How to Clean & Restore Rubber Trim Around Car Windows

For most of us, we call the cars we drive our second home and we spend a great deal of time in them to go from one place to another. In this article, we are going to look at how to clean rubber trim around car windows. Many individuals speak about their cars as passionately as if they were a part of their family. However, minor but important elements of our vehicles are frequently ignored, such as the rubber trims on your car windshield, seals and moldings, badges and emblems, etc. Your attention to these components and timely maintenance are required to extend the life span of your vehicle.

The rubber trims around car windows prevents the moisture, debris and other contaminants from getting inside your vehicle. In this article, you will learn how to clean the rubber trim around car windows. Cleaning these components from time will give your car a new life. These items may be small but they impact the way your vehicle looks. The process to clean the trims isn’t long but is well worth the effort.

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Why Do You Need to Clean Rubber Trim Around Windows?

Listed below are some of the reason why you should include cleaning rubber trims on your regular maintenance list.

• Prevent the moisture, dust/dirt spores, and other chemicals from getting into the vehicle.
• Stop door rust or corrosion.
• Reduce moisture on the rubber trims.
• To improve the durability of the rubber by protecting them from radiations, which can make the rubber hard and brittle.
• Avoid damaging your vehicle’s paint

The rubber trim on your windows serves two main purposes. Its main function is to avoid moisture, debris from the road, and other chemicals from getting inside your car from the windows. The second function is to prevent the moisture from getting inside the windows and causing rust or corrosion.

Most new vehicles come with electronic window controls which are very susceptible to water damage. The rubbers trims will prevent the water from getting inside and damaging the electronics.

Rubber used for the window trims is made up of a durable material. However, it’s not impervious to damage from. Like everything else in your car, the rubber trims are also susceptible to the UV rays from the sun. Not only does the radiation from the sun’s rays dull the rubber, it also makes it stiff and brittle.

This process, over time, creates cracks and destruction, allowing the water to leak into the window. Hot climate and road films can also affect the durability of the rubber trims.

Rubber trim around car windows doesn’t have extra protection. If you’re not diligent about cleaning and protecting it from time to time, it would wear down. Therefore, it’s recommended to clean the rubber trim around your car windows.

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How to Clean Rubber Trim around Car Window?

Dull and worn trims make your car look bad. Your car looks amazing with well-maintained trims! Rubber trims are not only around the windows but can also be found around bumpers, headlights and door handles.

Windshield molding, wipers, bumper guards, emblems, and antennas are also made, in part, of the same trim material. You can clean all of those components with the same product.

Things You Will Need for the Cleaning

• Wax solvent
• Dish soap or Mild detergent
• Hot water with Bucket
• Soft sponge
• Microfiber clothes
• Hose and water
• Rubber protectant

Rubber Trim Cleaning Procedure

Step# 1 – Apply a Wax Solvent to Make the Rubber Trims Shiny

For all of your rubber caps, your car needs a wax solvent. It brings out the shine from the trims. Therefore, before you can clean and start applying the protectant to the trim, you need to use the wax solvent to remove the wax.

Step# 2 – Make a Simple Cleaning Solution

The great part of this phase is that you don’t have to go to the store to buy certain unique trim cleaning solutions. You can produce the cleaning solution at home. Take a bowl or a bucket, and mix hot water with dish soap. You can clean all of the rubber trims with this solution.

Step# 3 – Apply the Solution

Take a very soft sponge or soft towel and add some cleaning solution to it. You may also use a brush to apply the solution. If you do, please select a brush with very soft bristles. This will prevent the paint or any nearby metal from getting scratched.

Step# 4 – Dry it Off with a Soft Cloth

Take a smooth dry cloth and pour a few drops of the solvent on to it. Lightly rub the rubber back and forth until you start to see the shine appear. A few rounds of going back and forth on the trim will ensure that you have scrubbed away the dust particles.

Step# 5 – Check the Interior

While your car’s exterior trims are drying up, see if a touch-up is needed for the interior. It is clear that the interior rubber trim cannot easily get dirty or broken, but it is best to inspect it as well. If you feel they need cleaning, then grab a soft towel and scrub it clean.

How Often Should You Clean the Rubber Trims?

There are no set rules about when you should or how often you should clean the trims. So, you can do it whenever you feel it’s necessary.

During maintenance or every other month or so, take a close look around your car. If you see the trims are fading, or if there are gaps or cuts, then it’s probably a good time to clean them.

Did you know that you can also use a plastic trim restorer to protect the trims? Restore solution will help prevent the fading due to UV rays and will keep the trims looking new.

Remember:

Two major causes of trim damage and discoloration are the UV rays and ozone gas. It’s important to keep the trims protected with a restorer to minimize the damage and discoloration.

Can You Always Restore Car Window Rubber Trims?

No amount of product will help if the rubber trim on the car has sustained too much damage.

If you see that the trim has become brittle and there are a lot of cracks and gaps; the it’s time to replace them. You can’t use a restorer or a protectant solution to fill all those cracks.

Clean rubber trim around your car makes the car look more stylish and sharper!

Extra Tip:

Along with the rubber protectant, strive to use a rubber sealant as well. That’s an extra layer of protection which will keep the moisture out.