It is frustrating to detail a car perfectly, only to find that it looks terrible afterward because of damage from dirt that has been sitting there forever!
To skip reading the details, scroll down to the “BIG IDEAS” section at the bottom or click here
Here are some secrets I’ve learned to “fix” interior damage:
Let’s talk about types of damage
This is obviously most common as we all know that vehicle interiors wear over time. But what does this look like?
Scuff marks are the easiest to recognize. These occur on interior plastics that normally sit lower than the rest. That means lower door panels, trunk doors, and plastics that are on the floor of any kind.
Scuffs can be removed with a magic eraser and some all purpose cleaner only if they are surface level. Those that are deeper are there to stay.
Outside of the obvious scuff mark, I would categorize any other miscellaneous plastic damage as “normal wear and tear.” Damaged plastic that is not scuffed is most often the result of dirt that has sat for a long enough time to weaken the underlying plastic. When the detailer cleans it, you see the discontinuity in the plastic that just doesn’t look like the rest.
Detailers sometimes experience a white chalky residue left over from the all purpose cleaner, or interior cleaner they happen to be using. It freaks them out because it doesn’t wipe off and it looks TERRIBLE!
The most common reasons for this happening are:
Detailers often see this happen when they use Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner, though it can happen with any stronger alkaline cleaner.
Here’s a picture of what it looks like:
Without going into a full scientific explanation here, the biggest problem is this: It’s not always obvious when this is going to happen, and it’s therefore not the most preventable thing in the world. If you detail enough cars, it will happen eventually.
It happens most often on hard, black plastics that are older, & worn.
Outside of the normal wear and tear, and the infrequent chemical damage, all other forms of interior plastic damage can be chalked up to “miscellaneous.”
So how do we fix these things as detailers?
Let’s start with normal wear and tear/scuff marks.
This is a permanent type of damage that is not a cleaning issue, it’s just a visual issue. It makes a newly detailed car still look “dirty” in some ways because there’s a lack of uniformity.
For YEARS I carried a product with me everywhere I went called “Ultra Shine Detail Spray,” from a company called Show Car. But unless you are connected with the distributor, ordering this product online is too expensive.
I have since switched to a product from P&S called “P&S No Rub Coating.” I call this product my ole faithful because it’s kind of like duct tape… you can use it on basically anything when you need help!
When I have a door panel that is scuffed & faded, a quick spray of this product (I like to knock down the shine with a microfiber towel) immediately brings it back to life. It also lasts far longer than traditional dressings.
Where do I use this most often?
Door panels, door jambs, plastics on floors, exterior trim, front grills, and trunk doors/seals.
Here’s a real life example of some plastic damage that was masked with this product:
I have no idea what this stain was, but it was not a cleaning issue. You can see why a product like this is so helpful for these situations.
This product ALSO works on non black interior plastics as well. I use this spray anytime I want to create some uniformity or an even appearance on something including gray or tan interior plastics.
So how do you fix the chemical damage mentioned above? This product would mask it, but I prefer Solution Finish for masking chemical damage.
Solution finish is an actually dye that works to restore the plastic to its original condition, and it is a longer term solution that work LONG ENOUGH for the chemical damage to go away on its own.
Here is an example of the chemical damage being fixed by Solution Finish:
BIG IDEAS:
These are the things I wish I knew when I was in my early days of detailing.
Hope this helps.
-Luke