Plastic Polish?

[speedpenguin]

I'm currently disassembling my dashboard and cleaning it. It's a fun project, espacially with 18 years of dirt in there. But I want my dashboard to be shiny. Is there any kind of plastic polish I can use on it?

[86-accord-lxi]

I got a nice shine with armor all wipes, Just the regular kind. And It didn't leave it slippery like the armor all spray. You could probably use mothers plastic polish and get nice results. I like 3m plastic polish even better.

http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49855&highlight=diy+plastic+polish
Check this ^ out !

[A20A1]

fine sandpaper or a fine grit sanding sponge. The sponge ones work better since they clog less. Careful not to rub too much/hard with regular sand paper or it melts it. You'll get mostly dirt and dead skin and dust off in the first few layers. :(

Then after that a rag and some kind of rubbing compound... like the 3M stuff used to finish your clear coat on your cars paint.

[speedpenguin]

fine sandpaper or a fine grit sanding sponge. The sponge ones work better since they clog less. Careful not to rub too much/hard with regular sand paper or it melts it. You'll get mostly dirt and dead skin and dust off in the first few layers. :(

Then after that a rag and some kind of rubbing compound... like the 3M stuff used to finish your clear coat on your cars paint.
I'm worried that sanding it will take out the grain, especially in the softer foam-backed part, are my fears ungrounded? I already went over some of the parts with interior wipes, the tar-removing ones. They got most of the dirt out, but they're just not shiny.
PS:If anyone wants to try this, an old toothbrush helps a lot, especially for things like the grooves in the shitchboxes.

[A20A1]

Foam? I was refering to the hard plastic parts, like vents and center control pannel.

The Sponge type sander will work on the rest of the dash to clean off the dirt Or a good pumice type cleaner.

You need oil to get things to shine.

[speedpenguin]

I want to polish those as well, but I also want to polish the grained parts. I just don't want to sand off the grain or anything. I guess I'll need different techniques for the different parts?
The smooth parts I'll definitely sand, that's a good idea. It'll take out some of those scratches, too.

[A20A1]

you can also buff out the clear plastic for your gauge cluster. Be careful though if you don't do it good you get a hazy look to the plastic.

And try not to over sand the vynl textured foamy stuff. The dryed out ones will chunk off. You could also try steam cleaning the vynl. It should freshen it up without melting the plastic. Then you can go back after it dries and oil it down.

[gfrg88]

do you guys think this would work with the trim around the car??? im going to try it out and see what happens

[speedpenguin]

Probably, but if possible I would take it off the car first. Plastic polish, and car wax are not exactly compatible.

[A20A1]

You have the 89, I think the 89 trim is rubbery and not hard plastic like the 86-87 trim. May have to use something else to clean it. Most people repaint theirs.