Maintaining exterior plastic components

The body panels of a car like the bumper, window lining, door trims, wheel arches, door handles are often made of plastic. These parts are very durable and are generally not affected by the elements. But they do get dirty, and if the dirt gets ingrained in the plastic, removing it becomes pretty difficult. Regular cleaning can prevent that from happening. Plastic parts though are prone to fading if they are exposed to sunlight for a long time and from the weather in general.

If your car has any exterior plastics and trim it should be cleaned along with the rest of the exterior every time it is washed. Using a plastic dressing fluid on them every time your car is washed may not be required. However a good time to do it would be when you are waxing your paintwork. Mud sticking on the plastic parts like the mudguards and bumpers should be first washed with water and then cleaned with a soap solution. Do not use hard cloth or other materials – they can leave non-repairable scratches on the plastic surfaces. Regular dusting (take care not to try wiping the dust off) of the plastic components once a day in dusty places should help keeping it clean till a full wash is conducted.