# found the trick to removing soft touch interior paint (mk4)



## jazzpur (Dec 27, 2001)

if your tired of the scratching and peeling crap rubber paint vw uses...just remove it and armor all the plastic. 
heres the list of solvents that tried and failed: paint thinner, mineral spirits, paint stripper, gasoline, goof off, brake cleaner, and xylene
every one of them made the paint muddy and when i went to wipe it off it just spread out over the rest of the part...it wouldve taken a full day to clean one part.
i also tried bead blasting the parts but plastic is too soft an just bounces all the beads back without removing any paint

the only method that worked well for me was denatured alcohol applyed via spray bottle and a green scotch pad... the alcohol is just enough to loosen the paint but keep it solid so it abraids reletively easy without disolving and spreading all over like the harsher solvents

clean the part with water, hit it with armor all and the parts look brand new and ready to install 

i wish i coudlve taken pics but i dont have my camera on me


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## on_ice (May 22, 2008)

I found polypropyl and ethyl alcohol, where did you find denatured? Or are they the same?


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## on_ice (May 22, 2008)

bumpp


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## jazzpur (Dec 27, 2001)

*Re: (on_ice)*

you can buy denatured at any hardware store
home depot, lowes, etc. paint section


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## tjjoiner (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm discovering that removing the tan soft touch is a little easier than removing the black. Anyone else experience the same?


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## TheDerek (Aug 26, 2010)

mr clean magic eraser and simple green. Soak a paper towel with simple green and lay it on the part for 15 min, scrub clean with eraser. Comes off pretty easy.


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## F-word (Feb 13, 2011)

Mothers makes a product called "back to black". It's used for returning faded black trim pieces on the exterior. Put it on a terry cloth, kind of heavy, and just apply it on the soft crap. Let it sit a minute and then scrub it off. It literally melts it right off and kind lf polishes it at the same time. Just have to remember to apply it heavily.

Try not to get it on the actual dash, though. It kind of messes it up a little.


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