Cleaning the Dash

[Beltaine]

I use:


With a microfiber cloth.

Works really well, gets things clean with no annoying glare. Even cleans up the grungy spots on the tan plastic real nice.

WARNING: If you have a dirty mind, like me, this stuff is good for a lot of giggles.

[CaliCat]

I could use some help in this area. The one big flaw (to me) with my new '06 baby is his dash. He's practically new looking in all other ways. Other than a few little scratches and one deep gouge of about 1/4" in length, which I accept as battle scars that come with age just as I have!... he has some kind of heat or other damage on the flat part of the dash on the drivers side. Whether somebody laid something on his dash for a period of time and the Texas sun baked it, or whether it was previously treated with some kind of armorall type crap and the previous owner didn't use a sun shade and that did it... whatever the reason, there's a big area that's about 10-12" in circumference, with irregular edges, that's somewhat faded and gray-looking to varying degrees within that area.

Anyone know of anything I can do to treat this to at least minimize the appearance of this somewhat? It's either that or get one of those fugly dash covers...

[Benny Beetle]

Hi Calicat, (hehe, Cali is the name of my oldest cat) Anyway, would sanding the front portions and than repainting with a flat paint be an option? (doing just that one area would not match the other 2 pieces, that's why I suggested the entire front area) I thought of that as I had some work done in my car at the shop a couple years ago and THEY scratched up my dash! I did not have a single scratch in my 10 year old dash.... They did fix it, by using a flat finish paint (it turned out pretty good). Also, I have never used those sun shades, anytime I think about buying one, I can not find them, so I don't think the Texas sun did it, it's bizarre it did it to just one spot.

[CaliCat]

Originally Posted by Benny Beetle

Hi Calicat, (hehe, Cali is the name of my oldest cat) Anyway, would sanding the front portions and than repainting with a flat paint be an option? (doing just that one area would not match the other 2 pieces, that's why I suggested the entire front area) I thought of that as I had some work done in my car at the shop a couple years ago and THEY scratched up my dash! I did not have a single scratch in my 10 year old dash.... They did fix it, by using a flat finish paint (it turned out pretty good). Also, I have never used those sun shades, anytime I think about buying one, I can not find them, so I don't think the Texas sun did it, it's bizarre it did it to just one spot.

Hey Benny - I'm CaliCat because my name is Cathy and people call me Cat sometimes, and I lived in California for several years, loved it and still consider it my home. Anyway, thanks for the idea. Will that piece come out for me to do that (or have it done)? I guess it will... I mean, they have to be able to replace the dash if it's damaged in an accident, right? It didn't do it in just the one place... it's a little like that on the passenger side too, just not nearly as bad as on the driver side. It's really noticeable on the drivers side, like faded out or something.

I actually wouldn't mind one of those stupid dash covers IF it stopped at the seam between the dash parts and didn't have that lip coming forward in the middle part to the front part of the dash toward the radio (did that make sense)? That's the part that looks stupid to me. If they made one that covered just the one part of the dash that I need under the forward part of the windshield and stopped along the seam between the dash parts, that wouldn't look so bad to me.

[Benny Beetle]

I sent you a pm.

[CaliCat]

Originally Posted by Benny Beetle

I sent you a pm.

Got it -- thanks for the good info!

[Beetlescott]

I bought a bottle of Meguires interior "restorer". I tried it on the dash with the swirl marks and scratches where someone (moron) must of scraped a GPS system that was stuck on the dash. This stuff is amazing! I mean, I have never used anything on NB dashes before except water, but this stuff doesn't dry glossy, it us a matte finish, and it covered the scratches nicely. I was going to buy a center lower dash to replace the scratched one, but now, I think I will just keep the one I have! A word of caution use sparingly and buff it like crazy when you finish. I'm still thinking of trying the Woolite a couple of peeps have mentioned though.

[Druber13]

Originally Posted by SMG

Armor All is junk, you should clean your interior and stop using it. It's been proven to crack dashes over time, I thought it was common knowledge by now.

I have used armor all on all my cars since the product came out and never had a problem with it cracking my dash or anything else. I had a 91 ford Ranger up until a couple of months ago that had the cleanest interior and no cracks. The temps here in the Ohio valley get very very hot and humid, never had a problem.

[Beetlescott]

The Meguiers restorer worked beautifully on the inside bottom of the door, the plastic strip, I can't think of what it's called, but it did terrible on the dash. I cleaned it off with baby shampoo. I'm sticking to the Meguires detailer, it works great.

[davidhill]

Like the owners manual suggests...mild soap and water.

[2inlove_bug]

I use Meguiars Interior Detailer comes in a black spray bottle and doesn't leave a gloss or shine per say but repels the dust mostly and allows you to blow it off...LOVE IT and Love MEGUIARS!

[blubug05]

Does anybody have suggestions on cleaning the dash? I always get streaky. Does not look good. what kind of cleaning cloth is the best?

[SixChuter]

I use a micro-fiber cloth just slightly dampened. If the dash is actually dirty you might try using a small amount of mild detergent like Woolite then wipe it off with a cloth dampened with water only. Let us know what you find that works for you. Would like to see a photo thread of your car.

[blubug05]

thanks for the suggestion. I am new to this forum. I don't know how to post pictures.

[Cwgrltinkerbell21]

Turtle Wax - ICE Total Interior Spray
this stuff ROCKS and cleans ANYTHING!

[Beetle_NZ]

hi I am new to this forum. for me i use any laundry fabric softner example. downey..it makes all my plastic enterior clean and not so shiny and smells good after. No side effects because it is designed for cloths in my opinion