dashboard cleaner......and black wheels

I'm pretty happy with Meguiar's Natural Shine for the dash and the tires. It also has a pleasant scent.
The key to long-lasting black on the tires is to scrub well with tire cleaner or Spray 9 first to remove all of the old protectant and the brown oxidation that builds up on the rubber.
There are some low gloss water based tire dressings that are pretty good as well, but they tend to wash away pretty quickly.

 

I use Formula 303. This gives a natural look... does not have an unnatural shine, and seems to inhibit dust attraction. Use it on tires, also. Gives a natural look and prevents UV degradation of the rubber.

 

I personally think 303 Aerospace is too shiny for use on dash materials. I also like the factory matte finish. IMHO 303 is way too expensive to waste on tires...its really best used for exterior trim, door seals, etc.

If you want an over the counter option I reccomend Meguiar's Interior Quik Detailer. Has enough oomph to safely clean and won't leave any sheen behind. No need to worry about UV protection, the dash is imbedded with it as is the windshield.

If you want the best you want a product called Ultima Interior Guard:

Ultima Interior Guard Plus 12 oz., interior protectant, rubber & vinyl protectant, dash dressing

It needs to be used on a clean surface, so you can use the Meg's Interior Quick Detailer first, or use Ultima's cleaner which is also excellent.

For tires I like plain ol' Armor All. Its cheap. and nothing is really going to hang around on the tires after a rain anyways. Get a foam applicator, spray the armor all on and apply.

 

If you think 303 is too shinny then you are not applying it correctly. I have been using the product for a very long time and I have never seen it leaving a shinny look if applied correctly.

Simply put, 303 protects and it keeps plastics, vinyl, rubber, and just about everything you can apply it on looking brand new.

It is too expensive to use on tires. Simple Green works well for cleaning the tires before applying a shine to it with another product.

 

I just use California Mini Duster on the dash. No need to apply any product.

The trick to clean looking tires is to actually wash them before applying any product. I use what's left of the car wash soap after I'm through with cleaning the wheels (with a mitt). I'm a fan of Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss. A little goes a long way and one bottle of it is equivalent to many bottles of tire foam spray or Armor All.

 

+1. If you have fingerprints or smudges on the dash, just use a bit of ammonia-free Windex on a lint-free rag and wipe it clean gently. The matte black finish should not be shined or you could get a reflective glint while driving.

As far as tire shine, there are numerous products at automotive stores for this - usually a spray-foam cleaner.

 

I started, grew, operated, and sold a successful car detailing business. I have been detailing cars for almost 15 years. I know how to use 303, have used it for many years as I said before I find it too glossy for my taste on dashboards. I don't like *any* gloss on the interior vinyl and plastics, and 303 does leave behind a gloss after its applied, even when cut with water.

303 is a great product, but in my my very qualified opinion if the customer's goal is no artificial gloss and a factory finish on interior vinyl and plastics, its not the right product.

If you like or don't mind a little gloss its fine.

Be careful with Simple Green. Its a VERY harsh cleaner, and full strength (or even diluted) it can etch into the clearcoat of the wheels and the paint enough to require a repaint. Its fine on the tires, but if it sprays onto the paint or the rims you could have a problem, especially if they are hot.

The only thing on a car I might use Simple Green on is a very dirty engine bay, and then it would be very diluted.

DO NOT use Windex on anything but windows. Windex can discolor the vinyl and plastic components on the dash after just a few seconds of concentrated contact. I've seen it happen firsthand.

Plenty of products out there that are proper for use on these materials. The Meguiars quik interior detailer I mentioned is one, and you can even just use a towel that is damp with water.

The california mini duster works great.

 

Optimum car care makes a cleaner, I think listed as a leather cleaner, that works great on the dash. They have some other outstanding car care products as well.

 

+1 on Simple Green Automotive warning.

Even Simple Green's product information tells you it will etch aluminum. That's what the Prius wheels are made of for those of you that don't know. They do tell you that it can be used to remove brake dust from aluminum wheels IF you don't let it set for more than just a few seconds before it is thoroughly rinsed off.

Frankly the automotive version is the best thing I've ever found to remove brake dust but you have to be extremely careful with it or you'll have dull dingy wheels very quickly.

 

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Maybe with the OLD formula Windex, but the new "greenlist" formula does not contain ammonia. I have used this product repeatedly on my G3 dash with no ill effects. I actually put it on a clean rag and then gently rubbed the dash clean. But it might not be for everyone so if there's a chance someone out there has a bottle of the OLD formula, then beware.

DISCLAIMER:
As with any cleaner, try it on a small area not in plain view (i.e. the small ridge just over the steering well felt) to be sure there isn't a reaction.

 

That would be on bare or unpolished, unsealed aluminum.
Most polished aluminum wheels are clear coated or clear anodized, and our wheels are painted/powder coated. Either way the Simple Green never touches the raw, uncoated aluminum.
A greater concern is the fact that Simple Green is an excellent, albeit slow, paint remover. That's why you don't want to leave it on a surface too long, even diluted, as it can dull the finish (especially if sprayed on a hot wheel)
Managing a Speed Shop for 8 years, I'd seen most of the imaginative ways that auto detailing products could be misused.
The automotive version (which came after my time in the business) is most likely an even stronger version requiring even greater dilution.


I've been wanting to try the new Eagle One Wheel and Tire Cleaner. Seems like a good idea, and it's acid-free.
A2Zâ„¢ All Wheel & Tire Cleaner
None of the listed dealers in my locale stock it, though....

 

Here's a question...when there are SO many products designed for the application at hand (cleaning a plastic and vinyl dashboard), why even risk using a glass cleaner? Just use water if you're too cheap to buy the appropriate product.

Even for windows I have never been satisfied with Windex...

You say that Simple Green is an excellent paint remover. Why would you use it where it can spray on and run onto painted surfaces? I have seen paint surfaces...wheels...body panels...ruined by Simple Green.

Again...there are so many appropriate products out there for any application you may have at hand...why risk damaging a very expensive vehicle by using inappropriate cleaning products?

The Eagle One A2Z has been out a long time. Its a good wheel cleaner, a little harsh.

Personally I've never seen the need for a wheel cleaner except with REALLY neglected wheels. If you wash your car regularly, the wheels should come clean with a mitt and carwash soap as easily as the paintwork of the car.

 

DO NOT, for the love of god, use Armor-All or similar protectants. I recommend 303, Meguiar's Natural Shine - these primarily contain silicone but they also have better UV protectants while Armor-All is more or less just thin silicone emulsion with a little butyl cellosolve for cleaning. I've haven't tried Poorboy's or Chemical Guys. I've also used Production Super 1000W which is a little better than Armor-All, Production is what detailers and dealers in the Bay Area use.

Better would be the silicone-free dressings sold by high-end detailing outfits such as Swissvax or Griot's. And definitely NO petroleum-based dressings.

 

Nothing wrong with ArmorAll. Its way too greasy for trim or dashboards I agree, but for tires or wheel wells? Its cheap and looks fine. Perfectly safe.

Poorboy's natural look is also a good dressing for tires. I wouldn't say it has a "natural look", but I like glossy tires and it looks great on them.

 

Armor All makes more than one product. I've tried their Natural Finish Protectant and had good results. It just cleans and protects, no shine at all.