Peanut butter actually works...

BlackjackMulligan · 02-07-2011, 02:04 PM

So maybe I'm the last holdout on this, but I never believed it before- peanut butter works magic getting wax residue off of black plastic trim!

I've always had trouble getting dried, baked on wax residue off of people's cars plastics when cleaning them up. I just picked up for myself a mint 2001 Z3 that was very well cared for, however the door handles are black textured plastic and had a lot of white wax residue on them- also the black plastic windshield washer nozzles on the hood.

I first tried P21s TAW by spraying it onto the handle, agitiating with a MF towel, rubbing, then wiping off- nothing. Didn't touch it.

I then thought, let's try ISP rubbing alcohol. Put some on the MF, rubbed, dried, nothing. White residue galore.

As I'm contemplating another summer of "lets cover it up with XYZ rubber dressing until it comes back again", I remembered people saying that Peanut Butter will do the trick. I was always EXTREMELY skeptical, and figured if it did anything, it was just the oils in the PB that were covering up the residue.

So I snuck through the kitchen (didn't want the wife to see haha) and grabbed the Jif. Put a tiny bit on a MF (feeling like an idiot the whole time) and holy crap, it works. Most telling to me was the black residue left on the MF towel that tells me the PB was actually taking something off the handle- remember I had already cleaned it with two relatively strong liquids.

In addition, the matte sheen the PB left on the handles made them look quite literally brand new. We will see what the summer brings when they dry out a bit more but I think I really got the residue off. I wish I had before/after shots, but I don't.

Try it, you will become a believer. Who woulda thought...

JohnL135I · 02-07-2011, 05:02 PM

Hmm, never heard of this trick.........thanks for the info. Will add this to my bag of tricks.

Red Bread · 02-10-2011, 04:44 PM

Haha, yeah it works great. I use it on my Z3 door handles too. It really works well on Jeep Wrangler fender trim.

Dackelone · 02-10-2011, 04:49 PM

Thanks for the tip.

Btw... I like my peanut butter with my Nutella!

AchtungF80 · 02-10-2011, 05:17 PM

I used it to restore faded BMW plastic and grill trim and its almost as good as a spray can of black paint.

m_thompson · 02-11-2011, 12:09 PM

Now the squirrels will eat your door handles...

FDM68 · 02-14-2011, 08:50 AM

gets gum outta hair and carpets too.... not to mention tastes good on bread with jam....

MuttGrunt · 02-14-2011, 12:14 PM

BlackJack - I figured a guy like you would have tried this a long time ago! To extend the results, make sure to use something like 303 afterwards for its UV ray protection.

BlackjackMulligan · 02-14-2011, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuttGrunt

BlackJack - I figured a guy like you would have tried this a long time ago! To extend the results, make sure to use something like 303 afterwards for its UV ray protection.

I really should have. Sometime's I'm of the mind that the more money I throw at something the better effect it will have on the problem. Boy was I wrong about this. My wife's former MDX had polish on some of the plastic trim that I was constantly hunting down....I was ready to use dye on it but then we traded it in. I now know what to use if it ever happens again!

Good point about the 303, I will be sure to do that...I suppose it would be a bit much to write to Jif and ask them to include UV protectant in their ingredients for convenience??? lol

Eeighty8 · 02-15-2011, 12:05 PM

Magic Eraser. Couldn't believe it's taken me this long to try it. No squirrels involved.

