How to Polish Chrome: Bumpers, Motorbikes and Taps

There is nothing like freshly polished chrome on a classic car or motorbike. But chrome is a very thin plated layer over steel, brass or plastic, and heavy-handed polishing can wear straight through it. Here is how to get the shine back without damage.

Clean before you polish

Wash the chrome with warm soapy water to remove road grime, then dry it. On taps and shower fittings, remove limescale first with a descaler. Polishing over grit or scale just scratches the surface.

Dealing with rust spots

Small orange rust spots on chrome are usually rust coming through tiny pores in the plating. Light spots can often be lifted with polishing compound and a soft mop. Heavy rust or flaking chrome can’t be polished away. It needs re-plating.

Polishing chrome with a drill

1. Fit the white stitched mop from a chrome polishing kit to the mandrel, and the mandrel to your drill.
2. Load the mop with pink polishing compound.
3. Polish with light pressure, keeping the mop moving all the time.
4. Change to the soft mop with more pink compound for the final shine.
5. Only use the coarse mop and black cutting compound on stubborn marks, and very lightly.
6. Buff away the residue with a soft cloth.

Keeping chrome shiny

A coat of wax helps keep water off and slows down pitting. On a car or motorbike, dry chrome after washing rather than letting water sit on it.

Is it real chrome?

Chrome-effect plastic trim is very common on modern cars. It has a thin metallic coating that polishing will remove, so only polish metal chrome. A magnet will stick to chrome-plated steel.

See also our motorbike and classic car and bathroom guides.

Questions

Can I use metal polish on chrome?

Yes, a fine metal polish is fine by hand. A drill and mop with the right compound is much faster on bigger items.

Can pitted chrome be repaired?

Polishing brightens the chrome around the pits, but the pits themselves stay. Deep pitting needs re-chroming.

How often should I polish chrome?

Only when it looks dull. Regular washing, drying and waxing keeps it bright in between.