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any tips for removing white chalk marking from tire sidewalls? unfortunately, the shop that swapped tires for my suv ended up writing chalk on the outside sidewall instead of the inside. thanks!
If car wash soap or a stronger all-purpose cleaner with agitation using a stiff-bristled brush isn't working, you could try to use a vinyl/plastic/rubber or tire dressing that the chalk can soak into and 'float' back off the surface. If it's a grease pen and not chalk, then rubbing alcohol or a good tar/degreaser might work best.
If car wash soap or a stronger all-purpose cleaner with agitation using a stiff-bristled brush isn't working, you could try to use a vinyl/plastic/rubber or tire dressing that the chalk can soak into and 'float' back off the surface. If it's a grease pen and not chalk, then rubbing alcohol or a good tar/degreaser might work best.
Just a heads up for the DIY'ers out there! As requested by you, we've released our "Car Wash Essentials" kit, containing the absolute must-haves for your home car washing setup:
Wash + Rinse Buckets
Dirt Lock bucket insert
Gyeon Premium Wool Wash Mitt
Gyeon BATHE car was soap
Gyeon SILK DRYER drying towel (large)
The kit is priced at 15% off the individual products, so it's great for anyone getting started - or replacing an old setup. And we're happy to discuss any other needs in addition to the essentials. Dedicated wheel brushes, all purpose cleaners, leather cleaning kits, etc. Just let us know, and we'll help customize a package for your needs.
Hello Gerard
Our BMW Touring has acquired squeaky window seals. Do you have a product that can cure the very irritating sound?
Thanks
Ian
Hi Ian - sorry to hear about the annoying squeaking!
I suspect the glass is rubbing against a rubber seal, and that friction is causing the squeaking sound. Typically, cleaning and/or lubricating the rubber seal will allow it to slide more smoothly against the glass, eliminating the grab-and-release action that's causing a sound. We have some rubber seal dressings that dry completely but leave the seals smooth. This might help end the squeaking. It also works well during the winter to help prevent doors from being frozen shut in freezing rain. But this won't work if its the velvet-style of window seal.
The other approach would be to treat the glass. First, thoroughly cleaning the glass to remove any stickiness might solve the problem. Going a step farther, a ceramic glass coating (Ceramic Pro RAIN or Kamikaze Window Coat) will make the glass very slick and smooth, again reducing the friction of the window rubbing against the seals.
Feel free to drop by the shop if you want us to have a look in person. And thanks for the question!
The sound also could be coming from the rubber door seals. I assume that the rubber seal dressings that you have will work on those as well. Correct?
Thanks very much for the response.
Regards
Ian
Correct. If the squeaking is happening when the windows are not sliding up and down, it is more likely coming from the door seals against the body as the car flexes as it moves.
Any thoughts/tips on how to clean above/behind the instrument cluster? There is very little space between the top of the cluster and the perforated cover. With a 12 year old car I'm thinking there is 12 years worth of dust in there. Cheers.
Try using a vacuum from above the perforation (using hose attachment) - or if you have a shop vac, you should be able to reverse the flow to BLOW into the crevices. If you can blow that area clean, you'll just have to wipe down the surrounding areas that received the dislodged dust.
If you're coming at it from below, try wedging a microfiber cloth in there, or even Q-Tips. You might even be able to fold a MF towel over an old toothbrush handle and create your own giant Q-Tip to poke into those gaps.
hi there
marble grey interior 993. it's a high nap rug.
stubborn black (oil , grease?) stains on several carpet areas
have tried bissell steam, woolite, and oxyclean to no avail. is there hope beyond a dreaded ripout? tia
hi there
marble grey interior 993. it's a high nap rug.
stubborn black (oil , grease?) stains on several carpet areas
have tried bissell steam, woolite, and oxyclean to no avail. is there hope beyond a dreaded ripout? tia
That's a tough one. Oil/grease on light fabric/carpet can be very tough to remove. You'll want to use something designed to work on oil and grease - vs other types of stains. Heat/steam was a decent idea too - to warm the oil/grease. Sometimes the added cleaning strength of an all-purpose cleaner like P21S Total Auto Wash can be effective.
For really tough stains, we've found this product to be pretty effective.
Just be a bit careful with continued scrubbing. That can start to damage your carpet fibers, and you'll find the carpet becomes "worn out" in the areas you were cleaning most vigorously. That's a common issue with people trying to remove dried winter salt from carpets.
What would you recommend for the 993 and older interior parts that won't be greasy or attract dust and will have a nice matte finish, e.g., vinyl dash and door cards (not asking about seats). Thank you.
What would you recommend for the 993 and older interior parts that won't be greasy or attract dust and will have a nice matte finish, e.g., vinyl dash and door cards (not asking about seats). Thank you.
Hi Paolo,
On 993's and older 911's with lots of vinyl and hard plastics, I like to use a dressing like 303 Aerospace Protectant because it has a nice darkening effect on these older materials. The trick to keep it from looking greasy is to apply it and then let it sit for 15-20mins. Then go back and wipe the surfaces again with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any excess product. That will leave a deep, uniform, and dry looking surface. 303 is also great on rubber and door seals.
Otherwise if you aren't needing to deepen the look of your plastics or vinyls, Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer is a very dry/matte looking product. But I find it doesn't have much darkening effect for scuffed or faded plastics.
Thank you, I will give it a try. How does it compare to Lexol Vinylex ? Also, any ideas on where I can purchase Wurth Citrus Solvent Degreaser that does not require me to buy $90 worth (3 bottles)? Many thanks
06-06-2019, 03:50 PM
