How To Remove Scratches From Plastic Car Interior Updated 04/2024

In both new and ancient cars, everyone attempts to keep the inside as clean and new as possible. Scratches are inevitable, especially on plastic surfaces, due to wear and tear. They’re vulnerable to being damaged quickly. Many of you may be asking how to remove scratches from the interior of a car made of plastic, such as the dashboard. If you’re looking for ways to keep your home clean, there are a wide variety of products and techniques to choose from. See which ones work by checking them out.

When it comes to a new car’s interior, owners will do everything it takes to make it stand out from the others. No more worrying about light scratches in your car’s interior from a mistakenly used cloth or a kid’s toy after reading this article.

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Different Types Of Damages

Scratches to a car’s plastic can be caused by a variety of methods. Scratches can be caused by a variety of different objects. Scratches come in a variety of forms:

Scuffs

Scratches in the Line

Chips

Cracks

Scratches are almost universally considered to be the only explanation for these variances. Some of you may be wondering why this is important. Each scratch has to be dealt with in a certain way. Before you ask, no, the approaches of repairing them are not interchangeable in nature. Let’s have a look at the causes of these blemishes:

1. Scuffs

It is possible to remove and repair the scuffs. Scuffs are colored by whatever rubs against the plastic and transfers their color to the plastic. Because they can’t be cleaned up with a damp towel, most people just leave them be and accept the fact that the damage is done. You can still see scuff marks on your car by looking at the plastic panels that sit between the door and the seat. Shoes dragging on the plastic causes them. To be clear, scuffs do not harm the plastic’s surface.

2. Line Scratches

Tears are another name for line scratches. Unless the object was pointy and sharp, there may be more than one scratch where it made contact with the plastic of the vehicle. Sharp knives and screwdrivers are the most typical sources of interior-car scratch damage. The likelihood is that it was because of the latter. One’s skill level determines how deep or light a line scratch will be. It can be corrected, but the problem cannot be completely reversed.=

3. Chips

Chips are the least common of the three. Although they are prevalent, the odds of a plastic chip are substantially smaller than with any of the two solutions I previously stated. Chips are plastic bits that have been detached from the primary component. Plastics that have been used for a long time are more likely to have this issue. It’s best to save the plastic pieces if you notice that your vehicle’s plastic has started peeling. I know it’s a pain, but it’s better than having to replace the entire piece of plastic.

4. Cracks

A fracture in a vehicle’s plastic is the final and most painful form of damage that can occur. There are two main causes for a crack to appear. Alternatively, it could be the result of excessive aging or excessive force. Cracks are frequent in automobiles that have not been adequately maintained; in other words, they have been ignored.

Most people assume that the only option for fixing fractures in a plastic surface is to replace it. That’s not my opinion at all. The alternatives I’m about to reveal to you will no certain astound you.

Ways To Get Scratches Out Of The Car Interior

Let’s finally get down to the business at hand. Hundreds, if not thousands, of instructions claim to clean any internal plastic surface if you’ve looked into this issue on the internet. Only a couple of things actually work as intended, I’m confident in saying. Let’s take a look at some of the most common.

1. Applying A Heat Gun

This post may be confusing to some of you, and you may even be considering turning back now. It’s unusual to see the term “heat gun” used in reference to plastics. As for the end product, I can guarantee that you’ll be surprised. A heat gun is just one of the numerous tools you’ll need to complete the task. In addition, you’ll require the following:

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Scratch pad

Cleaning the inside of an automobile

Towels made of microfiber

Make sure you have more than one towel available before you begin. To begin, wet a towel with cleanser and use it to wipe out the work surface. Scuffs aren’t always necessary, but if they are, you may not need to go any farther. Using a circular motion, sweep away any loose dirt and debris. Completely remove any remaining residue of the cleanser and dust with another dry cloth. Apply heat to the scratched area with a heat pistol after that is completed. Be careful not to raise the temperature setting too much. That could result in a permanent malformation. Then use sandpaper to sand down the area and ensure a clean, finished appearance.

