You must have noticed white spots or maybe cracks on your rubber trims and thought it was unimportant. However, these parts can get white spots or discoloration caused by contaminants like moisture, mold, or other residues of damaging chemicals.
Without proper care, these rubber strims can become brittle, cracked, and discolored after a year or so. To prevent that from happening, you can check out this step-by-step guide and some tips on how to clean rubber trim around car windows.
Table of Contents
Step-by-Step Guide
What to prepare:
- Automotive shampoo (soap or detergent as alternatives)
- Wax Solvent/Rubbing alcohol
- A soft brush (soft toothbrush can be used)
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber towel or cloth
- Warm distilled water
- Rubber Protectant (silicone lubricant)
- Wet wipes (optional)
Step 1: Roll the window up
The first step in cleaning car window seals is rolling up your windows.
Step 2: Start cleaning
Next, you need to clean the windows and the parts surrounding your rubber trims inside and outside your car.
- Use a dry microfiber towel to remove the visible dirt on the windows.
- Then use wet wipes or a damp microfiber towel to clean the rubber trims.
Step 3: Wipe dry rubber trims
To ensure that the crevices are clean before applying wax solvent, use wet wipes along the inside of your car window seal and let it air dry.
Step 4: Clean the inside window seals
As you clean inside car window seals, try to lower your window as much as possible to get the dust and debris inside using a dry soft-bristled brush.
Step 5: Remove the old wax
The wax solution was applied during your car window seals repair or even during the manufacturing of your car to make the rubber look shiny. So, you need to remove the wax using rubbing alcohol or wax solvent and a soft cloth.
Apply the wax solvent using a cloth and rub it gently. Let it set for 2-3 minutes, and then you can remove the residues using a clean towel/cloth.
Step 6: Make your cleaning mixture/solution
There is no specific car window trim cleaner, you can use automotive shampoo, soap, or detergent with water for car window trim molding repair or cleaning rubber trims/seals in general.
- You first need to mix the automotive shampoo with warm distilled water.
- If an automotive shampoo is not available you can use dish soap or detergent.
Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it directly on your window seals.
Step 7: Clean the window seals or trims using a soft brush.
After spraying the mixture on the rubber stripping, use a clean, soft brush to rub the molds and discoloration off your car window rubber seal strip.
Scrub the rubber gently to avoid damaging your rubber seals. And, do not forget to also get into the crevices of the rubber trims.
Wipe away the residue on window liner car strips or the rubber trims as much as possible using a dry microfiber cloth. Repeat this step until you achieve the result you want.
Step 8: Apply a rubber protectant.
You can apply the rubber protectant directly on the rubber as the product has a foam applicator. Use a microfiber cloth/towel to apply if you have a spray protectant.
The Importance of Cleaning Rubber Trim
Car owners prioritize car paint and wax on the car coating as people notice those first. However, rubber trims are essential in terms of the well-being of the car’s internal parts.
Car companies install weather stripping for car windows as it protects your car from moisture and any dirt that may cause damage inside your car.
Without rubber strippings, the water during rainy seasons and the dirt from the road will go inside the car doors. The door handles will corrode and the wirings can be damaged.
With all those in mind, dedicate time cleaning rubber seals on your car as needed.
Ways to Restore Rubber Trim on Car Windows
- To restore black trim of your car, use those products that restore the color of your trim and improve its shine. Spray on a cloth and apply it to the black trim. Let it set without disruption until it dries.
- To restore rubber around car windows and to restore sun damaged rubber trim, you must use a conditioner of rubber seals or a strong restorer.
- Some car rubber seal restorer has an applicator to be used directly on the surface of your trims. However, if those are not available, use a cloth applied with the restorer, and then apply it all over the trim. Let the product air dry on the rubber trims or seals.
- It is recommended to use distilled water for automotive weather stripping repair or any repair on your car as distilled water does not conduct electricity.
- Always use rubber protectant as it has UV protection agents that protect your rubber from cracking due to the sun’s UV rays and the heat from the surroundings.
Conclusion
We have learned that even though rubber trims on cars are often overlooked, it plays a vital role in protecting our car’s wiring and essential parts. It is best to take care of it, use it for a longer time, and avoid replacing it often.
Some people will just replace it to avoid more work, however, if you want to save money and want to do the work on your own, follow the steps that were mentioned above on how to clean rubber trim around car windows.
