Fading Stainless Window Trim
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,296
Likes: 1,204
From: Baltimore County, MD
'13 s212 63 p30. '06 LX470
No cleaning product will protect the surface long term. For that, you need a coating. Get the trim clean and apply your favorite long lasting ceramic. This will keep the etching from happening again and you will just have to clean any water spots from either municipal water and washing or acid rain.
This is my recommendation for chrome trim and spotting. Fading black trim can be cleaned the same way, but it would be hard to determine whether the fading is from UV or heat. Coating with a UV product will help but not protect the trim from heat.
Barkeepers Friend is also great for exhaust tips. And then you will also find many other uses for delicate cleaning
Last edited by Baltistyle; Apr 29, 2025 at 10:27 AM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 115
Likes: 93
From: Houston, TX
2010 E550
Re ChuangTzu's question, mine has certainly deteriorated again, I suspect after 2 1/2yrs it's not as bad as it was, hard to say. As others have noted restoring the shine is one thing, avoiding it discoloring again is another. FWIW I "restored" some headlights almost a year ago with a kit that included a ceramic coating, they're holding up better than the other kits I've used.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 618
Likes: 241
From: Chicago
19 GLA45, 86 560SL, former: 14 E550 4Matic, 09 E350 4Matic, 83 240D manual, 78 450SLC, 81 500SLC
Interesting. Thanks for the data guys. Looks like I will incorporate a ceramic coating of some kind after whatever method I use. I will report back similarly...
