Removing Mud Stains from Fender Flares using Mother’s Back-to-Black

[BadlandsBlade]

Looks good! I had the same issue, and used an old bottle of Meguiar's PlastX I have laying around. They came out looking pretty good.

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[DarthLincoln]

After the constant applications of these products only to have them return to their previous state, I went a different route.

Line-X. Cleans in one wipe. I love them, and broncos owners typically notice them and ask where I got them done.

I guess I’ll have to wait and see if the stains reappear after the product has weathered away. But zooming into the photo, the dirt does seem gone from the tiny valleys in the texture.

Your fenders do look good. I would have expected LineX to be just as difficult to clean since it has a similar texture to trap dirt. If my MIC hardtop starts cracking badly after warranty, I may try Line-X on it and would likely do the flares too so they match.

 

[DarthLincoln]

Looks good! I had the same issue, and used an old bottle of Meguiar's PlastX I have laying around. They came out looking pretty good.

Interesting. I always thought of PlastX as similar to paint polish, assuming it very mildly weakens the plastic chemical bonds so you can polish away the top surface to a new glossy finish. I use PlastX on headlights to clear up haze, and even on some home electronics like my SpaceMouse to help remove the soft-touch rubber coating once it gets sticky and gross. I’ve never tried it on a textured plastic.

 

[BadlandsBlade]

I bought it initially to clear up the haze from when I had my Mustang. I only started using the PlastX after running out of the Back to Black and figured I'd give it a shot. But now I'm curious to see if the PlastX will affect the texture.

 

[CitrusBronco]

I haven‘t tried 303 yet, but intend to. Do you use that on the interior plastics?

I use the aerospace however it’s oily and always has water run marks in the morning. If you park it outside I’d try another product with less fuss.
I’m going to try the Cerakote trim coat wipes next time.

 

[gbub]

I have used Back to Black on fender flares and liked the results. However, I found it is not permanent. It must be reapplied frequently to keep it looking good. I ended up using black ink from a can to get the black back and it lasts for a very long time. It also seemed to help seal the pores to resist staining.

One drawback is you have to be very careful not to get it on paint because it will stain it. I slid mylar under the fender flare to protect the paint. The Bronco fender flare is easily removable so that should be a lot easier.

 

[DarthLincoln]

I use the aerospace however it’s oily and always has water run marks in the morning. If you park it outside I’d try another product with less fuss.
I’m going to try the Cerakote trim coat wipes next time.

Ah, yeah I definitely don’t want anything oily or leaves marks. If 303 is like that, I’ll pass..

For the interior, I usually I just vacuum and dust and rarely ever use any product. In fact the last product I had any loyalty to for the interior was Lexol’s Vinylex but that was like 20 years ago. I dunno if it still widely available or how it compares to newer options for UV protection without an “ArmorAll” look..

I tried Mothers B2B on the flares based on the good results in the video below and because I had an old bottle. The top product from the video on exterior plastic was CeraKote, tho it has a pretty glossy finish. If the Mothers results don’t last I guess I’ll try CeraKote.

 

[DarthLincoln]

I have used Back to Black on fender flares and liked the results. However, I found it is not permanent. It must be reapplied frequently to keep it looking good. I ended up using black ink from a can to get the black back and it lasts for a very long time. It also seemed to help seal the pores to resist staining.

One drawback is you have to be very careful not to get it on paint because it will stain it. I slid mylar under the fender flare to protect the paint. The Bronco fender flare is easily removable so that should be a lot easier.

This was the first time I took my flares off the truck to really clean them. I was shocked how much sand and dry dirt they were carrying in their various gaps. I may do that more often since it’s a challenge to wax the paint without leaving white wax residue on the flares.

 

[NativeTexan]

I guess I’ll have to wait and see if the stains reappear after the product has weathered away. But zooming into the photo, the dirt does seem gone from the tiny valleys in the texture.

Your fenders do look good. I would have expected LineX to be just as difficult to clean since it has a similar texture to trap dirt. If my MIC hardtop starts cracking badly after warranty, I may try Line-X on it and would likely do the flares too so they match.

For things like fender flares, they apply a UV protective coat that has a little hint of gloss in it. Makes it very easy to clean.

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