HOW TO PREVENT FADING AND RESTORE PLASTIC TRIM (PRO RESULTS)!

It’s no secret dull and faded plastics will kill your car’s appeal. Thanks to the harsh effects of the sun exterior plastics and trim can quickly lose their luster especially when exposed to the elements 24/7. Obviously, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but if it’s too late for your car, we’ll show you how to restore the trim and then protected it to prevent any future damage!

How and why does black plastic fade?

The main ingredient in plastic is a derivative from crude oil, so it’s no surprise that all plastics contain lots of oil. The fading or chalking that you see is from the plastic drying out over time. Without getting too scientific, when UV rays are absorbed by plastic, the UV energy excites photos which can create free radicals and degradation occurs from the free radicals causing breaks in the polymer structure. 

The reason your plastic trim pieces are more susceptible to this damage is they do not have a layer of UV inhibiting clear coat as your paint, wheels, and headlights do. This means that every plastic piece will inevitably fade, crack, and dry out unless protected. Now that we know how this process works, we have the knowledge to not only prevent it but to fix it. 

How to restore plastic trim?

Since plastic degradation is caused by a loss of oil, we can restore the black plastic pieces by adding oils back in. First, you need to remove any previous dressing and clean the trim to ensure proper boding of any products. Start by washing your car as normal, then use a medium bristle brush and APC or degreaser to clean the trim. Go around all of the pieces you want to protect and clean them. After, rinse and dry the pieces. Finally, wipe down the pieces with an IPA or paint-prep to remove anything that may be leftover.

What product should I choose?

When choosing a product, we’re looking for something that will permanently rehydrate the plastic and bring back the dark black color for trim. The only type of product that accomplishes this is ceramic-based trim restorers. Ceramic trim coatings or ceramic trim restorers permanently revitalize black plastics and protect them for years to come.

In this category, there are only two products I recommend - CeraTrim by The Last Coat and GYEON Quartz Trim Protector and Restorer. Either of these products will deliver professional results with ease. You really can’t go wrong with these. Simply follow the instructions I’ve listed below and your trim will be looking new and protected in no time!