# Oxidation on window chrome



## hexy27 (Jul 31, 2008)

I have serious oxidation on the chromed trim surrounding the windows on my 2002 330i and have searched endlessly on this forum and the internet trying to find something to take it off with no luck. I've used Meguiars paint cleaner, 3M rubbing compound, Brasso metal polish, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and Goo-Gone (citrus cleaner) to name a few but it will not come clean. I know this is just plastic that is chrome covered so does that make it impossible to clean without severe damage? I'd prefer not to have to replace it. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.


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## Elk42 (Jan 29, 2008)

you could try claying the trim. if you have any experience using clay you know to use lots of detailing spray. if anyone disagrees with this idea maybe a solution of water and vinegar. good luck


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

Elk42 said:


> you could try claying the trim. if you have any experience using clay you know to use lots of detailing spray. if anyone disagrees with this idea maybe a solution of water and vinegar. good luck


If the paint cleaner didn't faze this the clay will not either...can you tell me more about the hazing that you are talking about?

The trim could be stained and getting it off would require heat...some of the trim that I have cleaned I have used a buffer with a good chemical based polish like your paint cleaner...you can get a cotton buffing wheel at any good auto parts store that attaches to a drill...


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## hexy27 (Jul 31, 2008)

Basically it looks like white water spots all over the chrome trim. It is dull, hazy, and looks fine when wet, but once it dries.......the white film re-appears.


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

hexy27 said:


> Basically it looks like white water spots all over the chrome trim. It is dull, hazy, and looks fine when wet, but once it dries.......the white film re-appears.


Any chance this is water spots, or are the sports sort of powdery looking? once dry

Do you show any water spots on the any where else?


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## hexy27 (Jul 31, 2008)

Yes, they do look powdery. The chrome trim is the only place on the car with this issue.


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

hexy27 said:


> Yes, they do look powdery. The chrome trim is the only place on the car with this issue.


It sounds like you need a better chemical polish something that is designed for metal..that trim is aluminum and its coated at least mine is...I use this product on a regular bases...they are the metal polish experts IMO...Zephyr pro-40....in the application you need to get some elbow grease on that meaning to get the area hot so that the chemical can break down and do its work.

However before you guy any more product give this a try...go back to your megs paint cleaner...get a old piece of cotton towel...cotton has a better grip on the surface...put some on the rag, wipe a small area so that you can get some heat on it...see how the effects the spots..heat is the key factor in breaking down the surface...that's why when working on paint...using a rotary buffer over a orbital you can correct the paint with the rotary...its the heat that is being generated.

http://www.zephyrpro40.com/s2/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=77


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## hexy27 (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks for all your input. I'll try the paint cleaner again tonight in the manner you suggested.


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

hexy27 said:


> Thanks for all your input. I'll try the paint cleaner again tonight in the manner you suggested.


Good luck and let me know how it works...I'm thinking you might need a stronger polish...one thing about detailing is product is 10%...application is 90%


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## Bill-SD (Feb 18, 2002)

Might also want to try Never Dull. It's a cheap product that really works well.


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

Bill-SD said:


> Might also want to try Never Dull. It's a cheap product that really works well.


Good suggestion Bill I have some of that here...


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## Bill-SD (Feb 18, 2002)

dboy11 said:


> Good suggestion Bill I have some of that here...


and a can will last forever too. I've had the same can for years and barely put a dent in it. I've used it on the exact same problem the OP has, with pretty darned good success.


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## dboy11 (Mar 6, 2006)

Bill-SD said:


> and a can will last forever too. I've had the same can for years and barely put a dent in it. I've used it on the exact same problem the OP has, with pretty darned good success.


Yea I used it for that as well...I just forgot about it...its something that I use very little


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## hexy27 (Jul 31, 2008)

Polishing harder with the paint cleaner made a dent in the oxidation, but it is still not all that clean. I am going to buy a can of the Nevr Dull tonight. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## bigshug1 (Dec 22, 2008)

I mentioned to one of the guys here at work that I used Nevr Dull on the window trim on my 330 and he said something about those strips having a plastic coating on them that would get ruined with an abrasive cleaner...any truth to this? My thinking is that if there were a plastic coating, the nevr dull wouldn't do ANYTHING to the appearance but, again, I certainly don't want to use anything that'll do eventual damage...


