I spent the better part of Saturday detailing the MINI, clay, swirl, epic and banana gloss. I taped the entire car where I didn't want wax. Problem is, i didn't cover enough of the black plastic arches...learned my lesson. I was using my new PC and was getting the hang of it...slipped a couple of times and hit the arches pretty well.

later that day...WHITE arches in multiple spots.

I tired a number of things, but the first was Pre-Wow. Sorry to say but this stuff doesn't work!!! It is oil based so all your doing in masking the wax for several days and it WILL come back.

What REALLY worked quickly with a toothbrush to get in the tiny textured areas was...here it comes...you ready...NON Acetone nail polish remover. Yup, it works, just a little scrubbing and the wax was 95% gone. Then, took a rag with soapy water (dawn) and wiped them down. I even dried them with a hair dryer to get them to turn white. NOTHING, just a tiny bit of residue that I think a second scrubbing will get off.

NOW they are clean and time for Black Wow.

I tried and failed with the following...
Straight Dawn
White vinegar
401
Oxy clean
Listerine (it was worth a shot)
Among many others.

ANYTHING that has oil in it will ONLY mask the problem. You need to get them clean FIRST then you can use black wow.
peanut butter is oil, it masks

 

3M Adhesive remover and a toothbrush are my solution

 

Listerine? Well, if your Cooper hooks up with one of those cute little Italian Fiat 500's, it'll have good breath

BTW, my thoughts are with you folks.........you've had a hell of a couple of days down your way.

 

Yeah, pretty bad storms, I live in the western part of the state and the worst was east towards Raleigh. Pretty scary stuff! Lots of lives lost.

 

I'm glad you found something that works for you, however I do need to make a correction. Pre-Wow doesn't mask the problem, unless you use it incorrectly. Believe it or not, but PW is a mild solvent and not "just an oil". There is a technique to using PW and seems you're using a similar one with your nail polish remover. The toothbrush is included with PW for removing wax/polish from textured plastic. One spritz and a few seconds of scrubbing and the residue is gone. A painters rag is also very important for application and removal. If you don't believe that PW isn't an oil, then try this test. Put some Black Wow on your hands, and wash them with soap and water. Your hands will still be slippery.

Now repeat the test and instead spray on some PW and rub your hands together. Now wash your hands with soap and water. Your hands will be free of Black Wow. No oil is going to remove silicone from your hands. Try that same test with Peanut Oil.

What is the biggest difference between using PW and a nail polish remover? You don't have to worry about PW removing/stripping the "good wax" on your paint if you get some on it. Just wipe it gently with a microfiber towel. But buff it, then you'll activate it, and it'll take off the wax. You also don't have to worry about drying out your plastic and rubber.

Richard

 

I won't debate you on what Pre wow is made of, I'm giving my results of what worked best for me.

The NON acetone nail polish remover just plain worked! Then a very light amount of Black Wow made everything nice and finished.

 

WOW, Great find Slimjimtell!

 

Well, day 3 of my experiment on 1 arch with the NON Acetone nail polish remover looks like the day I bought the car. This worked out really well!! It is clean, black and wax free.

The other arches which was 2 other products, failed and the white is peaking through again.

Looks like I need to do 3 things now...

1. Finish the remaining arches with the NON acetone Nail polish remover.
2. Finish with a light coat of Black Wow
3. QUIT GETTING WAX ON THEM!!!

 

I understand, and I'm glad you found something that works for you. And I'm happy that you're using my Black Wow.

 

Black Wow is great stuff. LOVE the prima products and they work great with the PC I got from you.

 

Guys, this is NO JOKE, I just finished the other two arches and they look AMAZING. I can seriously say I am going to make sure this doesn't happen again, but if it does, I'm not worried because I have the solution.

Wish I would have done a before and after. I'm sure someone will. I may just spread some wax on one of them, let it sit for a couple days and show everyone.

 

In the future try (don't laugh) Peanut butter.

 

Nope, PB is oil and ONLY masks the white...it will come back!

 

Well, I used some Isopropyl Alchohol that I got from my local CVS (the 70% strength one) took a brush to my trim, which had been white since I bought the car (about three months ago?) and it went away with some light scrubbing with a brush, and the alchohol, then washing it down with some soap and water. It's been a few weeks (3-4?) since I took the brush to the trim, they haven't come back, and the arches are still nice and black (:

(Didn't put anything on the arches afterwards, just a nice soap and water wash :P)

 

I used the Pre Wow last winter around Christmas. Scrubbed and waited. No return of white residue except for where I hadn't brushed it enough, so a quick second effort got me back to showroom black. The I Black Wowed it and it's been black lovely since. A quick fix between detailing is Prima Nero. It's great on the black trim outside, as well as the door panels and such inside. It seems to hold the black trim well after the white nasty was residue is gone.
I may try the nail polish remover method if I ever spill the wax again, but most Prima waxes don't leave such a residue, do they?

 

X2... Peanut butter must be an urban legend, took a lot of scrubbing then it came back.

I have no doubt Isopropyl Alchohol works as mentioned above, great for tree sap on cars, RV's, tents.... price sticker adhesive removers..... you name it.

What I have found works great as a wax remover from textured black trim and treats it too, is the same thing I use on all the vinyl and rubber seals on all my rigs every 3 months:

Meguiars #40 Vinyl & Rubber Conditioner