How to Clean & Condition Weather Stripping
by Lisa Wampler
Weather stripping is commonly made of neoprene synthetic rubber and it goes between a door and a sill to prevent air leaks. Over time, it is common for weather stripping to become brittle and crack. You can avoid this by cleaning and treating your weather stripping on a yearly basis to keep it moist. This will elongate the amount of time you get out of your car's weather stripping.
Step 1
Clean the weather stripping with warm soapy water and a sponge. Rinse the weather stripping with clean water to remove any soap residue.
Step 2
After cleaning, wipe the surface dry with a clean towel.
Step 3
Apply a generous amount of silicone-based spray over the entire weather stripping surface and wait two or three minutes before wiping the excess spray off the weather stripping. Not only does this return the shine to the weather stripping, it also helps to bead away water.
References
Things You'll Need
- Hot soapy water
- Sponge
- Towel
- Silicone-based spray
Warnings
- Inspect the weather stripping for any cracks or pin holes. If you locate any imperfections in the weather stripping, you should replace it with new weather stripping specified for your automobile. Cleaning the weather stripping at this time will not resolve any issues as the stripping is already damaged beyond repair.
