Car Plastic Care

Interior Plastic Care for Well-Maintained Plastic, Vinyl, and Rubber Surfaces

Interior Plastic Care cleans, conditions, and protects the numerous plastic, vinyl, and rubber surfaces in the vehicle—from the dashboard to the door panels to the controls. Within the interior care category, this product line specifically addresses the care of these materials, while other interior areas, such as textiles or upholstery, require their own care products. Depending on the product, these solutions are suitable for the interior, for unpainted exterior plastic parts such as bumpers and trim, or for both areas.

Depending on the application, damp cleaning wipes are used for quick cleaning between washes, color restorers for heavily faded plastic parts, or sealants with long-lasting protection. Which product is suitable depends on whether the goal is simply to clean and maintain the surface or also to restore faded color.

Features and Benefits of Interior Plastic Care

Plastic care products are designed to clean plastic, vinyl, and rubber surfaces, restore their original shine or a satin-matte finish, and protect against further soiling and UV-induced fading. The effectiveness of this treatment varies depending on the product form.

Typical features:

• Cleans, conditions, and protects plastic, vinyl, wood, and rubber
• Depending on the product, suitable for interior use, for unpainted exterior plastic parts, or for both areas
• Several products offer UV protection against premature fading
• one product with ceramic technology for long-lasting, satin-matte protection
• One product acts as a color-restoring finish rather than a care product for heavily faded plastic parts
• Part of interior care, alongside fabric, upholstery, and dashboard care

Which properties apply in each specific case depends on the product selected and the area being treated.

Which plastic care products are suitable for which applications?

For quick, occasional care of the dashboard, door panels, and other plastic surfaces, the SONAX Plastic Care Wipes (Glossy) are ideal. According to the product description, they clean, condition, and protect plastic, vinyl, wood, and rubber in a single step and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

For heavily faded plastic parts on the vehicle’s exterior, where simple care is no longer sufficient, SONAX Plastic Renew Black is ideal. According to the product description, it refreshes the color with a well-adhering, water-based black paint rather than just providing care.

For long-lasting protection of unpainted plastic parts such as bumpers and trim strips, SONAX XTREME Ceramic Plastic Sealant is ideal. According to the product description, it protects against environmental influences for up to three months and leaves a satin-matte finish rather than a glossy one.

What should you look for when buying interior plastic care products?

First, the area being treated is crucial: Care wipes or care products are suitable for the dashboard, door panels, and other interior surfaces, while specially formulated sealants or gels are needed for unpainted exterior plastic parts such as bumpers and trim strips.

The condition of the surface also matters: Slightly soiled or dull plastic parts can usually be refreshed with a care product, while heavily faded parts—where care products no longer have a visible effect—require a color restorer.

When it comes to interior care, it’s also important to consider how long the protection should last: Care wipes are sufficient for occasional use, while for vehicles that are cleaned regularly, a wash-resistant sealant that provides protection for several months is a better investment.

Care wipes, color refresher, or sealant—which plastic care product is right for you?

Care wipes such as the “Plastic Care Wipes – Glossy” are designed for anyone who wants to clean and maintain plastic, vinyl, and rubber surfaces quickly and without much preparation. They have dust-repellent and antistatic properties but do not provide long-term protection lasting several weeks.

Color refreshers like “Kunststoff Neu Schwarz” take a different approach: They don’t condition, but rather restore color, and are only used when a plastic part has faded so severely that standard care products no longer have a visible effect.

Sealants like the XTREME Ceramic Plastic Sealant cover the third category, as they protect unpainted plastic parts from environmental influences and premature fading for several months, rather than just providing a short-term refresh.

None of the three options is inherently preferable—the key factor is whether you need to clean and maintain the surface quickly, refresh severely faded color, or build up long-term protection.

Application and Instructions for Plastic Care in the Interior

The surface to be treated should be cleaned before each application, as care and sealing products adhere better to a clean, dry surface.

According to the product instructions, care wipes should be taken directly from the packaging and applied evenly to the surface to prevent variations in brightness; according to the product instructions, they are not suitable for sensitive display surfaces.

Color restorers such as “Kunststoff Neu Schwarz” require, according to the product instructions, a clean, dry, and grease- and silicone-free surface for the coating to adhere, while sealants with ceramic technology can be applied directly to a microfiber cloth without a drying time.

Complementary Products for Interior Care

• Cockpit cleaner
• Plastic cleaner
• Fabric and Film Care

Cockpit care products complement plastic care with products specifically tailored to the dashboard, while plastic cleaner serves as a preparatory cleaning step before applying care products or sealants. Finally, fabric and film care covers the materials within the interior care routine that are not plastic surfaces, such as seat covers and films.