What is the best thing to use to remove scuffs

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The very first thing I touch any scuff with! Especially on r

Mister Clean Magic Eraser Original or a similar generic knockoff such as Target sells. New Improved Mr Clean versions just cost more and work less well for our restoration purposes. I prefer the generics on price alone as all these 'miracle sponges' compress and crumble under the hard persistent scrubbing such scuffs require and you go though a lot of them on other projects and surfaces when you realize how great they are. I break them in half, dampen with ordinary tap water, wring dampdry and apply plenty of elbow grease. The results will amaze you. The surface will end up with a slightly dulled appearance that can then be restored with a Mothers Mag polish treatment. Heck, ordinary car paint wax does a good job, too.

Never use a kitchen scouring pad or regular sandpaper in an attempt to remove surface marring or minor scratches; even fine emory paper abrades the surface material. If that's what you think is required after Magic Eraser-ing then a buffing wheel and plastic polishes are the way to go for deep scratches and a high shine.

These are the two Mother's polishes I use. Mag and Aluminum polish is the one I use on all metal vacuum parts and trim, first applied and worked with 0000 steel wool, switching to a soft cloth for final polish after a ride on the buffing wheel.

Billet Metal Polish contains half as much and costs twice as much but contains some amnazing non-silicone additive that leaves behind a subtle residual coating that when buffed with a cloth banishes tarnish and dulling and repels dust. I use it on very special hammertone painted vacuums and polished trims and it's ideal for plastics - far shinier than any wax (including the best Museum Archival micro waxes) and has no discernible tactile feel under the hand such as wax does, ie...fingerprints.

Dave

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Wet Sanding!

Clean it first is the key before you start. I have an old dishwasher that I throw the disassembled unit into before I start to get it throughly clean!!! If there are scratches on the unit, I wet sand the plastic VERY CAREFULLY! This takes alot of time, it usually takes me upwards of 14 days to wet sand a hood to my satisfaction, going down to 1500 grit, then 2000 grit. Go to 1500, or 2000 ONLY after you are sure all the scratches are out. At 2000 grit the plastic just about shines. I then use plastic polish compund on my buffing wheel and **CAREFULLY** polish the plastic to a high gloss shine. Remember to tape off any decals, and DO NOT SAND silk screen printing such as "low normal high shag" After this I use automotive wax such as Mothers. My machines never get scratched again because after they are restored they are not used again. I only run them once a month to keep the lubrication moving. I do not restore machines I use in this fashion. I did this for someone who became a good friend of mine, Michael Labue for the 63 he got from me. That 63 hood shined like a diamond when I was done. It was like nothing I've ever seen. For me restoration is a labor of love! It takes alot of practice so get an old hood to start on, one you don't care about damaging!
 
one was in a red can and one in a gold.....i had a friend who worked for PPG and he said it was great on windshields...non maring on soft finishes either.....but cant remember what color can he said not to use.
 

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