2. Plastic Scratch Polish Kits

Many telemarketing advertising claim that their goods can remove any and all scratches from your vehicle’s paint. Most of us have enough common sense not to fall for such absurd assertions. But don’t allow these companies to tarnish the reputations of other goods that are proven to be effective. To remove light scratches, for example, there are plastic scratch polishing kits. This is ideal for those minor scratches that may have been made by the car’s key or something else. Everything you need is included in these polish kits. Included here are:

Towels made of microfiber

A compound for polishing

Using a broom to buff pads

Even a scouring powder would be an option.

This is all you’ll need to remove the smallest of scuffs from the vehicle’s interior, and trust me, you’ll be glad you did. In addition to the written instructions, I’ll go over the steps here. The scratched area can be smoothed out with sandpaper. Use a microfiber cloth in a circular motion to clean the surface after applying the plastic cleaner. Polish the sanded area with the buffing pads. This will get rid of any lingering sandpaper odor. Apply the polish again to make sure you haven’t missed any spots.

This time, let the polish dry completely. After a few minutes, use a new microfiber towel to remove any remaining polish. A rubbing substance may be included in some packages. The sandpaper is unnecessary if that is provided. It accomplishes the same goal in a more time-effective manner. After the treatment is finished, you may assume that the plastic will have no light scratches on the surface.

3. Using Filler Putty

You may already be familiar with these polish kits. They’re really frequent, actually. However, now is the time to play in the major leagues. In this section of the article, I’ll be discussing deep scratches. Vehicle owners have expressed their displeasure with this. No matter how much care one takes, a ding or a nick will inevitably occur. If you can’t escape it, your only option is to come up with a solution.

Step 1: Check The Plastic Surface

Make sure that the plastic surface you’ll be working on can be removed before you begin. You should definitely get rid of it if it’s a simple task. For this reason, the panel will be easier to work on, as well as accessible on all four sides of the panel.

Step 2: Sand Down The Area

As many of you may have guessed, the first step is to sand the area down to a smooth finish. Deep scratches are more difficult to level out, thus the process may take longer. Use a razor to remove any protruding pieces of plastic.

Step 3: Make A Grain Pad

This is where things get a little tricky, so let’s get started. The first step is to create a grain pad out of the filler putty. Then place the surface sealant and protector on the area of the panel that has to be repaired and seal them in place. In order to ensure that the adhesive doesn’t stick, this is done.

Step 4: Take A Small Piece Of Plastic

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The magic is about to begin. Now, we’ll use a piece of plastic that’s somewhat larger than the scratch we’re trying to remove. Apply glue to one side of the scratch and then stick it on. Apply a coat of sealant.

Step 5: Dry The Glue

It should just take a few minutes for the adhesive to dry. After that, it’s a simple matter of removing the plastic. Glued side should match the plastic panel’s grain pattern completely if you didn’t speed the process.

Step 6: Filler Putty

The filler putty that we prepared in the previous step is now ready for use. It’s as simple as applying a little layer of it. Use a straight razor to properly distribute it. Take the plastic that you glued and imprint it on the putty as soon as it’s dry, which will just take a few minutes. Make sure you use this method to capture the plastic’s design in its entirety.

Step 7: Filling The Crack

The final step is the most important one to focus on. A crack can be filled by anyone. The paint, though, is the key to making the repair look like the actual thing. The paint must be exactly matched. Even if you use slightly different colors, the interior will still appear bad. I believe you understand this.

Using this method is the finest approach to clean and restore a damaged plastic panel’s appearance. If you have a chip or a deep groove, filler putty is your best bet for repairing it.

