Washing Jeep Fenders

[chtorr]

I have an '08 Jeep Wrangler. It has the big plastic black fenders. I wash the vehicle at least every 2 weeks, and the paint is immaculate, but the fenders get dirty immediately. And even after washing them several times, as soon as I dry them off, there are dirt streaks visible. Today I washed with Meguiar's Deep Crystal car wash using a microfiber mitt. I washed them a couple times with it, then I used a microfiber bug and tar remover and scrubbed harder. Still, when I dry them, the dirt streaks are back.

Any suggestions or other products I should use to really get them clean? I've been treating them with 303 Aerospace Protectant and I've only had the Jeep a few months, so there is no fading yet. Putting 303 on them kind of makes the dirt streaks less visible but I'd ideally like to get all the dirt off them.

Thanks a lot.

Chris

[Murr1525]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Its possible the streaks arent going anywhere, if they are somehow in the plastic.

The best you can do with Meguiars products is to clean them with APC or APC+ and a soft brush, and then dress them with something like All Season Dressing, or the Gold Class Trim Detailer.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Is the plastic smooth or textured?

Can you post a picture?

[CieraSL]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

I'm probably completely wrong on this, but I'll tell you what I think could be the issue. It is possible that you have dirt on the inside or the backside of the fender, and you're catching that dirt with your towel or chamois or whatever you're using to dry the car and getting it all over your fenders. If you caught dirt with your wash mitt or whatever you're using to wash it with it obviously wouldn't be as noticeable. Next time you wash, make sure you wash really good behind and under the fenders and see if that helps. Like I said, I don't know for sure that that's your issue, but that's just my guess. Hope you find the issue!

[chtorr]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

The fenders have some texture to them, which is why I think they hang on to dirt like they do.

I've been careful about drying with a clean MF drying towel, and when I wash them it's after I've rinsed the mitt (2 bucket method). Like I said I went over them several times, long after I'd already clean the insides of them.

I may try something like APC. I saw another thread someone mentioned Magic Eraser too. Maybe that's worth a try. When they're dry, the streaks totally look like dirt. I don't know what else it could be. Maybe a scrub brush would penetrate the texture better too, instead of using microfiber products?

Thanks for the respones.

Chris

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Dy dirt, do you mean more of a dirt stain, rather than actual grains of dirt you can feel?

I'm having trouble visualizing this.

[Murr1525]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Bristles could help.

[chtorr]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Yeah, more of a dirt stain, it's like dirt streaks in the fenders. Maybe tomorrow I can get a picture of it to post. I can't feel individual grains of dirt though. But the streaks are a real light brown, so it has to be dirt that just isn't coming out.

And since I haven't used a bristled brush, that will be my next step to try.

[Murr1525]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Be sure to stay with a soft brush...

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Be sure to stay with a soft brush...

Very good point. A REALLY stiff bristle (esp metal bristles) could easily scratch plastic... making your problem worse, not better.

Try for something maybe 2-3 times stiffer than a new toothbrush.

[Murr1525]

Re: Washing Jeep Fenders

Or a toothbrush....