Cleaning a Vinyl Dashboard

Your car may look just amazing when you first purchase it; the exterior is shiny and sparkling, the hubcaps gleam in the sun, the interior smells sensational, the seats are crumb free, and perfect. After a while however, you'll begin to notice signs of use, of wear and tear. The paint will start to look dull underneath that thin film of freeway grit, the hubcaps will collect mud splashes, the interior "new" smell will combine with a faint musty smell, the seats will begin collecting salt from French fries, and your dashboard will start to look a little neglected. Now it's time to clean up that car and make it look great again! One of the big things you can do to make your car look new again, is to clean that vinyl dashboard. It's pretty simple, and you just need to keep a few tips and tricks in mind.

You will need the following supplies: towel, liquid car cleaner, microfiber towel, warm water, cloth, toothbrush, vinyl protective spray. You need to prep your dashboard first by wiping it down with a towel wetted in warm water. Use the liquid car cleaner and spray it onto the dashboard, making sure to work the cleaner in with a soft cloth. Be sure that you get every area of the dashboard, and then let it dry before proceeding to the next step. (The liquid car cleaner can be found in any automotive store).

Next, spray some vinyl protective solution onto a clean cloth and wipe down your entire vinyl dashboard. Keep spraying and wiping until you've covered the entire dashboard. You want to make sure you really cover the entire dashboard, so it's completely protected. You want to spray the solution onto the cloth first so that you can concentrate the cleaning on the dashboard; you don't want the spray to get onto the windshield or steering wheel. Let the spray sit on the dashboard for five to ten minutes; you want it to dry and be completely ready to go. Last, you just take the microfiber towel and give the dashboard a final wipe down. The microfiber towel will pick up any lingering dust or fibers, and will give the smooth and polished look.