4. Replacement Panel

A replacement panel should be easy to come by if your car is well-known. When all other choices have been exhausted, I recommend this option. New panels are simple to install, but they are still vulnerable to the same scratches that their old counterparts were. It’s up to you to fix it the next time around. It doesn’t matter which of the three alternatives I given you to attempt, my advise is to do so. There is a good probability that the plastic can be restored to its original state, unless the damage is severe.

Household Hacks

Now, I realize that some of you may be reluctant to invest in things that may turn out to be a waste of money. You’d rather rely on simple workarounds that make use of stuff you already have around the house. Despite the fact that many of these so-called hacks are nothing more than creative video editing tactics, some of them genuinely work rather nicely.

1. Using Tooth Paste Or Baking Soda

Let’s start with the most popular method of removing tiny scratches from the interior of your car: using toothpaste. Let us examine the underlying science. Baking soda and toothpaste are both mild abrasives. They may do a fantastic job of cleaning plastic. Toothpaste will not work as a scratch treatment. You’ll need to go through a series of stages before you can begin. Using an interior spray and a microfiber cloth, dry the area thoroughly. The next step is to use a separate cloth to apply the toothpaste. Keep in mind that this only works with a moist cloth.

Apply the applied part to the dirty surface and gently massage it in. Use a circular motion to wipe the cloth. In some cases, a linear motion has been shown to result in more scratches. To be clear, this approach only works on superficial scratches.

2. Using Sand Paper

Sandpaper is the next item that is likely to be present in most homes. It’s the ideal tool for the job because of its capacity to file down any surface. If you’ve gone through the post, you’ve probably seen that sandpaper is used in some of the remedies. It has a significant impact. There are, of course, certain important things to keep in mind. Like sandpaper, which makes the surface on which it is rubbed extremely rough. In the end, there is a solution to this problem, though. Step-by-step, we’ll show you how a single person can accomplish the task.

You can use sandpaper to remove the scratch by rubbing it in a circular motion until it disappears. After that, you’ll need to use a moist towel to remove any remaining stains. Sandpaper with a finer grain is now needed. A 1200-grit sandpaper will do the trick well. You may then polish the region with this. In the end, you should have plastic that looks and feels like it just came off the assembly line.

Things To Avoid

A lot of you could be perplexed because each website has a different selection of materials. To be clear, the purpose of this section is about alert readers to the many chemicals and liquids that should never be used on or near the vehicle’s plastic interior surfaces. Below you’ll find evidence that all of them are extremely hazardous.

Household cleansers are the first chemical to avoid. A vehicle’s plastic panel is at the greatest risk when exposed to these things. Discoloration is the least of the harm they can do. Getting the right paint color for the affected area is a waste of time. A blow torch is the next step. Heat guns are very different from this. One blows out the flames while the other blows in fresh air to keep things comfortable. Even a heat gun can melt plastic if it’s set too high, so I think you get the point. The devastation a blowtorch may cause is therefore understandable. With merely a half-second of exposure, it will be completely destroyed.

In addition, you should avoid using abrasive sandpaper. It will multiply a single scuff into many. Obtain one that is of the highest quality feasible. The scratches on sandpapers with a grit of 1200 can be easily removed. The interior of a vehicle is permanently harmed by rough sandpaper. There are many articles out there that promote using spray paint when it comes time to paint. Despite its effectiveness, the spray has the potential to spread to unintended locations. It’ll take a lot of work to get it all cleaned up.

Conclusion

Seeing your car’s interior scuffed up is one of the most upsetting sights you can imagine. That leaves people wondering how to remove scratches from the interior of a plastic car. In my opinion, this essay does an excellent job of summarizing what you can do and what you should avoid. Scratches can happen to anyone at any time. It doesn’t matter how many precautions you take. In addition, an automobile is designed to withstand the rigors of daily use. You shouldn’t have anything to be concerned about if you follow the instructions precisely and in accordance with the scratch on the plastic of your vehicle. There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when using plastic. Everything else should be fine.

Sources: https://micdot.com
Category: Car