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How to Get Your Exhaust Tips Shining Like New (Mar 2026)

Your car's interior cops more abuse than you realise—UV damage, spills, body oils, and the occasional fast food disaster. Here's how to fight back.

Dull, blackened exhaust tips ruin the look of a clean car, especially with our harsh Aussie sun hitting them. Here is how to strip back the carbon and salt crust to get that chrome or stainless steel popping again.

D"M
Dave "Davo" Mitchell Off-Road & 4WD Specialist
| Updated: 2 March 2026
What You'll Learn
How to Get Your Exhaust Tips Shining Like New (Mar 2026)

Aussie Conditions

Australian UV is 15% stronger than Europe. Your dash and leather need proper UV protection, not just cleaning, especially if you park outside.
Quick Summary

Look, there is no point spending three hours washing and waxing your pride and joy if you leave the exhaust tips looking like they've just finished a lap of the Simpson Desert. This guide is for anyone with chrome, stainless, or even matte tips who wants a quick win. I'll show you the gear I actually use in my mobile kit and how to avoid scratching the living daylights out of your metalwork.

01

Stop Ignoring the Back End

Right, so you've done the paint, the wheels look mint, but those exhaust tips are caked in black soot and road grime. It’s a classic mistake. I reckon the exhaust is the most overlooked part of a detail. If you live near the coast, that salt air mixes with the heat of the pipes and basically bakes a crust onto the metal. I once had a customer with a beautiful HSV Senator who thought his tips were 'burnt' beyond repair. Ten minutes with the right polish and they were literally like mirrors again. Don't write them off until you've given this a crack.

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Don't Start Dry

Never, ever just start rubbing a dry cloth on a dirty tip. You'll just grind the carbon grit into the metal and leave nasty swirl marks. Give them a blast with the pressure washer first, then hit them with whatever wheel cleaner you're using (I'm a big fan of Bowden’s Own Wheely Clean). Let it dwell for a minute to soften the baked-on gunk before you even touch it.

The 0000 Steel Wool Trick

If the tips are really far gone, think 'neglected work ute' status, you might need something more aggressive than a microfiber. I use '0000' grade super-fine steel wool. It has to be four zeros, anything coarser will scratch. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore back in the day and spent two hours polishing out my mistakes. Wet the steel wool with some metal polish and go to town. It cuts through carbon like a hot knife through butter.

Choose the Right Juice

For the actual polishing, you can't go past Autoglym Metal Polish or Meguiar’s NXT Generation All Metal Polysh. They've both got enough 'bite' to clean but finish down nicely. If you've got those fancy titanium tips that have the blue 'burnt' look, stay away from abrasives or you'll rub the colour right off. Just use a chemical cleaner and a soft cloth for those.

Seal it for Later

Once they're shiny, chuck a bit of ceramic sealant or a high-temp wax on there. It won't last forever because of the heat, but it makes the next wash heaps easier. The soot won't stick nearly as hard. I usually just use whatever spray sealant I've got left over from doing the wheels. Work smarter, not harder, right?
02

The Bare Essentials

Watch Out

Make sure the pipes are stone cold before you start. I've seen a mate melt a microfiber cloth onto a hot tip before, it's a bloody mess to clean up and smells even worse. Also, if your tips are painted matte black from the factory, DO NOT use metal polish or steel wool. You'll turn that nice matte finish into a scrubby, patchy semi-gloss mess. Just use soap and water for those.
03

Your Questions, Sorta Answered

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pH Neutral Snow Foam
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Ceramic Coating 9H
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Ceramic Coating 9H

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