THE REFINERY

We were thinking that because we so many technical detailing questions by PM, Instagram DM, phone calls and texts - that the Rennlist community would also benefit from hearing the Q&A's too!

Post here if you have a question about detailing, ceramic coatings, paint protection film etc and we'll keep an eye on this thread to provide answers.

And of course - we're still available by PM and phone if you'd prefer 1 on 1 correspondence

So, what questions are on your mind?

pfitzsim

Any idea what product would remove the following marks from my rims? I haven't wanted to use anything abrasive for fear of damaging the surface. They feel raised when you run your finger over them if that helps any. Thanks in advance.

997turbocab

Any idea what would remove sun tan lotion from leather?

THE REFINERY

The shape of the marks look like they started as a liquid - so maybe sap, or some type of oil/grease? In any event, I'd start by using rubbing alcohol on a microfiber towel. Failing that, I'd step up to something like Gyeon Tar to see if that softens and removes the marks.

If neither of those work, then you could start into mild abrasives: clay bar, and/or using a finishing polish (eg Sonax Perfect Finish) by hand with a detailing sponge or clean microfiber cloth (I'm assuming you don't have a DA polisher with a small pad).

I wouldn't fear using the CORRECT abrasives like I've mentioned here. They're safe on all painted finishes. But just don't start using household scrubbing agents with a gritty consistency. With those you will definitely scour the paint finish and cause damage.

Hope that helps!

bcrdukes

Any tips or tricks/products to use on a convertible plastic/vinyl window? Some scratches and haze on it, and I would like to clean it up to be as clear as possible for the summer. Thanks!

THE REFINERY

Sun tan lotion is pretty persistent stuff, particularly the high SPF stuff that leaves a thick white residue.

It might take a couple of passes, but I'd start with a dedicated leather cleaner, agitating with a soft bristled leather brush. Then wipe with a damp MF towel and then a dry one. Repeat as necessary.

We like Leather Masters Strong Cleaner, as very gentle and natural leather cleaner. Gyeon Leather Cleaner (Strong) is a more powerful leather cleaner, designed to prep leather for LeatherShield protective coating. Sonax Leather Foam cleaner also has really good cleaning ability, and we've successfully removed a mechanic's greasy fingerprints from a 993's tan leather with it.

If this is a recurring challenge for your summer-driven or daily-driven car, you might want to consider getting a protective leather coating applied. We offer interior leather and carpet coating packages from Ceramic Pro and Gyeon. These do not change the texture of leather but make clean-up of spills, dye transfer from jeans, and oily residue much easier to remove at home.

Here's an example of a McLaren 570GT with a suncreen handprint that came clean using the method I mentioned above.

pfitzsim

Much appreciated. I'll give those a shot. I'll leave the Vim in the house. Cheers.

THE REFINERY

Vinyl windows are pretty porous, meaning they will absorb dirt (pollen, minerals, etc) resulting in a cloudy or stained appearance. BTW - this is also true for paint protection film, and why you should wax/seal/coat your PPF!

There are a couple of over-the-counter products and systems that will give you decent results. Give your window a good cleaning first and wipe clean with a soft clean microfiber. Then wipe Meguiar's PLASTX on the window with a clean microfiber to clear up the haze. Do both sides of the window.

Otherwise Raggtopp makes some specialty kits for this. They include a vinyl window cleaner, protectant, and some towels and brushes.


Hope that helps!

bcrdukes

Thanks for that! I'll try that out over the weekend.

skru_fase

I stopped in to visit the shop today and grab a few detailing supplies. Great group of guys, and very helpful! Beautiful shop too. Thanks again guys!

blassy

2008 997.1. Guards red.
Had it detailed last summer - clay bar, sealer...looked great.
This year been tough as it's been so rainy and cloudy but noticing the shine has come off and a fair amount of paint swirls, lines etc.
What do you suggest to get the swirls/lines out and get the shine back up to where it should be.

THE REFINERY

It was great to meet you too! Swing by anytime

THE REFINERY

There are two general approaches to manage or fix swirls and surface haze:

1. Temporarily fill the swirls with a glaze/wax type product, and keep reapplying it whenever you notice them becoming visible again
2. Perform paint correction (ie polishing) to actually remove the swirls from the paint finish, then create a maintenance strategy to avoid reintroducing new swirls

If going with route #1, most waxes/sealants will give you some filling effect, or you can find some over the counter glaze/waxes (eg Mothers, Meguiars etc) at Canadian Tire that contain even more fillers to make swirls less visible.

If going with route #2, you'll want to use a DA Polisher or get someone skilled to do it. Then once the swirls have been polished out, you can decide how to keep it looking that way. Ceramic coatings are a great replacement for a sealant because they add some hardness and slickness to the clear coat, making the reintroduction of swirls less likely. But whether you use a traditional wax/sealant or a ceramic coating, your maintenance wash process is the key to avoiding new swirls. Use the two-bucket method, good quality soaps and mitts, and a good MF drying towel and technique. Forced air drying is even better - since there's virtually no friction with the paint surface at all.

I'm happy to go deeper into any of these concepts if needed. Let me know. And good luck!

997turbocab

Thanks! I will let you know how it goes.

junior23

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!