Professional Detail Tips: Cleaning and restoring Mercedes ML running boards

In this edition of professional detail tips, Darren teaches you how to clean and restore Mercedes Benz running boards on the ML class SUV's.
These MBZ running boards are notorious for discoloring and becoming very unsightly. Cleaning and restoring them for most people is next to impossible.
Darren shows you his professional detailing tips and tricks as he takes you on location and shows you the dramatic results can be achieved with the right products, techniques, and tools that can found at the links below.
NANOSKIN SPEEDY BRIGHT ORGANIC WHEEL CLEANER: www.best-auto-d...
SCRUB BRUSH: Nanoskin tire and wheel brush (see this link and look towards the bottom of the page for the Nanoskin brush)
www.best-auto-d...
BLACK TRIM RESTORATION: www.best-auto-d...

[@lightningsmokerXx]

Darren , you magnificent beast you! I was claying & waxing my car in preparation for the Ontario Winter yesterday. The last bit of claying i did was the rockers with my clay mitt. Got grease on the outer fabric seem area of my clay mitt. Tried water and soap to get it out etc etc. Then i remembered the 9th wonder of the world.....THE MAGIC ERASER! Took the grease out and i was able to do it without compromising the clay mitt rubber focusing on just the fabric seem edge. You saved me money & taught me something. PS- last month when the young kid at the Tire shop got grease in my car , nothing would get it out Then i remembered your video with the Magic Eraser & The APC+ Super Degreaser. So i tried APC + Magic Eraser very gently applied....looks like it was never there, no A-Piller Fabric damage either. I LOVE YOU IN A NON MAN TO MAN WAY DARRREN. Thanks for all you do.

[@nistramo]

Great video......I have exactly the same issue with those running boards.....I do 3 of them every fortnight and next time I'll be on it!!!

[@je2p378]

Hi Darren.. Love ur videos. Full of things that we as newbies never heard of. So many useful tips and tricks that u gave out from ur videos that helped me alot. What i love most from ur videos, when u start to talk about all those useless detailing steps, those hype, those "BS" that already spread out bout this and that products..which is better blabla and then u crush those hype by proving that u can produce results just by using 1product instead of tonsss of products that they manufacturers made us believe that we shud buy to produce result. Your meguiar pinnacle wolfgang wax faceoff was awesome!!! I know this is out of context... But im hoping u can do reviews about glazes. Because this stuff called glaze, i think its the one products that made so many us out there debating endlessly of its function its ability to hide swirls, some claim that glaze can add depths blablabla some say that we shud add glaze before wax to get that deep wet layered look...etc etc.. some say that glaze is useless and waste of money. sometimes when i read those stuff i really dont know which one is best to believe. But i know all your videos Darren, you always say something useful to us and u always spit out the truth..all the good and bad when u review a product. So please make review about glazes..i think CG blacklight is the one glaze that is surrounded by such a lot of hype recently. Thanks and keep doing what u r doing.

[@prestigedetailohio]

Thanks so much Darren for this video! I have struggled with getting these clean as well!! Now I know how!! So valuable!

[@karenprim5295]

Great video Darren! Learn so much from you and appreciate your time! Awesome your daughter works with you! 😀

[@finishrescuellc2086]

Great tips as always! Love that your "worker bee" is family. The same running boards I've also found on the last gen BMW X series SAV's. The northeast winters absolutely dump all over them ! Now I have a fix, thanks man. The iron remover products might work too, haven't tried yet. Thanks for all the phenomenal content.

[@TheJcamp34]

Will fall out remover take care of the rust brake dust spots that appear on these running boards?

[@kpumroy]

I tried this. It did not leave a uniform finish. The product etches or oxidizes the aluminum leaving a splotchy almost chalky uneven finish. I am having some success mitigating this by using a scotch brite pad and re-finishing the metal it but its a lot of work and its difficult to work around the nubs. I would not recommend this method.

[@danielf457]

Wow saved me buying some new side boards 👍

[@mik2dae143]

Great work Darren!!! Best to do it!

[@stuartmorley6338]

Autoglym metal polish work well for me.

[@garyfeatherston4850]

Would you put a wax or on the stainless steel to help protect?

[@MiracledetailCoUk]

nice video Darren, they are a real pain those ml running boards.

[@areknizamian1739]

Do you recommend this same product and especially same rough brush for the Mercedes GL running boards? Those boards are chrome and I suspect are susceptible to scratching when using a rough brush. Thanks!

[@JesusLoreto]

Thanks.. tips for cleaning stained wheels on the same model SUV ?

[@rodrig0pinto]

Will it also remove the scratches in the aluminum!?

