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There are many articles out there claiming to have the magic solution to removing oxidation from your vinyl window shutters and restoring the color and luster of your shutters so that they look like they did when you had them originally installed. In reality, the secret will not necessarily be found in the products you buy. Read on to find what I discovered to be the secret to success for your vinyl restoration project.
In this article I will compare two three methods of restoring window shutters. The three methods I tested is to clean three panels for a side by side comparison of the effectiveness of these methods as compared to the untouched oxidizes panel.
The process I use was to clean the three test panels with a solution of Dawn Dish soap, Vinegar and water. The ratio of this solution was 1/4 cup dish soap, one cup of white vinegar to one Gallon of water.
After a good scubing of the test panels with good stiff brush, I allowed the solution to soak a while on the panel, but not so long that the solution began to dry. When removing oxidation, it is very important to rinse thoroughly after cleaning or the oxidation will merely redeposit on your panels or siding.
After a thorough rinsing, it is important that you allow the panels to dry completely before applying any products to the vinyl. This is to ensure that your do not dilute or otherwise compromise the effectiveness of the topical agent.
On my three test panels I compared Rejuvenate Restorer Wipes, Armor All wipes and good ole fashioned elbow grease to discover which method best restores and preserves the vinyl shutters back to their original color and luster.
If you are interested in viewing the process and actual result, be sure to click on the following Restoring Oxidized Vinyl Shutters video link. What I discovered after my initial application of these products may surprise you.
So I promised that would reveal the secret to success for your vinyl restoration project. After the initial application of these products i was initially displeased with the outcome. Upon further research I discovered that you are to use your finger nail to scratch the surface of your vinyl shutters once you done a proper cleaning. If after scratching on the surface of the shutters, you note a significant color difference between the area scratched and the rest of the panel, then oxidation remains. If this is the case, despite the product that you choose, the color and luster achieve once you apply the product will likely cause you to be less than satisfied.
In the video link I provide my solution to effectively removing the oxidation that remained on my panels after cleaning them with a brush. I appears that the brush was effective in removing the dirt, but was ineffective in removing most of the oxidation. In lieu of the brush, I scrubbed each test panel with Scotch Bright Scrubbing pads. This cleaning method proved to be very effective in removing the oxidation that remained on my panels.
With my panels properly cleaned, I then applied the Rejuvenate and Armor All wipes to two of the three cleaned panels. The results were vastly different from the outcome of my initial test as you can see in the provided video.
So the moral of the story? There is no substitute for good old fashioned elbow grease. The proper scrubbing of the panels made all the difference!
By the way... I glad you read through to the end of this article. I am assuming this means that you found this information useful. That being the case, let me encourage you to check out my YouTube Channel, Bud's Odd Jobs, for more interesting content and money saving ideas for the DIY Homeowner. Thanks!