Cleaning door sills
 

The previous owner of my car never removed the clear plastic coating on the metal 'RX-8' door sills. As such, water got trapped between the plastic film and the plate. I noticed this last night when detailing the car for the first time and removed the coating. However, there are still stains left behind from these water marks. Any ideas for removing? I buffed a bit with a damp microfiber towel and the lessened somewhat, but they're still apparent. I was thinking of using some metal polish, but I'm afraid of damaging the finish on the plate.

i didnt even know the plastic coating was supposed to be taken off.. -_-; i hope i dont have those water marks you're speaking of.. i will have to check when i get back home.

go ahead and use the metal polish, that's what they are for. It should work. I didn't remove mine either but there doesn't seem to be water trapped in there.. don't wanna scuff the plates with my dirty shoes though.

Yeah, I don't think I would have even noticed the plastic if there wasn't water stuck in between. At first I wasn't sure if I should remove it, but the metal is quite a bit shinier when you take it off. The plastic had a yellowing affect. I think I'll try the metal polish on a small section and see how it does.

Quick detail spray.

No polish it. Buff it. and smile!

I took mine off because it was dull looking. When I am washing my car I just get a damp cloth and wipe down the whole door jam and just put a little extra wiping power on the metal part and let dry. :)

I had the metal polish out over the weekend while working on the exhaust tips, so I tried a bit on the door sills. No dice. The water spots are still there. I'll have to try a few other things. Luckily they're not terribly noticeable. Those plates look so much shinier with the plastic removed :-)

You could always try a little vinegar if it is on the sill. Let it sit awhile. The vinegar will dissolve the minerals again.

Get an old house in hard water country, and you will be doing this a lot!

I have heard of folks doing this to paint, but I wouldn't do it.

Thanks, I'll give that a try this weekend.

i agree with this. i used it on water spots on a black paint job that nothing else would get out. looked like brand new.