Cleaning the Trim After Smoke and Water Damage

[Highwayman68]

I have my 68 Cadillac at home in the garage with me now so I can begin to start the cleanup of the damage from the storage fire. Most of the trim around the windows has turned brown as well as the door locks and the door guards. The car had a cover on it that was soaked with water and dirtied by falling soot then sat on the car for almost two months.

The rest of the chrome has a distorted look to it that might clean up with chrome cleaner.

I am not sure of the trim that turned brown is exposed stainless or plated stainless, any ideas on that? I am looking for recommendations on how to clean this trim. Wiping it with a wet towel does turn the towel brown but there is no noticeable difference in the trim so straight water won't do it.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Mark this can't hurt, reach out to a disaster recovery company like Serve Pro, they might have some ideas.
They deal with a lot of smoke/fire issues.

\m/
Laurie

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Depending on what burned in that building this might be worth a call to your insurance company. The smoke can be corrosive. Sometimes insurance companies will total out airplanes that are in a hanger fire even if it is only smoke damaged. The car may need to be professionally cleaned.
Jeff

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Hi Mark:

It's terrible that your car was damaged like that but
it could have been much worse.

From what I can tell from the pics those pieces that
turned brown are usually stainless.  You'll need a
cleaner for chrome that has abrasives and solvents
in it.  Any good one would work.  What you're seeing
is smoke that contained paint / plastic residues and
these are "sticky" and tough to get off.  Soap and water
will not cut that.

Your vinyl top appears to be badly damaged.  I think
replacement is the only option there.

How is the paint?  I could not see anything really
norticable but if it has spotty residue on it this likely
can be polished out.

Of course, once you get all the facts together talk to
your insurance company as all of this should be
covered under the comprehensive portion of your
policy.

Keep us posted as to how things go and good luck!

Mike

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Depending on what burned in that building this might be worth a call to your insurance company. The smoke can be corrosive.  Jeff 

I can attest to the corrosiveness of stuff in a fire.

I had a small fire in my garage way back in 1990, and even though it didn't burn for long before I hit it with a fire extinguisher, I had a lot of wood working tools at the end of the bench, and where the smoke left a trail of where it had been, I didn't clean everything up for a few days, When I got to it, all the surfaces were covered with a sticky substance that was funny to touch, and after cleaning it off, the uncovered bare steel was etched with a matt pattern.

No matter what I did, apart from refacing everything, it wouldn't come off.

Bruce.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Try 0000 steel wool on the stainless with a degreaser.  I've used that before with positive results.

[76eldo]

0000 steel wool with a metal polish should clean it up if it wasn’t damaged beyond being having a sticky soot deposited on it. You can clean it if there is some coating on top of the surface it can clean off. If the heat and other factors changed the properties of the metal that’s a different story.

If it doesn’t start cleaning up I’d take the car to the best detailer you can find. I’d think someone’s insurance is covering this.

[chrisntam]

Depending on what burned in that building this might be worth a call to your insurance company. The smoke can be corrosive. Sometimes insurance companies will total out airplanes that are in a hanger fire even if it is only smoke damaged. The car may need to be professionally cleaned.
Jeff

This is likely due to liability issues, should the plane catastrophically fail in the future, attorneys would have a hey day with the insurance carrier that made the decision not to total a plane.  It's easier to pay a little now vs. A LOT later, not to mention possible injury or loss of life.

+1 on the steel wool for stainless.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

This is likely due to liability issues,

That is true. Liability is always a concern but aviation is different in that it is up to the inspector to determine airworthyness. But that is a different story. My understanding, and I admit my understanding is just from shop/hanger talk, is that the smoke can get I to the seams of the metal and start/speed up the corrosion process. It also messes with electronics in the radios and instruments. Basically it is that smoke can start issues that won't show up for a while.
Jeff

[Cadillac Fleetwood]

I have had excellent results with Blue Magic metal polish, which seems to have a considerable amount of solvent in it.  I have also had great results from Mother's. Perhaps the 0000 steel wool in combination with a metal polish, will give the best results.

-Charles Fares

[Highwayman68]

I was considering using 0000 steelwool with a solvent or detergent but wasn't sure if it would damage the stainless but from what I am reading that looks like the first option I should try.

Don't worry about the insurance on this. I have that all in hand!

[chrisntam]

That is true. Liability is always a concern but aviation is different in that it is up to the inspector to determine airworthyness. But that is a different story. My understanding, and I admit my understanding is just from shop/hanger talk, is that the smoke can get I to the seams of the metal and start/speed up the corrosion process. It also messes with electronics in the radios and instruments. Basically it is that smoke can start issues that won't show up for a while.
Jeff

Soot is definitely corrosive.  Handled many a house fire as an adjuster, electronic cleaning companies said the sooner they got the electronics cleaned the better, due to that exact issue.

[chrisntam]

snip...
Don't worry about the insurance on this. I have that all in hand!

They totaled it and you bought is back as salvage?

[Highwayman68]

They totaled it and you bought is back as salvage?

No nothing like that but with the trolls out there always scouring the internet for dirt I don't want to discuss it anywhere other than to say all is good in the end.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

other than to say all is good in the end.

Good for you. Glad all will work out.
Jeff

[cadillacmike68]

Mark,

I'd try blue magic or mothers first.  I'd use steel wool as a last resort, because it will remove the flash chrome plating on the stainless trim.

Those pieces are stainless that is "flash chromed", just a single layer of chrome instead of triple plating (copper-nickel-chrome). There's not much there and you want to keep it. Hope to see you next week.

[Jim Miller]

I would not use steel wool. A fine bronze wool is better. For my cars and the chrome on my old boat - bronze wool and any liquid polish.

[Highwayman68]

I hope to get the Blue Magic tomorrow and start on it soon. I did receive the 0000 steel wool today, just to have if needed.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I hope to get the Blue Magic tomorrow and start on it soon. I did receive the 0000 steel wool today, just to have if needed.

FWIW, Blue Magic and 0000 steel wool was what Hyannis Vintage told me to use on my chrome - amazing.

\m/
Laurie

[Highwayman68]

I spent some time last night working on small sections of the bumpers and the stainless steel trim. I got some pleasant results but it is obvious there is permanent damage that will never go away.

For the level of my car, which I consider to be a daily driver that isn't driven much, I am able to accept this is what it will be. For the most part this has always been my car for me to enjoy and if others also like it and see something special in it then they too have gotten something enjoyable from the car. Keep back 10 feet and enjoy the view

I used the Mothers chrome polish on the bumpers and the Blue Magic with 0000 steel wool on the stainless. Now the fun begins, what will seem like miles and miles of chrome and trim to clean *sigh*