As you can see, the Supra’s various trim pieces have quite a bit of water spots on them. These have been etched on over the last few months and cannot simply be cleaned off. Normally, my approach would be to use a polisher and hit the surface with some compound and polish but I felt that this surface was a bit too difficult for that. It just seemed like these plastics scratch very easily and I didn’t want to possibly introduce some unnecessary damage. So the only real solution in my mind was to approach the situation with a chemical.
After a lot of research, I just could not find anything. There is a lot of tutorials on removing water spots but it didn’t seem like anyone was addressing matte plastics. Glossy or clear plastics get a lot of love but nothing for the matte stuff. I just had to experiment for myself and take one for the team in case any damage occurred.
After some trial and error, I found this product, Barkeepers Friend. This is a multipurpose multi-surface cleaner. In relation to this video, Barkeepers Friend happens to be very effective at removing water spots and the directions do state that it can be used on plastics.
Before we get started, I want to make it clear that Barkeepers Friend is an acidic cleaner. That’s why it’s so effective. It essentially eats away the minerals that form water spots. Being that it’s acidic, it’s very important that you follow the directions for use and have a way to neutralize the acid. If you don’t do this, there is a possibility that the product will etch into whatever surface you get it on. This may sound scary but, realistically, all you need is water to neutralize the acid. However, this can work against you because if you use plain tap water to rinse the product off, there is a chance that the water that you’re using can itself leave water spots if you’re not careful. So, if you can, pick up some distilled water, use a waterless wash, a spray detailer, something that doesn’t contain the minerals that we’re trying to get rid of, or just make sure that you thoroughly dry the surface after rinsing with tap water.
Now that you understand that, let’s see what this product can do. Like with any new product, always test it in a small possibly inconspicuous location. I decided to go at it on this front lip because if it gets damaged, it just gives me the reason I’ve been looking for to buy something aftermarket. The directions say to apply Barkeepers Friend on and rub it in but don’t leave it on for more than a minute. This can be different with plastics as they may require some more dwell time. I always played it safe and tried to remove the product before 1 minute. To my surprise, there was an immediate reduction in the water spots so I knew that I was good go for a bigger test spot.
It should be noted that the directions specifically state that this product shouldn’t be used on painted surfaces. Because of this, I’d recommend that you tape up any spots that you don’t want to possibly damage. However, I will say that while applying this product, I often accidentally got it on the surrounding paint and nothing happened. I can’t say that this will be the same for you, but it’s something to think about.
From my experience, this product does a great job of removing water spots but it’s not always a miracle cure. In some places, water spots can be removed with little effort but in others where the water spots have really etched themselves into place, you're going to need more than one application. But, I think the results speak for themselves.
If you are going to attempt this for yourself, there is one suggestion that I would possibly recommend. I personally used Barkeepers Friend Soft Cleanser. This is essentially the slightly thicker liquid formula of the product but there’s a variety of other versions that you can try. Prior to attempting this, I was considering between the Soft Cleanser and the More version. These were my top choices because they are advertised as liquids and if you don’t remember, the matte plastics on the Supra are very sensitive, and to use Barkeepers Friend, we have to rub it in. If we go with something like the powder version, it may be too gritty and can cause damage. I ultimately went with the Soft Cleanser because More was out of stock. But after getting first-hand experience, I can confirm that Soft Cleanser is still gritty and can cause fine scratches if you’re not careful. To be completely honest, Barkeepers Friend left very very fine scratches in my matte plastics but again these are very fine, to the point that I can’t see them without an inspection light. Even with my face a few inches away, I have a very hard time picking anything up. At normal standing height, the surface looks flawless as if it were brand new. This is going to be fine for most people but if it’s not good enough for you, I would suggest trying the More version of Barkeepers Friend because, from my understanding, that’s straight-up liquid and shouldn’t have any of the grit seen in the other formulas. If you have to go with one of the non-liquid formulas, just scrub very lightly. You may have to apply more times but you’ll inflict less damage.
Whatever you choose, just make sure to do a test spot. Don’t just go at it and apply this product everywhere. You just don’t know how the acids will react with your plastic surfaces.
Good luck with your project!
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