best way to polish up old chrome?

Are there any tricks of the trade to getting old chrome looking its best?
Other than rechroming that is.

 

Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish ( Small red and white can ) works pretty well. Not too harsh bet does an eccellent job cleaning old chrome and polishing aluminum. Available at any WalMart or Auto Parts Store.

 

On pieces that are pitted and stained, and you want it to look the best it can without rechroming, I use turtle wax chrome polish in the little bottle. I use it with 000 or 00 steel wool. It does a good job on things like bumpers, lights, and hood ornaments. Pretty easy to use.

 

Plain old aluminum foil. I saw this on Myth Busters and tried it. It cleaned up the pitted areas really well.

 

howabout coca cola and aluminum foil. Did pretty good on mine

 

Orange Goop (with pumice) hand cleaner cleans chrome real good. Water stains and brake dust, no prob. Cheap too.

 

Wow. Never heard about the aluminum foil or coke and aluminum foil. Does that work for the water stains? If not maybe I'll try the orange goop.

 

the aluminum foil gets stuck in the pits and covers up the rust, been doing this for years, i use turtle wax as well

 

How many times??!!
NEVER, EVER, no steel wool on chrome !!
It's the kiss of death.
It pushes iron into the pores of the chrome that unites with the iron underneath and leads to splitting, flaking, you name it.
NEVER, EVER use a polish on chrome that contains ammonia.
Ammonia dissolves chrome.
The aluminum foil and cola works well if the chrome is broken.
If it is unbroken, use a QUALITY chrome polish.
That doesn't include mothers or turtlewax.
They are rubbish.
Manufactured to generate resales.
Find a polish that doesn't contain ammonia, ammonia bi flouride or sodium hydroxide and you have a chance of getting something that will protect your chrome, not dissolve it.

 

OK, I'm sure this is a stupid question but I don't know the answer so, here goes.

Once you clean up your rusty chrome, can you shot clear over it to keep it looking good for a while longer?

 

GREAT TIMING HERE! I'm just checking the board before going out to the '50 Ford to install some new/used chrome and was wondering how I was going to get the rest of the chrome that I did not find replacements for to stand out a bit more.

I'll just grab the roll of aluminum foil on my way through the kitchen and check the garage cooler for some Coke.

 

When I bought my truck it had some cheap American Racing chrome wheels on it. They were clear coated from the factory. The clear coat was always peeling off and the chrome underneath the clear was much shinier than the clear. Looked like shit! No way to scuff up chrome for the clear to stick to it without ruining it.

 

just heard this the other day from some old timer..he said to use water with it though..

 

CAUTION!!!!!!!!!!!

Goop with pumice was mentioned. I've cleaned chrome that way and scratched the hell out of it.

DON'T PUMICE YOUR CHROME

 

I have heard toothpaste works well?? never tried it though!!!

 

Do a search on Wenol metal polish. They have different kinds depending on what kind of metal you are polishing. This stuff works great. Ive used it on chrome and aluminum.

 

If you can afford it, get Simichrome polish. It's really expensive but it's excellent quality. I bet Polisher will agree.

I'm still amazed at how many people use steel wool on chrome. That's the worst possible thing you can do.

If your chrome is really shitty looking and you want to clean it up, try some buffing compound, the stuff you'd use on your car after wetsanding. I like Wizards Turbo Cut myself. I did a quick example to show you. Of course it aint' gonna fix pits but it'll make it shiney again without scratching the plating.

This stuff works good on a buffing wheel too if you're polishing stainless steel on the cheap.

 

What about Never Dull? In the little silver can at Wallyworld.

And look at that, I'm a G.I.!

 

Listen to Polisher...he knows of what he speaks.

 

I've used bronze wool on chrome, softer than steel wool, to remove surface rust.

There was a post a few days ago using wood bleach, looks like it worked good for certain types of deterioration.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167157

If Polisher disputes any of this, ignore my advice and go with his.

 

If the parts have turned flat and green I use Dow tub and tile cleaner. The areo can not the pump spray (spray can works better) Apply and let the foam work When it's bright enough then dry and wax

 

When I was a kid I'd pick up hub caps that had come off cars and if they needed a good cleaning I'd head out to my nearest dirt pile and clean them with just dirt and water. That was in the late fifties and early sixties and my guess is now a days that would not be a politically correct way to clean something!

 

whats the process for the coke and tinfoil? may give it a try on my 55 chrome.

 

Bon Ami will work on a lot of environmental stains without scratching.

 

I was looking at the chrome on my 36 and on the bumpers there were rust spots coming through, nothing major but the start of trouble.The screen frame was good but the mirror stem was pitting a bit as well .I had a tub of Brasso polishing wadding lying around and I tried that....it removed the rust almost instantly and when I buffed it up it was perfect.I don`t know if Brasso or an equivilant type product is available over in the rest of the world, but it worked for me.

 

You open the coke first Next you make a hat outta the tinfoil. Now that the CIA can no longer find you by the chip thinggie in your head you can enjoy the coke without that noise in your head

 

You open the coke first Next you make a hat outta the tinfoil. Now that the CIA can no longer find you by the chip thinggie in your head you can enjoy the coke without that noise in your head


no no no... take a piece of foil, bout 1foot by 1foot, crinkle it up into a loose ball, dump coke on the foil and the bumper, and start rubbing gently. Start soft, and work harder until the rust goes away. You'll get the hang of it.

 

Here's what the experts say...........

http://zapatopi.net/afdb/

 

I've seen Coke used on a grand scale to remove rust from siezed industrial machinery. We blocked the drain up and poured in about 40 litres and left it over night.The massive rusted up turney thing was as free as a bird come morning. Rust by the handfull out of the drain as we opened it. It got the job done, if you can soak the rusty bits first it may prove to be even more effective. (But it has to be the real thing!-no diet or lite!)

 

I was right... the shiny side should be facing outward...!!!!

Saw a woman in San Jose with a mirrored hat and she would hide behind a hand mirror when she came to a light... I don't think it worked because I knew what she was thinking...!

But seriously... wouldn't mirrored windows work better while driving in a car... that way it wouldn't look so obvious?

Why is the CIA so interested in my "COKE" drinking habits...?

But none of these theories answers what I need to do to stop the destruction of my already pitted Chrome...!