How To Clean Polymer Plastic

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So you've just done a full cleaning of your polymer pistol. Hands got oily and maybe got a bit of stuff on the plastic. Maybe but it with synthetic safe gun scrubber and even safe it seems washed out a bit.
Need something to clean, protect, and most importantly not make it slick?!

I've been using plexus plastic cleaner for over a year now. I used to be in the motorcycle business and the product was born in the aviation field.

Link to mfg.
http://plexusplasticcleaner.com/about.html

Pricing seems all over the place so if your interested try calling a local bike shop and you may find the best deal. For firearms a small can still goes a long way.

Figured I'd share since it really does work great and I never see similar products at any gun shops around my area
JDR Member

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Mar 11, 2013

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Plexus works well to clean the faceshield on a motorcycle helmet and a plastic motorcycle windshield. Isopropyl alcohol works for me to clean a polymer pistol frame.

Last edited: Oct 14, 2019
Distilled water
I used a alcohol. Some of the plastic cleaners seamed to leave a slippery film on the plastic. I barely use more then a bare tooth brush to clean the carbon off. Once in a while i spill lube on the frame, then i use the alcohol.
Sulaco Member

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Mar 21, 2003

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I use Hoppe's No. 9 followed up by some FP-10 and then wipe it clean. Has worked for decades.
I just use a clean dry rag.
I've had good luck with alcohol, soap and water, and just a warm, dampened rough cloth like a shop towel.
If the polymer is greasy, try a warm damp cloth and lava hand soap, followed by clear warm water.
Dawn dish soap and warm water. Maybe an old tooth brush if it is really dirty. Keep it simple.

entropy and Buzznrose like this.
My Glock has never been dirty enough that a clean, dry rag was all that was needed. Although afterward I rub down the polymer with a rag with some Armor All on it. That stuff can also remove light amounts of dirt, dust,etc. and is great for all types of polymers, plastic and even rubber. I've heard that any of those polymer materials can be effected by excessive amounts of UV rays. Never heard of a Glock being affected by that but I'd rather not take chances. I've used Armor All on other plastic, vinyl, and rubber that gets a lot of sun and it works. Even works well on rubber that rarely gets any sun. Keeps whatever type of polymer Glock uses looking like new.
wbbh Member

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Apr 30, 2016

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With a vegetable brush for the textured/checked portions.
Old terry cloth towels lightly damp with water/Dawn.
Cleans, degreases and leaves polymer very grip-able.
Boil it for 10 minutes and hang it out to dry over night.
...kidding.
I just blast them with compressed air and wipe with a damp paper towel, that always seemed to be enough for me.
JDR Member

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Mar 11, 2013

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If you put Talon grip panels on your polymer pistol, they tell you to clean the grip with isopropyl alcohol before you put on the grip panels. I had these Talon grips on my G-19 once and didn't like them but I've used isopropyl alcohol on polymer grips ever since then.

Last edited: Oct 16, 2019
An ultrasonic cleaner does an incredible job on plastic and rubber. It removes all the tiny micro particles and leaves an incredible grip. Golf clubs are often cleaned in ultrasonic cleaners to restore the grip on the grip. After a big oily messy project I will often toss my tools in the ultrasonic cleaner... screw drivers, wrenches, etc. are a lot easier to hold onto after wards. I tossed the original plastic vent cover out of my 67 F100 once... it came out looking like brand new plastic.
tcj Member

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Aug 25, 2012

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353
Ballistol - my clp of preference and works well for me on plastic as well as wood and leather.
If you can clean baby ducks with Dawn...you can clean anything ...and it won't be slippery .
When I bought new prescription glasses with coated high tech lenses , I was told by the Doctor and two different tech's to clean them with water and a few drops of Dawn ... it wouldn't damage/remove the high tech coatings !
Gary
- Contributing Member
Pat Riot Contributing Member
I use a Kleen Bore silicone gun cloth to wipe it all down and clean it off. Then I wipe it off with a cotton rag.
They clean up great this way.The problem with Armor All is once you start using it on certain synthetics you must continue to use it from now on. If you stop the synthetics become brittle or suffer cracks. That will happen with vinyl and some plastics. I do not know if that problem could occur with advanced polymers like on a Glock frame.
+1 for Dawn and a tooth brush.
Mostly a damp rag. Dawn works great, but smells so bad, I won't have it in the house. I have talked to people who insist Dawn has little smell. Something is wrong with them.
Dawn comes in a bunch of scents. Fruity, Fresh, Natural, Herbal, etc.....Palmolive is the least offensive for me. A damp rag works. I agree.
Damp clean rag. Dawn being petroleum based is a great cleaner; I have never thought that the polymer used for a handgun needs anything more than a damp cloth or one of those silicone cloths. But each to their own.
For those cheap plastic guns (most of my "collection"), the top rack of the dishwasher generally works fine for me!
Seriously, I don't think I've ever used anything but the same cloth I use to wipe the entire gun down at the end of a cleaning or shooting session...microfiber car cloth with some residual Ballistol on it from wiping down the gun (just a dab will do ya!
Don't overthink it. LOTS of different plastics, and those (many) used for firearms frames are really not delicate flowers. They can handle normal gun cleaners and solvents just fine.
I used Hoppes for a long time, now also a Ballistol guy.