Not satisfied with corroded metal parts on your car?
Some chrome polish might help to keep it looking fresh.
Want to know which are the best chrome polishes? Stay informed right here on our Proper Mechanic page!
Because want your car to look impeccable, we have accumulated a list of solid chrome and metal polishes that will leave your eyes impressed.
In this ProperMechanic.com guide, you will learn the following:
- The best chrome polishes for cleaning up your ride and other chrome parts
- Detailing techniques for a professional look
- Specific applications for chrome polishes
And much more!
Below is a quick list of all our top products. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose the best chrome polishes out there!
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Our Top Pick
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Our Top Pick
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California Gold Chrome Polish
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Best Budget
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Best Budget
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Turtle Wax T-280RA Chrome Polish & Rust Remover
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Best High End
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Best High End
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3M Chrome
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Surf City Garage Killer Chrome
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Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner
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Chemical Guys Heavy Metal Polish Restorer And Protectant
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Star Brite Marine Grade Chrome & Stainless Steel Cleaner, Polish And Protectant
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Eagle One
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Meguiar’s Motorcycle All-Metal Polish
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Simichrome
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Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
(updated 7/21/2020)
Top Overall Pick:
Our favorite is California Gold Chrome Polish because it is straight to the point
One of the great qualities of this polish is that you can use it to clean mirrors and glass at the same time because of its advanced polymer formula to help prevent fingerprints, smudging, corrosion, etc.
Apply it with simply a clean cloth, or you could even use a buffing pad on larger surfaces to make it easier.
Purchase in packs of 6 on Amazon for an even better value.
Top 5 Best Chrome Polishes For Your Car
- California Gold Chrome Polish
- Turtle Wax T-280RA Chrome Polish & Rust Remover
- 3M Chrome
- Surf City Garage Killer Chrome
- Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner
- Chemical Guys Heavy Metal Polish Restorer And Protectant
- Star Brite Marine Grade Chrome & Stainless Steel Cleaner, Polish And Protectant
- Eagle One
- Meguiar's Motorcycle All-Metal Polish
- Simichrome
What Is Chrome Polish For Car Detailing?
On cars, numerous parts are made with chrome.
So what exactly is chrome?
Chrome comes from chromium, which is an element (Cr) that comes from a mineral called chromite.
Chrome is a soft metal and it is typically laid over the top of steel using a method called electroplating because it has better wearing qualities, and it typically resists rusting.
Although chromium typically doesn't rust as easily as steel, it does, however, develop salt deposits and begins to corrode over time.
You can clean chrome using household products, but to make it look really attractive you must use a chrome polish that will bring out the shine and also form a protective layer to prevent further corrosion.
What Are The Different Types of Chrome Polish For Car Detailing?
Thinner 'shampoo bottle' type
This type of chrome cleaner comes out of the bottle more easily onto your rag.
Thicker 'pomade tin' type
This is the type of cleaning product where you unscrew the tin, take some out with your finger/a rag, and then apply to the affected area.
Spray bottle
Simply spray the cleaner onto a rag or the chrome surface and scrub away! Spray bottles are great because they can still be used after the product is gone.
'Toothpaste' tube
Some chrome polish comes in a 'toothpaste' tube that makes for easy transporting and distribution in smaller quantities.
Read More >> What Are The Best Tire Cleaners Out There?
How Does Chrome Polish For Car Detailing Work?
Chrome polish is easily applied with a microfiber cloth onto any surface inside or outside your car(or house) that needs a fresher look.
Here are some common car parts and items around the house that you may want to try some chrome polish on:
Bumpers
Some car and truck bumpers are made from chrome.
Tailpipe
Tailpipe tarnish is a classic cosmetic failure in the modern vehicle. Keep your tailpipe looking impeccable for those important days when you want your car to look extra fancy.
Trim
You will find chrome trim inside and out of most vehicles. Even some interior door handles are made from chrome.
Wheels
Some wheels are made of chrome, and they corrode faster than any other chrome part on the car because they are exposed to the weather the most.
Chrome wheels aren't recommended because they corrode easily, and when they do they can easily lose tire pressure leaving the vehicle with deflated tires.
Read More >> What Are The Best Spray Waxes For Cars?
Instructions For Cleaning Chrome And Other Metals
First, you may want to clean the metal you are polishing first with warm soapy water to maximize the effect of the chrome polish you are using.
Apply some chrome polish to a clean cloth, and rub it in a circular motion onto the tarnished chrome until the original appearance shows in the polished metal.
An electric buffer or even a hand drill with a buffer attachment can make short work out of large projects like chrome bumpers, panels, etc that may take longer to polish.
Note: If the chrome has corroded down and flaked off, you may just want to replace the part with a new one.
Remember that chrome is typically plated over steel. Once the chrome has corroded or fallen off, there is no easy repair. To re-chrome a part, the old chrome must be completely removed.
Read More >> What Is The Best Overall Car Polish?
What To Look For In The Best Chrome Polish For Car Detailing?
Multi-purpose
Products like California Gold Chrome Polish also works on the surface like glass and windows to protect them from scratching and fingerprints.
Star Brite Marine Grade Chrome & Stainless Steel Cleaner, Polish And Protectant is another product that also works on copper, tin, and brass so you can go to town on all your metal parts once it comes in the mail from Amazon.
Price
It all depends on how much you want to span; we recommend trying all of these products to decide for yourself which one is the right option.
Our Reviews Of The Best Chrome Polish For Car Detailing
Pick #1: California Gold Chrome Polish
This popular chrome polish comes in a 12-ounce bottle ready to give your chrome parts a quality look.
