I wanted to clean up some tan trim bits that I just bought that had some scuffs. I started scrubbing with high concentration of Dawn and a medium bristle brush. No go. Then an 'orange power' spray cleaner.

The orange cleaner got the scuffs out but left a really bad white haze all over. I know from experience this is an issue with lots of cleaners on MB vinyl pieces.

I scrubbed it with Dawn and then tried 50/50 vinegar and water. A bit of improvement. I then wiped it with 102 Aerospace cleaner, a little better.

I got most of it off, but the areas where I scrubbed the hardest are still white.

Any suggestions to get the white off the vinyl?

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Simple Green, or paint thinner might work....

I would steer clear from the paint thinner.

Are you sure it is a covering of white stuff on top of the vinyl? Have you managed to discolour the vinyl by using an aggressive cleaner?

Eastwoods sell vinyl repair stuff

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

If it is dry and chalky it's oxidation. I have used peanut butter and/or mayonnaise to moisturize the trim pieces bringing them back to a blacker semigloss look. Lasts about 3months. Or try 'back to black'.

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1982 240D 313,000 (4 speed)
1984 300CD 172,483
1985 German Shepherd Dog -Lacey- R.I.P.11/04/05

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs

I agree with the Back to Black suggestion. That stuff works wonders.

Does "Back to Black" also work on items such as graying door handles etc.?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Nope back to black makes things black!

If you are trying to remedy a problem with the vinyl interior (such as the subject of this thread) and the interior is not black then back to black is not a good thing to use

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Agree. Simple Green will also discolor the tan plastic trim pieces, things the same material as the door panel pockets and kick panels (I learned the hard way). Vinylex or Aerospace has worked best for me in the past. But as for myself I might try putting some mayonnaise on the white spotting on the pieces I damaged early on in my sedan. The discoloration also gets better over time, by the way.

Even using the same scrubbing brush you've rinsed out that you had Simple Green or any aggressive acidic or basic cleaner on it before is a bad idea. That will still discolor the tan pieces with the residual solution.

To clean out the grooves and crackling effect in the plastic or in the mb tex seats you can use a brush to get most of the cleaning work done mechanically, instead of chemically, so you won't have to use such an aggressive cleaner. It also takes waaaaaay less time. I use an OXO vegetable brush.

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1983 300TD 240k Thistle Green Auto (Euro) [sold]
1984 300D 240k Petrol Green Auto
——————————————————
"You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to have to learn how to deal with it."
"What? Were you saying something? Look, I don't speak Spanish."

I had considered paint thinner or paintbrush reconditioner, but like you say I got cold feet over whether it would eat the vinyl.

It is entirely possible I messed up the vinyl, though the fact I got some of it back to near normal gives me some encouragement. I did not think the orange cleaner was that aggressive....

It's a door pocket I am talking about, and when reinstalled the white isn't as noticeable as when I was looking at it straight on, off the car.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

try a hardryer on them, I have used it once or twice on a plastic item.

__________________
2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Armor all has worked for me.

I think the only option that will restore the colour is to buff it or sand it, remove the top layer and then it will shine again. I am thinking of a power ball foam thingy with plastic polish. I have the same problem on one door pocket, seems tan is the worst. It is dried out, but not chalky. Plastic polishes have come a long way in the last decade, they work pretty good on restoring colour to most finishes unless it is chalky, only sanding will work at that point (and change/smooth out the texture). Back to black was a gimmick at best, it is for cars that are not in poor shape. The tire slick that used car dealers love would probably work better, it is almost pure oil/silicone type of product, don't get it on the seat or pedals! I have tired lots of different combos including all the pro products, not much restores colour on plastic but hard work. Even a good car wax might work...it works wonders on headlight lenses.

I have had good luck with trim that has lost plasticizer with the Mequiars natural shine protectant. Back to black works, but can take a few coats if UV damaged, and I usually reserve it for outside trim. The sanding will certainly work if nothing else does, but dawn is actually a little strong of a detergent for old vinyl as is the orange stuff.

Dollars to doughnuts you stripped the surface plasticizer with the Dawn.

I would recommend against Armor-All (IRMV); and vehicles I have used it on either makes them shiny/slick, exacerbates the chalky problem, or gets weird if water gets on it later. (Again, I have had good luck with Meguiars in this regard.)

__________________
72% 1992 FJ80 + 17% 1983 OM617 + 10% 85/87/92 4Runner + *Eclipse/GMC = 100% Truck
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