Fingerprint powder sucks :(

[warrior queen]

A while ago, one of my cars got broken into. The cops dusted for prints and then left, leaving dust all over the plastic surfaces in the car.
I am on the 8th product to try and clean it off - no luck yet.
All the sites I've been to show overseas products that I can't get in Oz.

I am usually the cleaning Queen, but this grey powder may defeat me!
Anyone got ideas/experience with this stuff?

 

[Bert Notorius]

A while ago, one of my cars got broken into. The cops dusted for prints and then left, leaving dust all over the plastic surfaces in the car.
I am on the 8th product to try and clean it off - no luck yet.
All the sites I've been to show overseas products that I can't get in Oz.

I am usually the cleaning Queen, but this grey powder may defeat me!
Anyone got ideas/experience with this stuff?

nope.

this "stuff" only
seems to happen
to you.

 

[Hard_Rom]

On car interior plastic I would try Spray-Nine. A generic spray cleaner which I have used for years. Found it works well on soot from old oil furnaces. I use it like Armour-All.

Fine aluminium powder is one type of fingerprint powder. It could become embedded in plastic. A polish may be needed as most polishes are actually abrasive.

 

[warrior queen]

On car interior plastic I would try Spray-Nine. A generic spray cleaner which I have used for years. Found it works well on soot from old oil furnaces. I use it like Armour-All.

Fine aluminium powder is one type of fingerprint powder. It could become embedded in plastic. A polish may be needed as most polishes are actually abrasive.

This stuff is light grey on dark grey plastic, so it might be aluminium powder.
I rang the police who said 'no idea' when I asked how to clean it off.

 

[warrior queen]

nope.

this "stuff" only
seems to happen
to you.

Lol
My car got caught up in a spate of breakins while parked at my daughters house.
They tried to steal it, but couldn't disengage the steering lock..... And ended up stealing a much newer model from a few doors down.
Turns out it's a lot easier to steal a 2015 gm than a 1991 mitsubishi!

 

[Debbie]

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

 

[warrior queen]

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

Did you actually look at that info?
And no - it didn't work on my car interior. Tried.
Failed.

 

[Debbie]

Did you actually look at that info?
And no - it didn't work on my car interior. Tried.
Failed.

I did but next time I want to try to be helpful I might not bother Snarkasm

 

[Noor]

It looks like the magic word is ammonia
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

 

[neci]

have you tried naphtha?

 

[silver gurl]

I have had a couple of cars stolen and this has happened to me. It can take months. Take it to a pro shop.

 

[warrior queen]

I did but next time I want to try to be helpful I might not bother Snarkasm

I wasn't trying to be nasty......
It was just that when I found that link earlier yesterday, my thought was 'that's it? That's all the info you can give me???'
Seems the cops are happy enough to put that shit onto every surface, but after that you're on your own re cleanup!

 

[warrior queen]

It looks like the magic word is ammonia
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

I have been advised not to use ammonia-based cleaners on car interiors because it damages the finish on the plastics.

 

[warrior queen]

I have had a couple of cars stolen and this has happened to me. It can take months. Take it to a pro shop.

I have a busy week coming up and I need the car, so I thought I'd clean it up myself.
I had no idea that stuff was so damn difficult to remove!
After 5 full wipedowns of every part of the car, I am still getting it on my clothes and hands every time I get in the car

 

[Cumference]

Have you tried undiluted dishwashing liquid on a rag, then follow up with a wet rag?

 

[warrior queen]

Have you tried undiluted dishwashing liquid on a rag, then follow up with a wet rag?

Yep. Nothing I have tried so far has worked, although there is less of the stuff.
Still enough left to see clearly
One site I found said to try a makeup brush to get into the crevices in the textured plastic...... And the result was more smearing of the powder!

This stuff may actually defeat me.

 

[stickygirl]

This is from your very own rozzers
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

 

[warrior queen]

This is from your very own rozzers
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/271663/Clean_up_fingerprints_16.pdf

The extraordinarily small amount of information in this document doesn't work.
I tested ammonia based cleaner on a not-very-visible part of my dash and it didn't clean very well at all (plus, it discoloured the plastic.)

 

[Debbie]

I asked a friend in the police force and he suggested:

pva glue (wait till it dries and gently peel off) or


beeswax set for a bit and try wiping it off


Or a combination of hair conditioner and toothpaste, mix together put on the spot you want to clean set for a bout five mins and gently buff off.



BUT do a tiny spot test first on somewhere that cant be seen just in case.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Holy shit you've got some bad luck.

 

[warrior queen]

Holy shit you've got some bad luck.

Actually, this wasn't bad luck at all!
The night my car got broken into, there was a spate of 17 cars broken into along that street..... 2 were torched and 2 more got stolen. All I had was a broken door lock and a broken ignition lock, and they stole a vacuum cleaner from the back seat.
I was lucky, really

 

[Cumference]

Just that kind of neighborhood:
http://www.tremcoantitheft.com/images/shreveportlacar1.jpg