# Car care question **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** outback, subaru\ **Created:** [April 23, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988 "2011-04-23T17:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/1 "2011-04-23T17:29:08Z")
Even though I was trying to be as neat as possible, I did manage to get a small amount of car wax on a piece of black plastic trim on a rear fender. As you probably know, this dries into a tenacious white streak. Does anyone have a recommendation for what substance to use for removal of the white mark, without damaging the black plastic or the adjacent paint? And, yes, I did give myself a dope slap! ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/2 "2011-04-23T17:57:34Z")
A little gasoline or paint thinner on a soft rag should take it right off… ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/3 "2011-04-23T18:03:44Z")
First try household ammonia. That’s usually a good wax remover. If that doesn’t work, move up to gasoline. Beware paint thinner or engine degreaser which may be too strong for the underlying trim (test first in a non-visible area). ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/4 "2011-04-23T18:57:28Z")
I would use some armor all on it. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/5 "2011-04-23T20:32:34Z")
I think I would start with a car wax and if that did not do it, try a clay stick (find it at an auto part store.) ---
**Author:** ![chaissos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/chaissos/32/2347_2.png) [@chaissos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chaissos)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/6 "2011-04-23T20:48:25Z")
Armour All…perfect. Then clean it, and treat it properly with some Mother’s. ---
**Author:** ![impala61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@impala61](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala61)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/7 "2011-04-23T21:07:55Z")
Isn’t car wax the problem here? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/8 "2011-04-24T12:05:42Z")
The ammonia did help, but I still see some white residue. Next step, some Armor All! ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/9 "2011-04-24T14:33:01Z")
VDC, Try Turtle Wax Ice liquid wax. Its safe for chrome and rubber molding. I used on my 93 Caprice yesterday and the rubber molding that was white from previous wax jobs came out nice and black. Normally, I use Armorall or Black Chrome and go back over the paint with a wax ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/10 "2011-04-24T19:11:13Z")
Whatever you decide to try, I’ve heard that using a tennis ball to apply it will help. ---
**Author:** ![Carveaholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Carveaholic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Carveaholic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/11 "2011-04-25T04:58:26Z")
I’d buy a can of wax/grease remover sometimes called prep solvent from a good paint store not a big box store. It’s made to safely remove wax and grease from painted surfaces prior to repair or re-painting. I bought mine when I re-painted my truck; I used about 1/5 of the gallon ($20), but since then I’ve used it or many other cleaning projects. It makes a good adhesive remover and I cleaned and re greased my bike chain with it. It was a very good investment. Edit: Spelling ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/12 "2011-04-25T16:00:35Z")
This is the BEST solution. Gas or Paint Thinner does a great job at removing wax. ---
**Author:** ![DfromSD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dfromsd/32/1669_2.png) [@DfromSD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DfromSD)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-care-question/63988/13 "2011-04-25T16:30:35Z")
I’d use one of 2 products that work great for this and for ALL the trim to make it look like new. “Rescue Trim Restorer” made by PPC products or “Trim Renu” made by Auto Tech. Both work equally well.