I was wondering what you guys use to clean the Salt and Road Grime Off the Factory Chrome Step Bars?
Mine tend to get a dull oxidation in between the Black Non-Slip Raised surfaces. Real hard to get it all
off with just Car Wash Soap. I thought about using Eagle 1 Wheel cleaner. But I think it is a very powerful cleaner.
Not sure if it will harm Chrome after a while. It uses 3 different acids Phosphoric, Oxalic, and Hydrofluoric acid.
I might try Simple Green.

 

I had no joy using Eagle 1, or any of the other compounds accumulated over the years.
As a last resort, I spent $2 @ Dollar Tree on a spray bottle & a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol. Mixed about@90/10 ratio h2O/IPA..... the IPA will help make the water evaporate. Spray it in the grooves & rub w/ some white scotchbrite pad or a Magic Eraser pad. Keep it wet whilst rubbing the grime & grunge off. A very time consuming project indeed. An old toothbrush or even rubbing w/ your finger is often enough to bust loose some of the crud & the toothbrush works great on the rubber pcs also.
I find it's best to always wipe off all the grooves of the stepbar w/ a cotton towel after going thru a carwash 'cause the soaps & waxes will build up there. Real PITA but my stepbar stayed pretty clean this winter.

(hope you have a little stepstool or a 5gal bucket to sit on to save the knees!)

 

Maybe this....
http://www.meguiars.com/m-en/product/8556/hot-rimsreg-chrome-wheel-cleaner

 

Yep, tried to clean using that one also~ w/ minimal success. And tried SimiChrome too....
Even went so far as to use #00000 steel wool & dish soap b4 trying the h20/IPA mix.

 

very fine steel wool - not sure what grade it would be but the finest you can get.

 

It's fake chrome on plastic, so be careful. Mine get pretty bad too, and it takes a fair amount of elbow grease and time. Have any of you tried rim amd tore cleaner and did it do any damage to the chrome?

 

The step Bars are Metal with a Chrome Finish aren't they?
The wheels on my 2014 F150 with the Chrome package were Plastic with a fake Chrome covering.
As are were the Front grills etc.

 

Simple Green or Wax didn't work. I'll try White Scotchbrite and Fine Steel Wool next.

 

I had the same problem while cleaning the truck yesterday, a nasty cloudy white residue that won't wash off. Awesome cleaner from the Dollar Tree as a lubricant and #0000 steel wool... it took it right off. What are they putting on the roads nowadays????

 

Some states dose in sugar beet juice into the salt mix/sodium chloride as they treat the roads. ---> U know the same crap the refiners use for E85, etc.
Read about it here: Beet Juice And Cheese Brine Used As Road Salt Alternatives | Time

 

F11 topcoat

 

Soft scrub paste (for the bathroom) and a soft tooth brush.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Soft-Scru...3=1515&veh=sem

 

Mine look terrible. Pressure washed, hand scrubbed with soapy brush, hand wiped down. Lots of spots that won't move. Oh well, it's raining, sleeting now, so they will have to wait for nicer weather. Thinking I will try the steel wool and soap to get the winter grime off. Last spring I was able to clean it up. We shall see what this spring does. Calcium chloride and road grime is wreaking havoc.

Yes, these are plastic step bars with an internal steel frame. The chrome step is plastic with chrome surface just like the mirror caps I have. Steel wool will have to be gentle for sure.

 

Glass Cleaner. The yellow cap spray can at Napa.

 

Well I used White Scotchbrite a Toothbrush and Simple Green Full strength. Came out nice and got rid of Oxidation.
The White Scotchbrite is very gentle yet removes Oxidation without Scratching. Still took a while though.