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## Bill-SD (Feb 18, 2002)

bigshug1 said:


> I mentioned to one of the guys here at work that I used Nevr Dull on the window trim on my 330 and he said something about those strips having a plastic coating on them that would get ruined with an abrasive cleaner...any truth to this? My thinking is that if there were a plastic coating, the nevr dull wouldn't do ANYTHING to the appearance but, again, I certainly don't want to use anything that'll do eventual damage...


There is a plastic like coating. But I doubt Never Dull would hurt it. If the chrome is in good shape and you just want to shine it, I'm probably just use an AIO cleaner like Klasse or Zaino. But for oxidation, Never Dull works very well.


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## harley fastman (Mar 22, 2009)

I have the same problem on my 2007 335i coupe. The trim looks white and has a lot of spots.
Did that never dull work? Or are there any other solutions out there.

Very frustrating as the rest of the car looks mint.


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## harley fastman (Mar 22, 2009)

I brought the nevr dull and tried it. It worked great for about five minutes and then the fading, white spots reappeared. I did it by hand and maybe didn't create enough heat. It was also cold out when I did it and I don't know if that affected the process.


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## dbusiness (Mar 7, 2008)

I believe the Never Dull is cotton swabs with a kerosene type product if I 
remember correctly from the many feet of SS boat railing I've polished.

You should try Brasso it is thicker chemical cleaner with low abrasives that 
should remove the oxidation.

** A word of caution, you may want to prep the area with blue painters tape surrounding the 
trim because it has a tendancy to stain the rubber foam on the door and possibly the glass **


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## dbusiness (Mar 7, 2008)

I decided to clean the chrome trim around my windows.
The Brasso does work and as dboy11 mentioned it seems
to be the heat generated that removes the spots.

After trying to remove the spots with Brasso applied to
an old cotton t-shirt I switched to some Harbor freight 
microfiber pads and had better results.
For what ever reason it took two applications of Brasso and
plenty of elbow grease to remove the spots completely.


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## the_darksyd (Dec 3, 2007)

I have the same issue. I used the Never Dull last night and it removed all the water spots, but it's still very white/cloudy looking. Do I need to do a bunch of applications or just rub the heck out of it?


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## csmeance (Dec 10, 2007)

Bavauto.com, type in Aluminum Trim Deoxidizer in the search function. This is what another member recommended a while back... I still need to order it...


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## motto_L (Aug 1, 2010)

*windows trims..*

Same thing happened to me yesterday...I was very annoying by it just because I ran my car through this touch-less car wash (and I hardly ever use this type of car wash)and the white sh*t just all over the chrome now. Got some chrome polish from McGuire's of course it doesn't work. I had even put a little wheel cleaner but the result was more like never-dull...urgh!!

I talked to the car wash owner and he agreed too look at it (he also own a car detail business). I will report back here see if I have to go through this Brasso route. after searched all over the net seems like this is the only way to do it...

SO if anyone had the same experiences like my see if you had ran your car through this touch-less car wash...If you did it must be the TFR cost the damage


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## motto_L (Aug 1, 2010)

dbusiness said:


> I decided to clean the chrome trim around my windows.
> The Brasso does work and as dboy11 mentioned it seems
> to be the heat generated that removes the spots.
> 
> ...


I got the Brasso and tried it and it doesn't work...how did you polish them? Do you have to polish really really hard to get it to work?


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## kmorgan_260 (Jul 9, 2010)

Forgive me for reviving this old thread but after considerable searching this is one of the few I found that addresses my exact problem. Did anyone ever find a good solution?


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## jfs356 (Oct 14, 2010)

I think part of the problem is that the metal is not chrome plated, but rather finished aluminum or some light alloy, and all the polishing in the world will not help. For comparison, my 25 year old Volvo has the anodized/polished aluminum trim at the the door window edges, and has the cloudy look that comes from exposure to the elements. Nothing works to make it shine, much. However, my E34 has real chrome trim that glistens when cleaned with even Windex cleaner, and certainly any wax applied to it. Real chrome will always shine. Maybe a metallurgist can chime in.


