I remember hearing Scotty talk about this stuff for rubber, particularly on the boots and rubber pieces in the suspension. I got a bottle and used it on some rubber pieces that are on the outside of my Veloster and it worked great. The outer pieces look like new again. Then I got to thinking, "Wonder if it would work on plastic?" So I experimented.
The black plastic trim pieces on and behind my hood were turning that white color. I tried a little on the hood pieces since they were easily replaceable. Let it soak in, and afterwards noticed the white was looking like it was lifting off. I scrubbed it with a napkin and it came right off, leaving a nice dark plastic again underneath. I did a detail on my car last Saturday and wiped some more on the other plastic pieces. Afterwards I scrubbed my car down with soap, used a bug sponge to scrub the plastic good, and they all look much nicer. I wouldn't say it's like brand new, but it looks like the actual plastic material has been restored to a normal dark color for the age. Maybe this is a breakthrough, but I did run into one major snag.
My old Pontiac minivan has some old headlights. I figured I'd spray the AT-205 on them, see if it would restore the plastic, then wash it off in a bit. Turned them white as snow! I can't even scrub it off. I got a 3M restore kit on the way to see if I can sand it off, but I may need to buy new assemblies. What was weird is I got some of that on the fog lights on my Veloster though, and it didn't do that to those. They look nice and clean and the plastic around them is pretty fresh looking too after the treatment.
Anyways, it was certainly an experiment. What do you all think? Any feedback on the chemical properties of this stuff might be helpful. I really liked how it seemed to restore the plastic on my Veloster, not just coat it. Other products I use would not stand up to firm scrubbing, but the AT-205 really shined after firm scrubbing. I'm definitely intrigued by the potential, but slightly scared of the potential hazards.
some old headlights. I figured I'd spray the AT-205 on them, see if it would restore the plastic
there are already products for that.
The black plastic trim pieces on and behind my hood were turning that white color
There are far better products for this too. No use reinventing the wheel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXOX4z6uwXo
Thanks for running the experiment! It’s good to know what it can and can’t be used for.
For plastic trim, I am experimenting with Chemical Guys VRP. And so far so good. It brings back the deeper black than the faded black. But it needs to be reapplied after each wash.
Well I suppose now you’ve discovered that ATP-AT 205 was created to treat/rejuvenate rubber.
For headlights, I have seen Scotty recommend Meguiar’s PLASTX, and Plexus plastic cleaner, protectant and polish. But now that you have damaged your headlight lenses with the rubber treatment, I don’t know if any product or procedure will restore them.
But once you clean or replace them, the Plexus would be a good product to clean and protect them from UV damage.
Check out:
plexusplasticcleaner.com
What's the fun in experimenting if you don't ruin something once in a while?
I've used multiple different plastic restores. 303 and Car Guys are probably my favorite, but they still only provide a coating that seems to wear off pretty quick. I'm also curious about C4 since it's supposed to chemically bond to plastic.
The 205 impressed me because it seemed to deteriorate the white bad looking layer, restore an internal moisture, and so far has been lasting really good. A true chemical level "restore" instead of a coating.
Not sure, but it was fun to experiment at the very least.
Hahahaha, oh man, I just figured this stuff out good this time. I sprayed some on a plastic piece underneath my hood, let it sit, and came back to it. I was dissolving the plastic!
No wonder it worked so good. It literally dissolved the white layer on my black stuff on the outside of the car, which made it look so much better for restoration later.
I definitely think this works, but you have to use it carefully. My recommendation is take the 205 and apply it to a cloth. Then use the wet cloth to apply a thin layer of the 205 to the plastic you want to restore. Let it sit for only about 15 minutes, give or take, so it has a chance to dissolve that white-damaged layer on top. Take a good sponge, scrub it off, and you'll have a nice plastic finish again.
After that, I would go back to using a plastic restore/protectant to renew that brand new look. Car Guys makes a great Plastic Restore that I really like and would recommend, just remember to buff at least a couple of times after to clear the residue.
This might work for headlight restoration by dissolving the bad layer as well without lots of sanding and hard scrubbing. Definitely risky though. The biggest takeaway, don't spray and leave, it will dissolve into oblivion. 😉
Wow! I watched the facebook death rumor one, but I didn't finish the video to see that part. Thank you big time Scotty, that Lithium Seal and Squeal was exactly the kind of product I was looking for. As always, you're the man!!!
Edit: Just looked it up and they have a whole lineup of products. Might be the Trim Serum instead of the Seal and Squeal, but there's a lot there to use for keeping an older car fresh.