IMPROVING AND PROTECTING CHROME

Routine polishing

Obtain a good quality thick automotive chrome polish. Budget domestic alternatives are likely to be disappointing. Apply with a cloth, using a little force to remove traffic film. Buff when dry.

Light verdigris

If the chrome has a bloom of grey-green verdigris, quality polish and a cloth may remove this. If it doesn’t, try using grade 0000 steel wool with the polish. Some chrome always looks a bit ‘shallow’.

Heavy verdigris

This is likely to result from years of storage. Try grade 0000 steel wool with polish. Use coarser 000 and 00 grades only if necessary. The coarser the grade, the more likely you are to scratch the surface.

Rust rash

The chrome plate breaks down and exposes the steel below, casting a rusty bloom over the whole surface. The chrome has small, shallow pits that will destroy fine steel wool. Try using a coarser grade – perhaps a fine DIY grade. Flakes of loose chrome will be removed with the rust. The results will be a better colour and a smoother surface, though light surface scratching my be unavoidable.

Severe rust damage

If the chrome’s surface has started to flake and pit severely, it’s hard to make this presentable.

Use fine to medium DIY steel wool to remove loose material and stains, then rub with oil or Vaseline.

Detached chrome

If a large patch of chrome has peeled off, remove loose plating and derust the exposed steel. Use a small brush to apply a tough self-priming silver paint, slightly overlapping the sound chrome plate.

Perforation from behind

Rear bumpers collect mud, salt and water and rust from the inside out. Look behind the bumper if you notice bubbles forming in the plating and act fast if you find anything sinister (next page).

Protection

Preserve your hard work using polish and a cloth periodically. In winter, whether storing or using the car, coat the chrome with Vaseline or a clear anti-rust wax like Bilt Hamber Dynax UC.