Tips on cleaning interior plastic? (not just using a protectant)

Any tips on cleaning interior plastics. Not just throwing on one of the protectants, I use 303, decent but seems like it doesn't get all the dirt of the steering wheel.


any tips, maybe household cleaner, small brush? Then go over with water, then go over with 303?

for cleaning - hot water and parsons ammonia, cheap effective and no need to rinse anything. Start with glass first

meguiar's quik detail spray w/a microfiber cloth works great

I've always been a fan of Simple Green for dirt and grease. Just remember to dilute it with the correct ratio of water so that it is not too strong.

Any good all-purpose cleaner like Simple Green should work. Meguiar's makes a nice interior cleaner, it comes in a bottle like the detail spray except a black label. I also highly recommend Total Interior Cleaner by DP (Autogeek brand).

I just bought my SS and it did not look to dirty but I wanted to do a full detail so I used meguires all purpose wipes and you would be amazed on how much dirt you could not see came off and the car and smells cleaner. Then I used to meguires protectant wipes and I was finished. Try the wipes you will not regret using them.

mr clean magic erasers...cant beat them.

If it isn't something sold in an automotive store or in the automotive department or Walmart/Target, don't use it on a car. My mom used to use Mr. Clean diluted with water to clean the dash plastics in the Z28, and the ammonia takes the white lettering off the door switches and turn signal indicator.

There are a lot of coatings meant to be UV resistant, particularly on the leather, and using chemicals not approved/recommended for using on cars can strip or damage those protectants.

If it isn't something sold in an automotive store or in the automotive department or Walmart/Target, don't use it on a car. My mom used to use Mr. Clean diluted with water to clean the dash plastics in the Z28, and the ammonia takes the white lettering off the door switches and turn signal indicator.

There are a lot of coatings meant to be UV resistant, particularly on the leather, and using chemicals not approved/recommended for using on cars can strip or damage those protectants.

yeah but at the same time automotive chemicals coudl just rebadge household cleaner.

My problem is seems all the stores just sell like an oiler/protectant, not really a cleaner, the fact that it wettens it up helps but its really not "cleaning" it. I want to clean it then go over with a protectant really well afterwards. Mainly just the steering wheel, armrest, and driver door sill.

I use heavily diluted Simple Green and an old tooth brush for the scrubbing. I'll spray it on, scrub, then rinse it off with more (that's why I dilute it so much). Using store bought interior wipes will work, but not as well as a good scrubbing and rinse down. Simple Green works great even when diluted past way past what is recommended and best of all, it's super cheap. The previous owner of my winter beater left the car sit for 3 years with no back window. I used a floor scrubbing brush (very harsh, but it was for a beater) and SG to clean the interior on that too. After that I'll then use Armor All or Meguires somethingorother to shine up what I prefer to be shiny, unless it's on the beater :p

For actual plastic... just use soap. It's plastic. Treat it like a kid's toy like an action figure and use some car washing soap diluted with water and a rag and wipe it down. Rinse and you're done.