02-07-2011, 02:04 PM	#1
BlackjackMulligan Most interesting Roadster 69 Rep 2,224 Posts Drives: '01 Z3.0 Roady;'10 C300 Sport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Boston 'burbs iTrader: (5) Garage List 2010 Mercedes-Benz ... [0.00] 2001 BMW Z3 3.0 Roa ... [0.00]	Peanut butter actually works... So maybe I'm the last holdout on this, but I never believed it before- peanut butter works magic getting wax residue off of black plastic trim! I've always had trouble getting dried, baked on wax residue off of people's cars plastics when cleaning them up. I just picked up for myself a mint 2001 Z3 that was very well cared for, however the door handles are black textured plastic and had a lot of white wax residue on them- also the black plastic windshield washer nozzles on the hood. I first tried P21s TAW by spraying it onto the handle, agitiating with a MF towel, rubbing, then wiping off- nothing. Didn't touch it. I then thought, let's try ISP rubbing alcohol. Put some on the MF, rubbed, dried, nothing. White residue galore. As I'm contemplating another summer of "lets cover it up with XYZ rubber dressing until it comes back again", I remembered people saying that Peanut Butter will do the trick. I was always EXTREMELY skeptical, and figured if it did anything, it was just the oils in the PB that were covering up the residue. So I snuck through the kitchen (didn't want the wife to see haha) and grabbed the Jif. Put a tiny bit on a MF (feeling like an idiot the whole time) and holy crap, it works. Most telling to me was the black residue left on the MF towel that tells me the PB was actually taking something off the handle- remember I had already cleaned it with two relatively strong liquids. In addition, the matte sheen the PB left on the handles made them look quite literally brand new. We will see what the summer brings when they dry out a bit more but I think I really got the residue off. I wish I had before/after shots, but I don't. Try it, you will become a believer. Who woulda thought... __________________ I can't complain, but sometimes I still do........Life's been good to me so far. - Joe Walsh Last edited by BlackjackMulligan; 02-07-2011 at 06:27 PM..
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02-07-2011, 05:02 PM	#2
JohnL135I Donkey Kong King 89 Rep 1,129 Posts Drives: 2012 Boss 302 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sahuarita, AZ iTrader: (3)	Hmm, never heard of this trick.........thanks for the info. Will add this to my bag of tricks. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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02-10-2011, 04:44 PM	#3
Red Bread Major General 4463 Rep 9,160 Posts Drives: Smog machines Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Haha, yeah it works great. I use it on my Z3 door handles too. It really works well on Jeep Wrangler fender trim.
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02-10-2011, 04:49 PM	#4
Dackelone European Editor 10589 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the tip. Btw... I like my peanut butter with my Nutella!
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02-10-2011, 05:17 PM	#5
AchtungF80 Brigadier General 279 Rep 3,465 Posts Drives: 997.2 GT3, '17 G30 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NJ iTrader: (2) Garage List 2008 135is [9.50] 2010 Cooper S [10.00] 1991 318is [10.00]	I used it to restore faded BMW plastic and grill trim and its almost as good as a spray can of black paint. __________________ ig: 0verrev
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02-11-2011, 12:09 PM	#6
m_thompson Major 133 Rep 1,416 Posts Drives: M-Sport 128i, 328xi, 3.0CS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New England, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 128i [0.00] 1972 3.0CS [10.00]	Now the squirrels will eat your door handles... __________________ '09 128i - Black Sapphire Metallic\Coral Red\Glacier Silver\N51 DISA\6MT\Navigation\Premium\M-Sport\Heated seats\Xenon\Headlights\iPod\Smartphone\Euro Delivery
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02-14-2011, 08:50 AM	#7
FDM68 Captain 34 Rep 761 Posts Drives: 11' 135i Join Date: May 2010 Location: Georgia (hearts still in Germany) iTrader: (0)	gets gum outta hair and carpets too.... not to mention tastes good on bread with jam....
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02-14-2011, 12:14 PM	#8
MuttGrunt Banned 27 Rep 872 Posts Drives: beater;) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SE Michigan iTrader: (0)	BlackJack - I figured a guy like you would have tried this a long time ago! To extend the results, make sure to use something like 303 afterwards for its UV ray protection.
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02-15-2011, 12:05 PM	#10
Eeighty8 Private 1 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2010 E88 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: chicago iTrader: (3)	Magic Eraser. Couldn't believe it's taken me this long to try it. No squirrels involved.
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