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What You Need to Know About Chrome Refinishing Services

Chrome Plating — Shinny Plating in Orange County, CA

Chrome rims on your car can make quite the statement. They are flashy, clean, and shiny, creating a look that draws the eyes to the tire rims. However, over time, those shiny chrome rims can become dull, rusted, pitted, or worn.

If your chrome rims have lost their shine, you may be wondering what, if anything, you can do to bring them back to their lustrous life. Here is what you need to know about chrome refinishing services.

If Chrome Rims Can Be Refinished

Not every chrome rim can be refinished. If yours have more than a few random spots of rust, if the rims are pitted, if the chrome is flaking away, or if there are large dings or dents in them, the rims may need to be resurfaced or replaced, rather than refinished.

If your chrome rims are looking dull, dark, or have lost their shine, they can be refinished. But before they can be refinished, it is recommended that you try to clean the rims at home. Many times, you can restore the shine yourself using the right products.

How to Clean the Rims at Home

There are many products you can use to help restore your chrome rims back to their lustrous self. Some, such as chrome polish, you can purchase in car repair and tire stores. Chrome polish can be rubbed onto the chrome rim and then buffed out to bring shine back to a dull rim.

In addition to commercially sold products, there are many acidic products that you likely already have at home that can be used to clean your chrome rims and possibly restore their shine. Dip a square of foil in an acidic liquid, such as vinegar, cola, or lemon juice. Then rub the foil into your chrome rims, focusing on the dirtiest or dullest parts. This combination will help to lift tough stains and potentially bring your rims back to life.

When to Bring the Rims to a Professional

If you have tried to clean your dull or dirty rims at home and the stains, dark color, or lack of shine remains, it is time to bring your chrome rims to a professional. A professional has access to professional-grade metal polishes that can be used to remove more of the staining than commercially-sold polishes.

If the metal polish does not work, touch-up chrome paint or spray-on chrome paint may be used to conceal small patches of discoloration or lack of shine. Unfortunately, if this still does not work, refinishing may not be possible. In this case, re-plating may be the only option.

If your chrome rims are dented, dinged, pitted, heavily rusted, have flaking chrome or discolored rims, or lack shine after being professionally refinished, you will need to have the rims re-plated. This is a task that the average person should never complete on their own.

When rims are re-plated, the old chrome is blasted off using a sand-blasting process. This also helps to remove rust. Any dings, dents, or pitting are filled in with epoxy and then smoothed out, creating an even, smooth rim. From there, the chrome dipping process takes place. The dipping process is the same process that occurred when your rims where first chromed.

If you are looking to revive the life of your dull, damaged, or rusted chrome rims, you may wish to leave the task in the hands of an expert. If you are in the greater Inland Empire or Orange County area, Platinum Service Coating would love to take on the job. Call us now to schedule an appointment for us to bring the shine back to your chrome rims.

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