??? on interior issue

[BarryK]

I'm currently working on a friends Toyota Rav4.
He had accidently had a can of yellow spray paint go off in the interior a while back so there are areas of a lot of paint spray and splatter drops on the side of the center console by the shifter, the shifter indicator plate, and the steering column housing under the ignition switch.

What would be best to try to remove the paint without damaging the plastic trim panels?
I have on hand Body Solvent, Simple Green, Super Degreaser, APC+, 3M Adhesive & Wax remover, and strongest of all H.E.T. 1545 Cleaning & Primer Thinner (contains Toulene, Methyl alcohol, Acetone, and a few other wonderful ingredients)

I'm sure the H.E.T would remove the paint spray but I'm afraid it would also remove the color from the interior panels also.

Any suggestions on the best procedure and cleaner to safely use for this?

[Alex C.]

Re: ??? on interior issue

I've had luck using Goof Off on a vinyl dash with dried paint on it. I used a piece of terry cloth. Just be sure to clean the dash afterwards with something like QID.


If it's not vinyl you might want to do a test spot first.

[Nappers]

Re: ??? on interior issue

Obviously you want to start with least aggressive.

I have in the past sucessfully removed hard to remove ick from my interior simply by liberaly spraying my favorite dressing (M40/ASD/HD etc) and let it sit and work it's way "behind" the ick and with some elbow grease and a terry cloth, remove it. That's with plastics anyway!

I would be very careful on using solvents on plastic as some "solvents" can dissolve plastics. I think I read that Lynn Phillips used a non acetone solvent to remove sprayed on dye (paint) from some Corvette seats with some great sucess.

Here's the link, look at page 5, entry #47 , I left you the whole link as this write up is just awesome. Not to mention the work she put in to restore the seats!

1999 Corvette - Remove Swirls and Scratches

[AeroCleanse]

Re: ??? on interior issue

On the harder surfaces you might want to think about using clay

[BarryK]

Re: ??? on interior issue

this is plastic, not vinyl, and I don't have Goop Off

Yep, I agree, I'm very hesitant to try any type of solvent on the plastic, even on a test spot since I'm well aware the damage many solvents can do to plastics - hence the reason of posting first to see if many someone had come across this before and how they did it.

Hmm, I hadn't thought about clay. That's worth trying and now that I'm thinking more on it maybe something like those yellow big & tar removal sponges - they are aggressive but don't scratch, they may work in combination with the right cleaner.
Guess i'll just have to experiment and see what might work

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: ??? on interior issue

I know some MOLers here have reservations about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but I have used them with success in nearly every application. They took out scuff marks from my wheels that I had thought was permanent curb rash, and I used one this past weekend to remove a sharpie mark from a matte silver interior door handle trim when nothing else worked.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ??? on interior issue

What would be best to try to remove the paint without damaging the plastic trim panels?

There's some new products on the market for removing paint by this company,

Motsenbocker's Lift Off


I have #4 for removing Graffiti but have not tried it yet. Says right on the front label,

Works on Street Signs, Plastic, Brick and Concrete

[BarryK]

Re: ??? on interior issue

well, for this detail it's too late to get any new products to try.
I did the best I could with APC+ and scrapping with my fingernail. Got at least most of it off the center console and shifter surround plate so it is what it is. The rest will have to stay for now. It's been there for a couple years anyway so they weren't all that concerned about it but I always try to do the best job I can just on principle.

Mike, that Lift Off 4 sounds interesting. I'm going to have to find it around me and try a bottle.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ??? on interior issue

Mike, that Lift Off 4 sounds interesting. I'm going to have to find it around me and try a bottle.

If you try it, first get some before and after pictures because if it works, I'm sure the company would love to use the pictures as a testimonial and maybe they'll give you a free shirt of case of product?

Remember, in any before and after the power comes from the before pictures...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ??? on interior issue

I was in Lowe's recently and now they have 3 or 4 of these Lift Off products. There website has a list of stores that carry their products.

[BarryK]

Re: ??? on interior issue

If you try it, first get some before and after pictures because if it works, I'm sure the company would love to use the pictures as a testimonial and maybe they'll give you a free shirt of case of product?

Remember, in any before and after the power comes from the before pictures...

I know i'm still new to this forum and you don't know me well yet but for people that know me you telling me to take pics would be very funny.

When I'm working on a project or a restoration on a car I'm known to take TONS & TONS of photos of EVERYTHING.
I photo document every little detail, down to the most minor.
It all started when I first started doing my own work on my classic cars and was just learning - I took photos of everything just so I'd remember or could see how everything went back together again
Now I keep doing it just to have good photo records of all my projects