Racing stripe discoloration?

[Mustangs For Days]

Has anyone ever applied white racing stripes (the two 12" stripes running down the center) and after awhile had some discoloration appear on the stripes? If you have, or even if you haven't, do you have any solutions for removing the discoloration short of removing the stripes and applying new ones? I'd appreciate some input.

TIA

[N8Miller]

i take it that your talking about vinyl stripes?
heres what i use on mine.....

* bleech!

get some household Comet brand ($1 at most stores), wet the area down, apply the bleech powder, rub it with a cloth or sponge, rinse off, wash the car. I typically like to do this twice a year or so and really makes the white "pop" as compaire to the dulled look.

[R-code17815]

Meguires Plast-X (plastic scratch repair) or whatever it's called works well too

[grinly]

Unless someone used promo vinyl, your stripes should not discolor from underneath so any discoloration should be on the surface. Never heard of the bleech, but I would think that would dry the vinyl and lead to premature failure. There is a product called "EXITS", you get it at RV dealers(not cheap though). It's used to take the black streaks off RV and trailers. It is supposed to be safe for vinyls and plastics. Another guy showed me some "all purpose cleaner" he bought at a dollar store that he said works good and is cheap.

[N8Miller]

Originally Posted by grinly

Unless someone used promo vinyl, your stripes should not discolor from underneath so any discoloration should be on the surface. Never heard of the bleech, but I would think that would dry the vinyl and lead to premature failure. There is a product called "EXITS", you get it at RV dealers(not cheap though). It's used to take the black streaks off RV and trailers. It is supposed to be safe for vinyls and plastics. Another guy showed me some "all purpose cleaner" he bought at a dollar store that he said works good and is cheap.

been doing the bleech thing for 11 years... vinyl still intact!

and i think what he meant by "discoloration" was that they dont wash clean like paint does, and they accumulate grime and stuff from daily driving from the road and weather and what-not. so he is looking for a way to keep them cleaner.

[bmatyeah]

Where did you get the vinyl from? your car has to be under 2 years old!

[grinly]

Originally Posted by N8Miller

been doing the bleech thing for 11 years... vinyl still intact!

and i think what he meant by "discoloration" was that they dont wash clean like paint does, and they accumulate grime and stuff from daily driving from the road and weather and what-not. so he is looking for a way to keep them cleaner.

I'm just surprized about the bleech...you then wax over them I would assume..11 years for a set a stripes is good life.

[N8Miller]

Originally Posted by grinly

I'm just surprized about the bleech...you then wax over them I would assume..11 years for a set a stripes is good life.

no, i dont wax the vinyl. however, i usually wash/wax the car after that.

[Mustangs For Days]

Originally Posted by bmatyeah

Where did you get the vinyl from? your car has to be under 2 years old!

They were bought directly from Ford, OEM

[brisk_tea]

if they are the ford ones, then there is a possibilty they are the clear-coated version. i would determine if you have just white, or you have the white clear-coated. some of the above may help with just white, whereas if clear-coated then you would need to be sure to do something else. i would talk to which ever company made the ones you have