Polishing plastic chrome

[GerryM75]

Hi all,

When I was washing my wagon last week I noticed that the chrome strip across the rear door had spots on it.
They didn't come off with the wash and look like regular spotting you get on old metal bumper cars. As I looked over the car it's also on the rear badge and passenger side door handles but the drivers side and front look fine. This is because the car sits in a carport with the back and passenger side slightly exposed to the weather.
Anyway, my question is can I use a regular metal polish on those parts and if so can anyone recommend a product they've used before?

 

[Forg]

My understanding is that a metal polish is a big no-no on plastic.
However are you sure it needs it? Plastic doesn't really oxidise in that way; have you tried something like getting a paper towel, absolutely saturating it, scrunching it up into a ball, and sticking it to the plastic so that the spots are soaked in just plain ol' water for 15 odd minutes?

Where are you ... Melbourne ... I still think it's worth a call or email to Car Care Products ... maybe they can afford to have good customer service because their products are very niche & probably relatively high-margin, but they're great at answering questions like this.

 

[shane_3800]

Autosol makes a plastic crhome polish. I'm going to have a guess that it's the start of it rising off the plastic.

 

[GerryM75]

Thanks for the replies.

Frog- I rubbed it really well with a microfibre cloth but it didn't move, so might try some paper.
Just to be clear, it's chromed plastic so is actual chrome, just much thinner than you find on an old car bumper or door handle.

Shane - Yep I saw that product so might order it through SCA. It's not actually lifting off, its just water stains from being exposed to the weather.

I'm usually pretty good with keeping it clean but have been a bit lazy being locked down and not actually driving anywhere so left it dirty probably longer than I should, so I think as a result it's just stained.
If you zoom in you'll see what I'm talking about:

 

[panhead]

Dry paper towel will produce swirl marks as will rubbing hard with a microfibre towel.

If it's water marks use a detailing spray and wipe with a microfibre towel.

If it's etching use a fine liquid polish and apply with a microfibre towel or applicator and buff with a microfibre towel.

If it's deep etching from not having the dust cleaned off it regularly than it's rooted.




.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Some light cutting compound on a cloth will make it look like new again.

 

[lmoengnr]

Try a clay bar after you wash the car.

 

[Big Red VF-SII Go-kart]

If you live near or on the coast, salt attack can cause a mottled appearance of chrome. On the front of cars with a lot of chrome trim, roadblast is another (cosmetic) irritation. I have long thought the chrome trim on the rear (boot or tailgate) is metal, not plastic. If it is salt attack it could potentially be just the start and ought to be treated either by aggressive removal (very find 1200g paper and polishing compound then finishing, followed by sealing.

 

[UTE042_NZ]

 

[GerryM75]

If you live near or on the coast, salt attack can cause a mottled appearance of chrome. On the front of cars with a lot of chrome trim, roadblast is another (cosmetic) irritation. I have long thought the chrome trim on the rear (boot or tailgate) is metal, not plastic. If it is salt attack it could potentially be just the start and ought to be treated either by aggressive removal (very find 1200g paper and polishing compound then finishing, followed by sealing.

I'm not near the coast so it's not salt, more just dirty water/rain stains and you may be right about the rear trim being metal - I'm probably making the assumption there's very little metal chrome on cars these days .
The same issue is on the door handle faces which are plastic chrome on the Calais, and the grille which is most definitely plastic.

Thanks UTE042 - If I can't get hold of the Autosol M1 I'll grab something like what you have above.