Car Trim Restoration

Trim restorers are for unpainted black plastic and rubber that has faded to grey: bumper inserts, wiper cowls, mirror bases, seals and mud flaps. Unlike most dressings, which wash off, they are made to bring the colour back for months. Restorers and trim coatings are listed here. A trim dressing such as Dodo Juice Dark Matter or Yum Dress V2 also darkens faded trim and is topped up as it wears: see Trim Dressings.

How to choose

• Finish: some restorers dry to a matte, factory-style black with no wet look, while trim coatings darken the plastic and leave a protective coating on top.
• Colour: black restorers are made only for surfaces that were black to begin with, so keep them off grey or coloured trim.

Good to know

• These restorers are for exterior trim. For the dashboard and door cards, use one of the Interior Dressings.
• Clean the plastic with one of the All Purpose Cleaners and a brush, then let it dry: old dressing or dirt stops a restorer or coating from bonding.
• Keep it off paint and glass. Mask the edges with Masking Tapes and wipe any smears off straight away.

How do you restore faded black plastic trim on a car?

Clean the trim with an all purpose cleaner and a brush, let it dry, then work a trim restorer or coating in with an applicator, keeping it off paint and glass. A restorer or coating brings the black back for months. A trim dressing gives a similar look for less time and is topped up as it wears: see Trim Dressings.

Related: Leather, Plastic & Trim, Trim Dressings, Plastic & Vinyl Protectants. Popular brands here: 303, Mothers, Solution Finish.