Tips on cleaning plastics

beans · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Karma :

Hi,
Over the last few weeks ive completly re-build an old 90's DTR. Stripped it, had all the metal parts powder coated and its now all back together and looking like new. It seems such a shame to put the old plastics back on as they're quite faded and stained in places. Being white they look even worse after 17yrs of use.

Does anybody have any good tips for getting them looking like new, I will be putting a new sticker kit on it so damaging them isnt a problem. Also the seat is in the same sort of state, but was just thinking of getting that re-covered.
Cheers
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cagiva gezzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Karma :

Autoglym paint renovator.

Also heard that you can sand / wet and dry pannels harshly, then use a heatgun to get them looking new again.
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beans · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Karma :

Nice one, will try that. I have some Autoglym paint renovator and found it to be pretty rubbish on the car so maybe it will have some use at last. If that fails I will try the heat gun trick. Any tips on getting the old stickers off in one piece?
Cheers
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Yamaha FS1E- Suzuki RG 125 - Honda CB-1- Ducati Monster - Kawasaki ZX6-R F1- Kawasaki ZX6-R G1- 2003 Yamaha R6

MattHirst · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Karma :

For getting stickers off stuff like plastic parts i always found heating them up with a hair drier worked pretty well. It also generally removes the glue at the same time.
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plugger147 · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Karma :

Or if not a hair dryer a bowl of piping hot water and take them off warm.
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I'm alan partridge · Derestricted Danger Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Karma :

J.K.R · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Feb 2005 Karma :

Hairdryer for the stickers, Brake cleaner for taking off the glue and it should freshen the platics up a bit Thumbs Up

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sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

Brake fluid works incredibly well on colour impregnated plastic.

1st hand proof here.

Be VERY careful and only do a small piece at a time.

beans · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Karma :

Nice one guys, tried the paint renovator which didnt really work. Going to give the brake fluid a go then try the wet n dry if it doesnt work.
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Yamaha FS1E- Suzuki RG 125 - Honda CB-1- Ducati Monster - Kawasaki ZX6-R F1- Kawasaki ZX6-R G1- 2003 Yamaha R6

Zenarchy · Nova Slayer Joined: 06 Nov 2006 Karma :

I've just ordered some of this stuff:

https://www.usautomotive.co.uk/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=353

(that's about the only place I could find to buy it online - there seems to be very few places in the UK who sell vinyl dye from what I can tell - plasti-kote apparently do one as well but finding the exact type turned out to be a nightmare and I gave up).

It hasn't arrived yet, so can't say how well it'll work from first hand experience yet, but read a lot of good things about it from people using it to recolour and restore car interiors and change the colour of plastic computer/games console boxes.

I'll be using it to restore some black plastic parts that have sun faded, but there are other colours available as well. You'd need to be sure it's bare plastic you're colouring though and not painted plastic as it won't work on painted surfaces.

It's a dye rather than a paint and apparently melts the plastic slightly and soaks in to re-colour it (probably similar to the brake fluid idea only with a colour in there).

You might find something like that a bit easier to use than brake fluid as it sprays on so you'll be able to get several finer coats and it might be a bit easier to avoid any damage.

You can see the sort of finish it achieves here:

https://case-mods.linear1.org/im-high-on-vinyl-dye/

Though in that case he was changing the colour completely.

Zenarchy · Nova Slayer Joined: 06 Nov 2006 Karma :

P.S. If you're looking for alternatives for that product then be careful to check that they actually dye the plastic, and aren't just coatings. There are other sprays available for bumpers etc. that appear the same, but they don't dye the plastic, just coat it so it effects the original finish/texture, then isn't permanent as the coating wears off.

Hopefully the can I ordered will turn up tomorrow or early this week, so I'll post a before and after picture if you like when I've given it a try.