Mother's California Gold Chrome Polish is made from advanced polymers that prevent fingerprints, corrosion, etc.
This chrome polish will not scratch the surface of your chrome, and it also cleans and protects glass and mirrors.
California Gold Chrome Polish is our favorite pick because it is reasonably priced, multi-purposed, and simple to apply.
Pros
Cons
Here is a quality chrome cleaner that is very reasonably priced. Turtle Wax is a reputable detailing brand, and the Turtle Wax T-280RA Chrome Polish & Rust Remover is also effective at cleaning up trim work and black rubber on your vehicle.
So if you want to transform that rusty and tarnished chrome into something beautiful, give Turtle Wax a try!
Pros
Cons
Pick #3: 3M Chrome
You could even try it on household items.
3M Chrome & Metal Polish also can be used on metals like copper, bronze, brass, chrome, and stainless steel.
Pros
Cons
Pick #4: Surf City Garage Killer Chrome
Fill up the shelves in your garage with your choice between 8 and 16 oz. bottles of Surf City Garage Killer Chrome that helps to remove surface and rust oxidation and is a non-abrasive scratch-free formula.
Pros
Cons
Pick #5: Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner
This Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner cleans, polishes, and waxes your metal surfaces all in one quick and easy step.
Spruce up the metal on your car, boat, motorcycle, RV--you name it with this trusted formula that even removes hard water spots.
This water-based formula removes rust and grime leaving the metal in like-new condition.
Try Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner with this MATCC Polishing Wheel For Drill Polishing Pad attached to a drill for an effective chrome cleaning solution.
Pros
Cons
Pick #5: Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner
This Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner cleans, polishes, and waxes your metal surfaces all in one quick and easy step.
Spruce up the metal on your car, boat, motorcycle, RV--you name it with this trusted formula that even removes hard water spots.
This water-based formula removes rust and grime leaving the metal in like-new condition.
Try Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner with this MATCC Polishing Wheel For Drill Polishing Pad attached to a drill for an effective chrome cleaning solution.
Pros
Cons
Chemical Guys Heavy Metal Polish Restorer And Protectant is a high-end metal polish restorer that works perfectly on parts like stainless steel exhaust tips, aluminum trim, and chrome bumpers.
You might be paying a little extra for this product, but you are going to get a better result.
And after you are done restoring the metal on your project, you might try Chemical Guys Light Metal Polish to protect the finish and prevent it from rusting in the future.
Check out this video that Chemical Guys put on Youtube to help you apply their product better.
Pros
Cons
You may want to try this Star Brite Marine Grade Chrome & Stainless Steel Cleaner, Polish And Protectant on your boat or wave runner because it leaves a protective barrier that prevents against salt deposits, pitting, rust, hard water spots, etc. because the water can be hard on chrome parts.
You can also use Star Brite on tin, copper, or brass so it's worth purchasing a high-quality product that has multiple uses instead of just cleaning your chrome tailpipe every 6 months.
Star Brite is sold in an 8 fluid ounce bottle.
Pros
Cons
Pick #8: Eagle One
Eagle One Nevr-Dull makes an all-purpose metal polish that works on chrome and other metal parts.
For 70 years Eagle One has been restoring old metals to their original appearance with this non-abrasive formula that has a cotton-paste wadding texture that doesn't scratch the surface of any metal you are working with.
Eagle One makes metal shine with a mirror-like finish without leaving deposits behind.
Pros
Cons
Meguiar's All-Metal Polish is designed to polish all metal surfaces on your motorcycle to perfection by using a polymer blend that forms a protective layer that protects the metal from tarnishing and discoloration in the future.
This product works on all uncoated metals including polished aluminum, chrome, etc, and cleans without the use of hazardous chemicals.
Although this product is designed for motorcycles, it could also be utilized on vehicles that have chrome and aluminum parts.
Pros
Cons
Pick #10: Simichrome
Simichrome does a fantastic job of polishing even fine metals like silver.
Simichrome is said to be one of the most effective metal cleaners on the market today, so it's worth a try especially because it can be used to polish precious metals like sterling silver, gold, and magnesium.
Purchase a tube of Simichrome, and find out how clean metal objects from around the house and garage can look.
Pros
Cons
Our Top Pick: California Gold Chrome Polish
Our favorite product is California Gold Chrome Polish because it is straight to the point, inexpensive, and produced specifically for automotive use.
You can also use the advanced polymer solution to clean and protect windows and glass from fingerprints, so it fulfills more than one function.
Purchase a bottle of California Gold Chrome Polish to keep in the garage for your those times when it's time to perform car care tasks.
Final Thoughts On Chrome Polish For Car Detailing
Try polishing the chrome on your bathroom faucets and other items around the house!
These are our personal favorites, but don't feel like you have to take our word for it!
Try other chrome cleaner products Blue Magic 400, etc that could also serve you well in the garage or around the house when polishing metals.
There are a few other ways you can clean chrome without even needing to purchase a chrome cleaner product.
Household Solutions For Polishing Chrome
Did you also know that you can use aluminum foil or even aluminum powder to polish chrome? All you have to do is rub the aluminum foil up against the chrome, and it will polish the surface.
You can also use baking soda mixed with water to temporarily clean up chrome until your product comes in the mail from Amazon. You could also try using coconut oil.
Questions?
Hit us with all of your chrome polish and other automotive-related questions on our Proper Mechanic blog! We are always happy to quickly answer all of your automotive-related questions because we care!
