'Wipe New': Miracle cleaner or waste of money?

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A few months back I tested out a product called the 'Detail Doctor.' It promised to wipe away years of dull, faded blemishes from your cars plastic fenders and so forth.

Well, it did a great job... at first. But I noticed within a month or two those blemishes were all back. So this week I'm trying something new.

The 'Wipe New' is another car product designed to take your car's trim and interior back to showroom new. It comes with a one and a half ounce bottle of product plus two applicator cloths, a headlight prep pad and applicator along with a detail brush and a pair of groovy rubber gloves for wearing while using the product.

I have my doubts that this one will also last the test of time, but this week I'm going to 'Try It Before You Buy It.'

Just as my luck would have it, I chose one of the coldest days of the year to test out this car cleaning product! So this test will have to come in two parts. The first part will be on how well 'Wipe New' does on its promise of bringing back the showroom luster of your car's dash and interior trim.

Once the temperature rises above 10 degrees and I can wash my vehicle, I'll test the product on my outside trim! Look for that 'Try It Before You Buy It' coming soon!

A word of warning for anyone who may purchase this product: it has a very strong odor! So be sure to only use in a well-ventilated area.

My first spot of choice to test the wonders of 'Wipe New' was on the inside passenger door. Over the years the black plastic trim has become a bit faded in spots.

I applied a small portion of the Wipe New to one of the cloths that's included in the package, and wiped with single strokes across the door trim. It immediately brought out the brightness of the trim I remember seeing when the truck was brand new! From there, I moved on to the dash under the windshield and on down to the main dashboard area. I was pleased with the outcome of how it brought back the luster of the original finish!

The real test, however, will come with time. I have tested other such products before, and they always look great right after application. But within a few months that 'new car luster' fades away again.

If you buy this product, make sure to use the rubber gloves included when applying the product. It does soak through the applicator cloths very easily and you don't want to get any of it on your skin!

I'll give you an update on how the 'Wipe New' lasted in a few months, as well as the test on how well it does on the outside of my vehicle.

Keep your product suggestions coming to me at cmcgill@wave3.com!

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