APC staining on plastic?

[evan.f_nz]

Today when I dusted down my dash and door panels I noticed a dirty patch on the door panel i must have missed. I grabbed my bottle of 10:1 apc, sprayed it on and the scrubbed it with a soft brush. After failing with this I tried the same method with apc 4:1. It seems now that it has stained the plastic in one are, removed most of the dirty patch but also left some as well.

Can apc 4:1 stain interior plastics and where did I go wrong? Pics to follow.

[Murr1525]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

Yes, a pic will be needed.

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

Here are the pics:

Door panel in question:


And some more shots of the area:






Its a little hard to see in the photos but the section I cleaned was directly below the darker patch and came up really well. The dark are seems to still be dirty and apc 4:1 and a gentle scrub wouldn't remove it. Then right above that there is an area that looks lighter than the rest of the panel, its almost as if the apc has stained it?

[Murr1525]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

So you brushed and scrubbed the entire panel the same way? And got those 3 different results?

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

yea just the part from the handle/arm rest down, the top section is vinyl. I did concentrate more on the dirty patch though when I saw that it wasn't coming up the same.

[Murr1525]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

Not sure why that one strip wouldnt come more clean.

Honestly, from the first pic, it looks like the entire panel isnt real clean, and the area by the slot, and by the dashboard indent look cleanest.

But you certainly need to use your own judgement, and if you think the panels look like the gray color is being removed, not cleaned, then definatley scale it back to 10:1, maybe 7~8:1, and finish that dirt patch off with some scrubbing.

I think a dressing will help even things back out, but if you feel the color is being removed, then certainly back off.

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

It does seem a little strange, the area immediately below the dirty patch started off the same, but came up good. I can't understand why the other bit wont clean off.

When I discovered the color was changing I stopped using 4:1 right away.

I too thought maybe the rest of the panel wasn't the cleanest but when I look really close I can't see any dirt in the texture. Also if it is dirty and apc wont clean it up, what do I do then?

All those photos were taken after I applied natural shine, and it didn't help at all to even it out, this was what I was hoping as well.

I also wouldn't have thought plastic like that would stain, vinyl I can understand and is the reason I have never used 4:1 on it.

[Murr1525]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

I can definatley pick out a spot or two in my door panaels that arent as even... You notice in the V of the dashboard indent doesnt look right either in the pic, and kind of the rim of the door panel. Not sure if it is that way in person, or a camera trick.

But that one blacker line is certainly making it look worse.

Do you think you can go back to 10:1, with a toothbrush, MF cloth, and focus on that black area? Do you know if anything rubs against that area, something you wear?

The way that rim looks clean also.... just makes me wonder. Like nothing would rub against it, so maybe it is the real color?

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

will have to check another time, its too dark outside to see now and my car going into the panel shop 1st thing tomorrow, but I can see what you mean in the pic will have to see if it is in fact like that.

Yea I will try again once I get the car back if I can get it off using the technique you suggested, its really annoying me now cos it actually looks worse than when I started.

Thank you for all your help, I will follow your advice and hopefully it all works out. I'll let you know how I get on.

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

I can definatley pick out a spot or two in my door panaels that arent as even... You notice in the V of the dashboard indent doesnt look right either in the pic, and kind of the rim of the door panel. Not sure if it is that way in person, or a camera trick.

But that one blacker line is certainly making it look worse.

Do you think you can go back to 10:1, with a toothbrush, MF cloth, and focus on that black area? Do you know if anything rubs against that area, something you wear?

The way that rim looks clean also.... just makes me wonder. Like nothing would rub against it, so maybe it is the real color?

You mean the edge of the panel where it curves round to meet the door on the LH side? That's definitely a camera trick, that's the exact color as the front face of the panel.

[Murr1525]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

Its wierd.. a spot looks clean from one angle, dirty from another, and lightened from another.... Getting that dirt out mildly would be my first goal.

I still would not be shocked to see that light color is the real color.... since you said how filthy it was. But sometimes a tad dirty and even looking is nicer. May want to dab over the cloth as well.....

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

To me it looks like that lip by the pocket needs a little more attention. It seems like the texture has dirt embedded in it. Try again at 10:1 with a toothbrush. Maybe that will help.

[roushstage2]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

To me it looks like that lip by the pocket needs a little more attention. It seems like the texture has dirt embedded in it. Try again at 10:1 with a toothbrush. Maybe that will help.

This and it seems that spot, since it sticks out a bit, looks like it would be a good place for a leg to constantly be rubbing up against making it dirtier than the other parts of the panel and potentially causing the plastic to be a bit worn at that area.

[evan.f_nz]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

This and it seems that spot, since it sticks out a bit, looks like it would be a good place for a leg to constantly be rubbing up against making it dirtier than the other parts of the panel and potentially causing the plastic to be a bit worn at that area.

Yes from the pics it would seem that way, but before I started this wasn't the case. I wish I had taken some before shots for comparison, never mind.

I will have a go at it when I get the car back and if nothing works i'll treat the rest of that panel the same way and see what happens I guess.

[roushstage2]

Re: APC staining on plastic?

Perhaps I am misunderstanding then. It seems like it could be one of two things to me rethinking it. Either, the lighter spots appeared after using APC, or the dark spots have?