[@cortezc3]

Where can i purchase these products? I needed for my GL550 OH IS GOING TO LOOK SO GOOD LOL.

[@chelseetaylor1765]

Hi does this clean rust marks off thank you

[@jeremyriffle8146]

Carpro iron-x works well also

[@Vamanaswastika]

Wanna know what else works on aluminum? Light grid sandpaper. Can rejuvenate the entire board.

[@MrSirGonza]

The other day I was vacuuming the interior of my car and I happened to pass the nozzle over the door weatherstrips, for cleaning purposes. Days later I found out that two of them were cracked (and I'm sure they weren't before the vacuuming.) I did smooth out the edges of the nozzle with sandpaper before the process, though. I still can't believe the cracks were caused by that but I can't find another explanation either - it just makes no sense. Has that ever happened to you, Darren? The car is a Honda Fit 2010. Keep up the vids!

[@autofetishdetail]

Unlikely you caused them by vacuuming. As I have experienced endless times in detailing: things that you were not aware of before, suddenly come on your radar. My guess is that the cracks were already there, but suddenly your eye picked up on them.

[@MrSirGonza]

Thank you for the reply, Darren. Yes - it's second-hand car (actually, "third-hand", but the previous owner only used it to "travel" to other cities,) so you may be right. Have you got any ideas on how to repair it, or it is just beyond your concerns as a detailer?

[@kev008ify]

Great video quality 👍🏼

[@lucasornelas6113]

Will someone please tell me what the name of that applicator sponge he is using? Can't find it anywhere!

[@schwenkm]

I’ve been using the speedybrite for this with usually good results but last time I bust that stuff out it left horrible spotting on the running boards. You ever run into that?

[@wongmunlap2525]

Hi Saw dis video after the 3rd years ! Any update to the stuff concern or is it still relevant. Thank u in advance

[@waltergray9182]

I love it...thank you for the video

[@johnjackson-pu3xo]

Darren, another most informative video. one question, you said it etched the aluminum, did you have to do any additional polishing to get that great luster

[@autofetishdetail]

No extra polishing. What you see was simply what I got in the moment. The Nanoskin product "cleans, or "etches" this running board material and creates a nice, uniform appearance.

[@hallmarksdetailingllc8078]

Darren, you mention this can be used on glass. I assume you're talking about water spots. So since this product is safer for removing water spots then Meg's Wheel Brightener, is this what you recommend now? Also is there a difference in cleaning power between the two? Because Nanoskin is $15/gallon and Meguiar's is $20/gallon and you dilute them down both 4/1.. Seems like to me the Nanoskin product would be cheaper, and better.

[@autofetishdetail]

Valid question and conclusions. The Nanoskin is just as effective as the Megs Wheel Brightener. AT least with the wheels I deal with on a regular basis. And based on the price difference, it would appear that Nanoskin gets the "win".

[@rickylmoe4018]

Thank you for the upload😁😁😊😊😁 they don't put Furyk acid in plastic bottles

[@barbiesandlol3018]

About 6 screws underneath the steps holds the whole assemble together. So much easier, faster, and you will be surprised how much more gung trapped between you will remove by going that way......

[@anythingadrenaline4515]

Great video Darren! Looking jacked boss💪

[@taffaalia3897]

Can wd40 work for aluminium clean

[@overspray5281]

Does aerospace 303 work well on somewhat faded plastic trim, is it worth it?

[@autofetishdetail]

It is a great maintenance product for trim that is already in decent condition, but not a product suited for true restoration. I love it myself and use it for many applications. This link will take you to my page on their fabric guard, which you can click on and do a search in Amazon for the 303 Protectant. www.best-auto-detailing-tips.com/auto-upholstery-protector.html

[@jameswootton9964]

so I waited for mine to be delivered fro m america the speedy nano bright organic acid cleaner - tried it as bottle instructions - it didnt get rid of the patches on my M-class - in fact it made them 5 time worse - yes it cleaned the boards , but beware of this product - it doesnt make these baoards look good at all !! i rinsed cleaned wiped applied agitated rinsed wiped rinsed wiped and they look much worse then prior - all it did was get rid of the dirty marks around the rubber nodules . the acid has made the aluminim look nasty - sorry but it has !!!!

[@detaildoctoroftampabay4074]

Darren the links aren’t working

[@autofetishdetail]

I Just checked them myself; they are working fine on this end. Perhaps you have something enable on your computer that doesn't allow your computer to open a new window from a link???

[@oldretrogamer78]

Shine Reigns Supreme on those running boards thanks to AFD!

[@csiautodetail]

what is the name on Instagram?

[@autofetishdetail]

auto_fetish_detail

[@frank1672]

'Running boards'