with 3M so as to not get the freshly waxed paint dirty, and hit the trim up with Meguiars Royal Purple Tire Shine. It may sound OCD, but it comes out looking better than from the factory!

I used Back to Black on all my trim and it was amazing. After only an hour of coating and recoating a couple times it looked great...

... then I brought my car to the dealer to get some things done that they owed me, including a full detail... and they messed it up so bad my trim was white from the wax.

Another couple hours spent on it and it looks awesome again.