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## kmorgan_260 (Jul 9, 2010)

OK ... so hopefully the e90 trim is closer to the same type of trim on the e34 than to the Volvo. In any case, it doesn't sound like I can do any damage with some chrome polish, so the next time I wash it I will give it a go and let you all know what happens. Will take pictures before and after.


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## OH530 (Mar 30, 2008)

Go to the Bav Auto web site and look for aluminum trim deoxidizer part #07500100002. The cost is $59.95. This is the only way to get the trim to like new condition. No polish or steel wool will clean the aluminum trim.


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## will3ptman (Mar 28, 2009)

OH530 said:


> Go to the Bav Auto web site and look for aluminum trim deoxidizer part #07500100002. The cost is $59.95. This is the only way to get the trim to like new condition. No polish or steel wool will clean the aluminum trim.


For a cheaper solution, have you tried meguiars m205? I detailed a 2008 G35x last fall and the chrome trim had heavy water spots etched into the chrome covered plastic trim. I did the usual wash, clay, and then I tried like 2 or 3 different chrome polishes, APC, and all sorts of other stuff for like 30minutes. All of the products worked barely. So I took out a microfiber, applied some m205 and low and behold with little effort the trim was like a mirror. I'll post pics of the before and after later tonight or tomorrow. If you don't have access to m205, I'm sure any over the counter/auto parts store polish will work.


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## will3ptman (Mar 28, 2009)




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## TOGWT (May 26, 2004)

Metallic Window Trim

Cleaning ***8211; use a chemical cleaner (Klasse AIO) or a paint cleaning (light abrasive) polish (Zanio Z-PC***8482; Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner)


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## eagleyeuav (Apr 3, 2018)

ok guys i figured out what to do last night! grab yourself a buffing kit the ones with the blocks i bought mine at harbor freight cheap stuff that lasts time after time again. I tried by hand first then a drill i decided not to use a drill as it was hard and didnt seem to work near as well as by applying the block by hand the wiping clean with at rag. i will post pictures when i get home it really looks amazing!


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## eagleyeuav (Apr 3, 2018)

Now tell me that doesn***8217;t make one heck of a difference I also don***8217;t believe I took off any clearcoat if there was any even left then again maybe water gets under the clearcoat and it peaks during process. However I did my driver side door chrome and burnt threw it with a drift and new buff wheel another reason to stay away from that. Just use nice light and easy pressure rubbing on the chrome by hand. I should have taken video but I wouldn***8217;t have been able to without someone to hold a camera. If anyone sparks interest in this method I will gladly upload a video with link . It would be slightly difficult to explain this process but I***8217;ll give it a go. 1. Tape off your cars paint, rubber, pillars and windows 2. Wipe your surface make clean 3. Take your buffing block and slowly move from left to right not to let it chunk up too much as it takes some muscle to remove (won***8217;t hurt anything just more work) I went over mine twice on each section very lightly just to cover the surface completely and wiping each time after application 4. Buff off or wipe with Teri cloth towel, or microfiber towel, a cotton towel will work as well 5. Reapply same pressure and slow enough that it doesn***8217;t heat up the block and build up 6. Wipe off 7. Check progress. If all looks good and shiny your good to go! My rear quarter window section was horrible as seen in pictures and that was after trying many metal polishes so if needed here is the rest of the steps I took and tried 8. Apply block again and press slightly harder with faster movements 9. Don***8217;t worry if it builds up at this point as you truthfully have nothing to loose! 10. Wipe off 11. If still very white/oxidized reapply any of the steps above with buffing block repeat until happy! I would suggest using finer buff block on first go if not looking better use next Coarsest then back to finest when happy. Good luck to you all!

TIP YOU MUST READ- WARNING TO ALL OF YOU- HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED USING A DRILL AND BUFF PAD AS YOU CAN BURN THROUGH AND HAVE SCRATCHES LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE!

! !USE CATION WITH ELECTRIC BUFFERS! !

!!!!USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!


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## jackymltd (Apr 12, 2018)

hlo every one


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