# How to Care For Plastic Trim



## [email protected] (Apr 2, 2007)

Most modern cars now come with nice matte black plastic trim which looks great for the first year or so but this tends to quickly fade to some horrible grey colour and looks awful. So how do we care for plastic trim and prevent it turning grey in the first place or if it is grey how do we get it back to a nice matte black again and keep it looking like that?

First we should realize why it changes colour in the first place in order to better understand how to care for it and what products to use to keep it clean and protected. 
1.	Basically the pigment in the plastic has been bleached by the UV rays from the sun and fades over time.
2.	The plastic trim has a buildup of dressing on it and the outer layer is sitting on multiple layers of older dressing, this should be cleaned of from time to time so you are only dressing the plastic.
3.	The plastic needs to be cleaned properly and may have a buildup of dirt, use a soft brush to pull the dirt out of the pores on the trim. The plastic is usually not smooth but slightly textured, the dirt may be contributing to the discolouration, please use a soft brush as a stiff bristled brush will scratch the surface and if you're not careful you may also scratch the surrounding paint.
The plastic trim does not absorb product very well and most dressings are topical and need to be reapplied on an ongoing basis. If you have a buildup of old dressing on the plastic this needs to be cleaned off first. Use an All Purpose Cleaner (APC) with a soft brush/microfiber towel to get rid of it, also check for tar spots, these can be removed with a solvent tar and glue remover e.g. Tardis. 
Dressing wise I have three recommendations, 303 Aerospace Protectant, Black WOW and Cancoat.
•	303 Aerospace Protectant is a great maintenance product that contains a UV protector, it can be used on the interior, exterior and in the engine bay. It has a nice natural looking matte finish and lasts quite a while.
•	Black WOW is an excellent trim restorer that works on all colours of exterior trim, it's not a dye, it's a bit messy and a little goes a long way so use it sparingly.
•	Cancoat from Gyeon is a ceramic coating that can be used on paint, plastic and glass. This is an excellent product due to its versatility, price and finish. You can buy a specific ceramic coating for plastic but I have found they don't perform any better and are significantly more expensive. Application is as easy as the other products mentioned but this will comfortably last 6 months. This product will restore the original colour to your trim and provide UV protection from the sun. 
Really at the end of the day an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, if you have a newish car where the trim has not yet faded get it protected before the UV rays start to damage it. It's cheaper in the long run and will leave your car looking better and preserve its resale value.

As always if you need any help selecting the correct products or with their application please get in touch.


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