Dull plastic trim can ruin the look of your freshly detailed car; so here’s your guide on how to restore black plastic trim on a car.
Pretty much every car will have plastic trim somewhere. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays over time causes black plastic trim to fade and becomes white. After you’ve detailed your car, tired black plastic trim can let the side down when it comes to your car’s aesthetics. Luckily, it’s easy to restore plastic trim on a car; here’s your step-by-step guide to bringing it back to black and looking like new.
What do you need to restore plastic trim on your car?
Thankfully, the process for restoring plastic trim on your car couldn’t be easier. You only need a handful of products, most of which you will already have if you’re a keen detailer. The only product you may not have is the trim restorer product. Trim restorers typically contain Graphene and Acrylic polymers. The combination aims to make plastic shine while also offering protection against further UV damage. Typically, a trim restorer should last anywhere between 3-6 months, meaning it isn’t something you’ll need to apply after every detail.
- Microfiber Cloth/Applicator
- Quick detailer (optional)
- Trim Restorer
1. Ensure the car is washed and dry before you restore trim
The first thing you need to do before you restore trim on a car is to ensure the trim you are restoring is washed and dry. While wash-fresh trim is fine, you can give your trim a deep clean with some all-purpose cleaner first. This will get rid of as much dirt as possible, allowing the trim restorer to work even better.
2. Apply trim restorer to the car
Apply some trim restorer to an applicator and work it thoroughly into the trim on the car. Ensure you you cover everything you want to bring back to black. If you get any on your paint, don’t worry, just wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. You can even use trim restorer on wiper arms. It might be a good idea to mask off areas you are happy to leave as they are, otherwise you can find yourself going a little too far and then having to keep going, or anything you miss will be very obvious.
A good trim restorer will offer protection against future abrasion and UV damage. So, with routine attention, you should have new-looking plastic trim all year round.
3. Allow the restorer to dry and then wipe away
Allow the trim restorer to dry, wipe off any excess, and then simply stand back and admire your lovely black plastic trim.
