Advice removing this

[bjoeaull]

So I have here what has been accumulating on my wifes DD/family hauler.  What looks to be a calcium build up of sorts I guess on the bottom of the door trim where water seems to drop for days after a wash. I am hoping to polish this beast and put on the new ceramic coating in the near future so I'd love to remove this first.  I have tried in the past clay bar, but it really didn't budge.  So if anyone has some suggestions I'm all ears.   

[Kingsford]

My old Colorado had this issue. A SideKick helped by blowing out the water that hides in there but the real solution was to remove the entire piece of rubber trim. Gave it a much sleeker and smooth look. Its a type of etching from hard water.

 

It will Polish out but eventually that trim will turn color. 

 

My advice is to remove the trim and Polish.

[bjoeaull]

On this vehicle I like the look of the trim and removing two of them and polishing and reinstalling is a bit more work than I was hoping for. Would a chemical of sorts help me work it off without harming the paint.  This pic is me up close under the trim so its pretty exaggerated from that angle, but still bugs me.  Thanks for that idea though, guess its an option if I want to go to all that trouble!

[Kingsford]

When I say remove them, I mean permanently remove them. Usually rubber trim like that will begin to oxidize around the edges.

 

If you don't want to remove them you will probably keep running into that issue, even if you blow out the cracks with air.

 

Polishing the paint will remove the marks but just be prepared to deal with it over and over again.

[BluedogGMC]

If this is a  calcium buildup a little vinegar will dissolve it but don't know about the paint. Do you have some Adams Revive to maybe try on it? I would think thou if it is a calcium buildup it is also under the trim and I would not want it under there eating away at the metal body parts. What make car or truck is it? Do you have a picture showing the full door or side?

 

I don't know where you are located but do they use salts or calcium on the roads there in the winter? You might have a bunch under the trim that you are not able to get cleaned out so when water gets under there it leaches out.

Edited November 22, 2016 by BluedogGMC

[bjoeaull]

Its a yukon denali xl 09.  We bought it new, this has just shown up the last couple of years.  I really hate to take off the trim piece, its my wifes ride, not sure she'd be into that mod.  plus with kids its a good ding guard.  I really just want to minimize the look of it so I can polish and ceramic coat the vehicle.  We do live in southern indiana so yes we get wintery mixed roads, think its usually that beet juice stuff they put down.  

Edited November 23, 2016 by bjoeaull

[ocdrifter]

Vinegar will take this calcium away, vinegar will not hurt the paint. You will need to polish this after you are done. Just put vinegar in a spray bottle, saturate area than wash off with Adams car soap and the reapply some more vinegar and rinse completely, dry off and check area, you may have to repeat a few times.

[bjoeaull]

Thanks!  I will give this a try, was shocked clay bar didn't help.  

[BrianT]

My wife parked the jeep in an underground garage and the concrete roof dripped a lot of similar stuff on the paint. Could it be that that stuff is trapped behind the trim?