Cleaning a cruddy interior...

[SmashedGlass]

Looking for recommendations on how to get the vinyl and plastic bits of the interior looking as good as they can. I've already gone through and scrubbed everything with a mild dish soap and water solution, but it doesn't really eat up the dirt without a lot of work, and still kind of looks like a dog's rear. A mild (very mild) de-greaser perhaps? Trying to avoid any of those Armor-All type products, as they're not really a cleaner but a 'protectant'. And they're a bit costly.

 

Previous owner was obviously NOT the most hygenic person, and his puppy apparently really really liked the taste of vinyl.

[ferox]

You might try Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), cheap and plentiful at anyplace that sells paint prep supplies.

[Flowmastered87GL]

I like to use the aerosol scrubbing bubbles... seems to work on the plastic and even the carpets. Of course test in a non visible spot first (like under a floor mat to make sure it doesn't bleach your carpet or anything) I never had an issue though.

[Subarule]

Be careful what you use. Some products will clean just fine but they'll also remove the color.

 

There many automotive vinyl cleaners out there:

 

Rejuvenate, Blue Magic, Meguair's...to name a few.

[TomRhere]

Murphy's Oil Soap does an excellent job on the interior. Cuts thru alot of stuff, leaves a nice Pine scent that's not to overpowering.

[Red92]

I've always used Foamy Engine Brite on stubborn car interior plastics. It's a bit more aggressive than the products typically sold for interior cleaning, and definitely doesn't have any of the glossy/oily "protectants" in it. I'm not sure that it is necessarily "safe" for plastics though, and since my Subaru ownership experience is only 2 weeks old, I've never tried it on *Subaru* plastics, so you might want to test in a small area first.

 

Another option: When I was much younger, my parents had a minivan that they purchased used with a bit of a ratty interior. We were on a vacation and spilled some "Dr. Bold" (a store-brand Dr. Pepper knockoff, but better tasting!) while pouring it into a cup in the rear cupholder. When we wiped it off with a paper towel a minute or so later, it took all of the grunge right off! We ended up buying another 2-liter and using it to clean the whole interior - the before/after comparison was amazing! :cool:

[SmashedGlass]

Ick, not sure about using a food product as a cleanser lol.

Yeah, not looking for the 'protectant' stuff (I've heard stories about what it does long-term.....), just a good method to get it clean. I'm a bit OCD about cleanlines.

[81EA81]

+1 on murphys wood soap. I used to use it all the time, It also has an unforgeable good smell.

 

I personally dont care for foamy engine brite, though Ive never used it on plastic Ive used it a few times on engines to little to no avail.

 

Definatly dosent cut it on an old leaky subaru engine:)

[Carl B.]

I reccomend the murphys oil soap for both interior and exterior

[SmashedGlass]

Thanks, I'll give Murphy's a shot sometime in the near future. For now, I'm going to see what Meguir's Back To Black (for exterior trim!) does to it.