Mink Oil for Black Trim on Cars

[RJM62]

The latest chapter in my quest to find something to rejuvenate the black trim on the car that actually lasts as long as it takes to apply it. This seems promising, but time will tell. This was after one rainstorm.



A guy who sells used cars said either Fluid Film (lanolin) or mink oil are good because they replace the oils that offgas from the plastic. Makes sense to me. It can't be any worse than any of the crap made for that purpose that I've tried.

Rich

 

[Timbeck2]

I'll try it since like you said, its hard to find something that works. Where does one buy mink oil these days? I remember I used to put it on my baseball mitt when I was a kid but haven't used it since.

 

[SoonerAviator]

I generally just tape it off and get the spray paint that is made for restoring those automotive plastics.

 

[RJM62]

I'll try it since like you said, its hard to find something that works. Where does one buy mink oil these days? I remember I used to put it on my baseball mitt when I was a kid but haven't used it since.

I bought it at Dollar General. I'm pretty sure Tractor Supply has it, too.

Rich

 

[RJM62]

I'll try it since like you said, its hard to find something that works. Where does one buy mink oil these days? I remember I used to put it on my baseball mitt when I was a kid but haven't used it since.

Just so you know, I had to use four coats. The first two or three just got soaked up like a sponge, especially under the running boards. There was no excess to wipe off until the third coat. Then I put a fourth on.

At least mink oil is cheap. I used about $5.00 worth. If it lasts six months, it'll be better than the most-expensive stuff I used, which was six times the price.

Rich

 

[Timbeck2]

Okey doke.

 

[RudyP]

Interesting - I have had good luck with some sort of commercial black trim restorer (can't remember the manufacturer - this was years ago). Still looks nice and black to this day. Then again, this is a car that only drives about 1500 miles a year, essentially never driven in rain and is garaged so the exposure is quite limited.

 

[ktup-flyer]

All you need. https://www.autogeek.net/solution-finish-restorer.html

 

[GeorgeC]

I generally just tape it off and get the spray paint that is made for restoring those automotive plastics.

Tell me more... There are a couple of pieces of plastic on my dash that were originally matte charcoal, but I suspect they got exposed to some solvent along the way that liberated some of the paint, and are now a much lighter shiny graphite color.

 

[SoonerAviator]

Tell me more... There are a couple of pieces of plastic on my dash that were originally matte charcoal, but I suspect they got exposed to some solvent along the way that liberated some of the paint, and are now a much lighter shiny graphite color.

Well I can’t speak to interior pieces, but I’ve pulled the wiper cowls on my trucks as well as taped-off the plastic bed rail caps and sprayed them with good results. Normally lasts through a couple of years of every day driving. I want to say I’ve used both Rustoleum Black Trim Paint as well as the SEM brand. As long as you scrub the surface well with some blue Dawn dish soap to remove any residue before spraying, it seems to adhere pretty well.

 

[RJM62]

Well I can’t speak to interior pieces, but I’ve pulled the wiper cowls on my trucks as well as taped-off the plastic bed rail caps and sprayed them with good results. Normally lasts through a couple of years of every day driving. I want to say I’ve used both Rustoleum Black Trim Paint as well as the SEM brand. As long as you scrub the surface well with some blue Dawn dish soap to remove any residue before spraying, it seems to adhere pretty well.

I thought about that, but every spray painting project I do seems to become a bug trap.

Rich