What is the best method for cleaning up and shining up some very hazy chrome (on bumpers and trim)?

I like coke and wadded up foil to get the big stuff off and just plain turtle wax and a soft cloth to shine it up.

Coke??? Waded up foil??? Can you please explain further what is done with these items? Pour coke on and scrub with the waded up foil?

Wtf

I've never tried that method but I bet it cleans chrome like a sumbeech.

The one thing I don't like about the Mustang is all the damn chrome you have to clean.

The foil is abrasive enough to rub the large spots off the chrome but soft enough to not damage the finish, and the acid in the coke is gentle enough to remove deposits without damaging the finish.

Finish off with the chrome polish and a soft cloth.

No joke.

When I bought my 7 series, the rims were curb rashed and pitted and had baked on brake dust and corrosion.

E38 Sport Rims Before


After Foil/Coke, Rinse and Polish with soft cloth and chrome polish.



[This message has been edited by 1agswitchin4lanes (edited 6/8/2012 10:29p).]

Wow. Thanks. What chrome polish do you use?

Plain old turtle wax chrome polish.


[This message has been edited by 1agswitchin4lanes (edited 6/8/2012 11:09p).]

Thanks. Okay, I thought if also ask about aluminum mag wheels. What is the best way to clean these when they have gotten cloudy, and/or grimy (caked on stuff that doesn't come off with car wash)?

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aluminum mag wheels

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Mothers Polish, you can find it at Wal-Mart, then grab some cheapy polishing wheels that will fit into a drill chuck from Harbor Freight, apply polish by hand, then buff using a drill, and wipe off excess. When the polishing wheel is black, toss out and grab another.

Mother's polish works great for that kind of stuff, assuming your wheels are NOT clearcoated.

Car washes use acid to clean the wheels which will destroy a clearcoat.

What kind of wheels are they?

Thanks! The only issue with the drill and polishing bit is that the tips have some indentions that the wheel of the polishing bit won't reach.

Doesn't Mothers also make a chrome polish? (Didn't see it at Wal-Mart.)

How would I know if they are clear coated? These are the original rims on a 2004 Chevy Z-71. I'm trying to clean up the truck after it has sat in the weather a long while.

quote:

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marthastewartswitchin4lanes
posted 9:16p, 06/08/12


I like coke and wadded up foil to get the big stuff off and just plain turtle wax and a soft cloth to shine it up.

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FIFY

STS

LOL

Hang around and I'll post my chicken pot pie recipe too.

Haha

A little chikory helps too...

Alright, thanks for the polishing tips! Now, Im wondering if anyone has had any luck with lense restorer kits? If so, please specify the brand. Thanks.

Meguiar's headlight lens restoration kit works great. It comes with a plastic polish and a buffer drill attachment that makes the kit much more effective than the ones that have you polishing the lens/cover by hand.

The first time I used the kit, there was enough oxidation/hazing that it took me about 15 minutes per headlight. Since then, I "touch up" the headlights every time I get an oil change (5k miles). It takes less than 5 minutes per side to knock off the fresh oxidation.

Be aware that headlight restoration kits, what you're actually doing is polishing the lens/cover, which removes the top layer of plastic. From the factory, the top layer on the headlight plastic has a built-in protectant that slows down the oxidation process. Once you remove that protective top layer, the underlying material will start to haze over more quickly than they did originally.

To me it's well worth it. The Meguiars kit I think was around $20, and a new headlights for my car cost several hundred dollars each. There is enough polishing compound included with the kit that I've cleared up my lights a handful of times now and still have some left; and you can just rinse off the little buffer attachment to re-use it. It takes me longer to put painter's tape around the headlights than it does to clear 'em up. My car's 5 years old and my lights look brand new.

[This message has been edited by madd_ag_05 (edited 6/9/2012 8:20p).]

Dr. Pepper and wax paper?

I like using motorcycle helmet polish and wadded up flyers for corvette posters.

0000 steel wool

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I like using motorcycle helmet polish and wadded up flyers for corvette posters.

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the rims were curb rashed and pitted and had baked on brake dust and corrosion
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so coke and foil remove pits and rash?