Dash and Console Care

Manufacturers of car-care products often liken vinyl or leather automotive interiors to human skin. That's a valid comparison, especially when it comes to protecting those surfaces. Regular cleaning and application of dressing (akin to a cosmetic moisturizer) is the key to preventing damage. Careful maintenance will keep your dashboard's skin plump and smooth, looking years younger than its actual age.

Prevent
This comparison falls a little short, though, when it comes to repairing sun and age damage. There's no quick and easy Botox or dermabrasion for dashboards or other vinyl surfaces. Like human skin, the dash and deck under the rear window suffer from sun damage, exacerbated by the expanse of windshield. The best maintenance routine is to wipe these areas clean with a damp cloth on a regular basis and use a protectant monthly.

If you tend toward the fastidious, the solution is prevention.
For that monthly treatment, use a protective conditioning product especially formulated for your dash, whether its vinyl or leather. Spray or dab the protectant on a foam applicator pad and rub it thoroughly on all the appropriate surfaces. Using an applicator pad keeps the liquid protectant/conditioner away from windshield and gauge glass, and upholstery as well. Let the protectant soak into the surfaces for five minutes or so, then wipe clean with a buffing towel.

Clean
There are a few ways to remove the dirt and dust that accumulates in vents, stereo speakers, and around knobs on the console. The best way is with a vent brush and compressed air. If you don't have a handy air compressor, use the blow mode on your household or hand-held vacuum. The technique is to brush the dirt loose while blowing air over the surfaces.


If these hard-to-clean surfaces are really grimy, use a foam swab available in most electronic parts stores. You can apply the protectant to these handy swabs, or use a simple cotton swab. An old toothbrush may not be too high-tech, but it's still the best tool to get around console knobs and control buttons on the console.