Cleaning up the black soot on exhaust tips

**SteveDX89** · 12-11-2003, 08:05 AM

If your car is like mine, you eventually get that black soot all over your exhaust tip. When you wash the car, a good bit comes off but not all of it so I was trying to think of something to get it cleaned up. I was thinking of finding some kind of chrome cleaner but I found a bottle of Goo Gone at work. I went out to the parking lot armed with paper towels and the Goo Gone just to see if it would work. After about 5 minutes, the tip looks almost brand new. There are a few spots that I need to spend more time on with more paper towels and elbow grease but overall I'd say this is a good method. I'll try to do it during lunch. It restored the shine quite well.

**Dibbs** · 12-11-2003, 08:23 AM

Eagle One makes this stuff called "Never Dull". It's this cotton wadding soaked w/ some sort of distillate that will remove everything from soot to rust from metal and makes it REAL shiny w/ just a little elbow grase. It comes in a plain tin can w/ black writing and it's in the care care sections of autozones and walmarts everywhere. It cost about $4 and will work wonders on any non-painted metal. Don't EVER use it on painted surfaces. It will eat it right up.

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 09:06 AM

Brillo pad works well too

**HostileJava** · 12-11-2003, 09:16 AM

I wouldn't use the brillo on chrome it will scratch it all up. I use chrome wheel cleaner on my exhaust pipe. Spray it, let it soak for like 30sec, take a brush to it, and rinse it off.

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 09:20 AM

Originally posted by HostileJava
I wouldn't use the brillo on chrome it will scratch it all up. I use chrome wheel cleaner on my exhaust pipe. Spray it, let it soak for like 30sec, take a brush to it, and rinse it off.

Most exhausts are not chrome, they are stainless steel. At least mine is. Just by looking at your muffler I can tell it is not chrome.

**MrBen** · 12-11-2003, 11:23 AM

If you think goo gone works good on your muffler tip, try it on your dash. I used it on mine and it looks NEW. Try it on your steering wheel. Just look at all the dirt and oil and crap that comes off. Try it on your shift knob. It is worth it!

**SteveDX89** · 12-11-2003, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by 88LXi68
Most exhausts are not chrome, they are stainless steel. At least mine is. Just by looking at your muffler I can tell it is not chrome.

A lot of people have chrome tips. A brillo pad would scratch it up. It would work on stainless steel no problem. Most pipe is stainless but it wouldn't be worth climbing around under the car to clean the pipe.

Originally posted by GhettoAccord
If you think goo gone works good on your muffler tip, try it on your dash. I used it on mine and it looks NEW. Try it on your steering wheel. Just look at all the dirt and oil and crap that comes off. Try it on your shift knob. It is worth it!

I may have to try that. Thanks for the tip.

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 12:30 PM

usually aftermarket mufflers are all stainless. its those add on tips that you buy seperatley that may be chrome

**MrBen** · 12-11-2003, 12:38 PM

My tip is stainless with a chrome tape around the outside.

**k-roy** · 12-11-2003, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by GhettoAccord
My tip is stainless with a chrome tape around the outside.

Now thats ghetto

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by kroy
Now thats ghetto

well what did you expect from someone's username "GHETTOaccord"??

**SteveDX89** · 12-11-2003, 02:49 PM

:lol That's good stuff.

**MrBen** · 12-11-2003, 04:08 PM

I paid 2 dollars for it at Schucks. I figured how can I go wrong? It's lasted several months, so I'm happy.

**blazin3gen** · 12-11-2003, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by 88LXi68
well what did you expect from someone's username "GHETTOaccord"??

haha clowning on ben ahaha nah i dont think its "ghetto" at all its what u call being on a budget

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 04:16 PM

budget = rice

**MrBen** · 12-11-2003, 04:18 PM

You would know, huh?

**SteveDX89** · 12-11-2003, 04:23 PM

Originally posted by GhettoAccord
You would know, huh?

I don't think he would.

**88LXi68** · 12-11-2003, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by GhettoAccord
You would know, huh?

Ya, my car is so rice I made a B-Series engine out cardboard and stuck it under my hood

**MrBen** · 12-11-2003, 04:27 PM

Good, I'm glad for you.

**Mystic1** · 12-11-2003, 06:23 PM

Ok.. ..now that we all know how to get the soot off of the tip. How on gods green earth do I get that shi... ..um... ..err... stuff off of my bumper? I don't want to screw the paint up too bad, its not perfect but I don't need to make it any worse?

**HaccordR89** · 12-11-2003, 07:25 PM

what stuff are you talking about. i once got rubber all alond the side of my car and it was a pain in the ass to get off, but i ended up just using a shammy (sp) and a whole hell of a lot of elbow grease. worked but i would like to know a better method for future reference

**Mystic1** · 12-11-2003, 08:40 PM

The SOOT, black burnt exhaust stain that commonly forms arount the exhaust tip and in my case the underside of my white bumper

**HaccordR89** · 12-11-2003, 11:54 PM

i can see it getting on the back bumber but it's actually getting on the outer part of the exhaust too? or your that worried about the inside of the tip...

**Mystic1** · 12-12-2003, 05:20 AM

I don't care about the inside of the tip, just my BUMPER.

**mykwikcoupe** · 12-12-2003, 05:30 AM

to get the rubber or tar film or paint of most type off of paint. First hope that you had washed and waxed it a few times in thelast year. Next get some 3m wax, tar, grease remover, it comes in a metal red and white can. Its not hardcore like laquer thinner but strong enough to take the road grime and stuff like that off. Forks about twice as fast as googone on everything you can use goo gone on.

For the black crap on the muffler I use 0000 steel wool with alot of liquid finish wax. The wax milds the abrasives alittle and it wipes off with a normal towel. Nice and shiny. works on hrome stainless you name it

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