tips on cleaning the dash anyone?

[vdublover88]

im a new volkswagen beetle owner, i have a 2001..my dash gets so dusty,(as do they all i assume) and when i clean it, it gets really streaky and looks worse than before. tips anyone?

[hestersu]

I only use a damp cloth if needed. The main thing I use is the small California duster. It's perfect and picks up all the dust and leaves no streaks. Available at Walmart or other fine retailers.

[Smileybug]

I use a microfiber cloth. I just keep one in my car. Picks up the dust and its dry so no streaking.

[Beetlescott]

If your buggy is new, the damp cloth is the only way to go, IMO, but my Ernie isn't new, and someone has already put the wrong thing on him and streaks cannot be gotten out! I learned a great tip last week from another Org member. The detailing spray we use on the outside of our bugs, Merguires (sp) brand is my favorite works great on a used dash! I have never used anything but water on mine in the past, but this older one worked like a charm! Again, if your dash is in perfect shape, no one has put anything else on it, use the california duster and damp cloth. You can't beat the duster, and the dirtier it gets, the better it works! Good Luck!

[japple]

Swiffer duster works fantastic

[Pushing Fifty]

Be aware that NB dashes scratch very easily, too! I placed a diecast model of my Beetle up there for a car show, and the rubber wheels put gouges in my dash! But you can cover this up with a very nice plastic dash cover available from thebugdash.com. They cost about $70.00.You can even have them painted the same color as your body for a little more, but I went with flat black.

[topless kitty]

Originally Posted by hestersu

I only use a damp cloth if needed. The main thing I use is the small California duster. It's perfect and picks up all the dust and leaves no streaks. Available at Walmart or other fine retailers.

ditto. i keep the california duster in the pocket on the back of my passenger seat so i can whip it out when needed. if it needs a CLEANING (which it really never should, but if you've splashed a drink on it or something) i use a very slightly dampened microfiber towel with a touch of woolite on it. yes, the woolite you use on your fine knits and unmentionables. it's very mild yet effective. i use this on anything hard in the car like the console and door panels, and on my leatherette seats.

[VW Lady Bug]

The California duster is my main dash cleaner. But when I want to spruce up the shine Meguiar's Interior Detail Spray is helpful (I only use it about once a month or so, which is VERY light for the amount cleaning Lady gets).

[tdigirl]

I guess im the old ball. I keep a mirco-fiber duster in the car but when I really get down and clean I use Plexus. Most people stay away from anything that is not water.
Plexus is made for plastic clear and painted. I use it on my dash and most plastics in my bug and it keeps the dust from coming back so quickly and makes small scratches less visibile. It leaves no residue but the plastic looking beautiful.
My parents are pilots and they use it on everything plastic! They have never had truoble with it either, infact they showed me this stuff. Although, you can use this on windows and tints, i dont. Just make sure you use a cloth and not paper towel. Paper towel on the dash is no good anyways.
I believe you can get it at a pilot store or online, I always just grab it from my parents! Its around $10 a bottle though.

Here is pic from right after cleaning:


Here is pic from a few days after i cleaned(sorry its through the windshield)

[Fl_bug]

Originally Posted by tdigirl

I guess im the old ball. I keep a mirco-fiber duster in the car but when I really get down and clean I use Plexus. Most people stay away from anything that is not water.
Plexus is made for plastic clear and painted. I use it on my dash and most plastics in my bug and it keeps the dust from coming back so quickly and makes small scratches less visibile. It leaves no residue but the plastic looking beautiful.
My parents are pilots and they use it on everything plastic! They have never had truoble with it either, infact they showed me this stuff. Although, you can use this on windows and tints, i dont. Just make sure you use a cloth and not paper towel. Paper towel on the dash is no good anyways.
I believe you can get it at a pilot store or online, I always just grab it from my parents! Its around $10 a bottle though.

Here is pic from right after cleaning:


Here is pic from a few days after i cleaned(sorry its through the windshield)

I'm not sure what is more shocking.... The fact that there is not one spec of dust or the fact that there isn't even a single scratch anywhere!

[tdigirl]

Haha!
Well I'll taked that as a compliment.
I have only own this car for like 6 months. I have only put one scratch in the center of the dash.
But the credit goes to the old owners who took good shape of the dash for 7 years.
Thats what you get for buying a car from an old couple, that used it as like an every other day car! lol

[davidhill]

Get some auto shampoo and a brush. Before you wash the carpet brush and vacuum the carpet. Get some compressed air and blow out all the vents and creases. Don't forget to wash the ceiling and all the glass.