Leather, Plastic & Trim

Leather seats crease and wear at the bolsters, and dashboards and plastic trim fade and go grey in the sun, so each needs its own cleaner and protection. This section covers both, from leather cleaners and conditioners by CarPro, Autobead, Infinity Wax and Sonax to plastic dressings such as 303 Aerospace Protectant and Dunking Biscuit Elixir.

How to choose

• Leather: clean it with Leather Cleaners, keep it soft with Leather Conditioners, or guard it against wear and dye transfer from jeans with Leather Protection.
• Plastic and vinyl: Plastic & Vinyl Cleaners lift grime and old dressing; Plastic & Vinyl Protectants dress the surface to an even finish and help slow UV fading.
• Longer protection: Interior Coatings go on once, to a clean surface, and last much longer than a dressing.
• Faded plastics: Trim Restoration brings the colour back to grey, sun-bleached trim.

Good to know

• Clean first: a conditioner or dressing put over dirt seals it in and goes patchy.
• Keep glossy dressings off the steering wheel, gear knob and pedals, where they make them slippery, and off the dash top, where the shine reflects in the windscreen.

How do you get faded car plastic trim back to black?

Clean it with an all purpose cleaner and a brush and let it dry, then use a trim restorer, which is made to bring the colour back for months instead of washing off like a dressing. Inside the car, a plastic protectant evens out a faded dash and door cards.

Related: Interior, Interior Cleaning & Finishing, Fabric, Carpet & Upholstery, Leather Brushes. Popular brands here: 303, CarPro, Infinity Wax, Autobead.