Dealer Damage to my Prius Dashboard

Try the plain old multi surface cleaner they sell at Target. It’s orange and in a spray bottle with a dog on it. Spray the stuff directly on the mark and let it sit for about 3 seconds. Then scrub it with a soft sponge or cloth. I use it in the Camry and it is able to get the sun baked grime off the shifter, so it should work for talc powder. I think it costs six dollars. It's like armor all without the greasy feeling and surface damage.

 

The reasons I like <a href=\'http://www.303products.com/main.php?infopage=protectant\' target=\'_blank\'>303 Protectant</a> so much are a little goes a long ways, it provides UV protection, and it's antistatic, in addition to the deeper color it gives the dash.

Streaking problems are usually caused by using too much, and easily fixed by re-wiping with a moist cloth. The textured surface on the upper dash on the 2004/5 and overall on the 2006 should show less streaking than the smooth plastic on the lower dash of the 2004/5.

Plastic is composed of polymers, long chains of hydrocarbons linked together. UV light, which is everywhere in the day, even coming through glass, can break the bonds of those hydrocarbon links, causing the plastic to age and the surface to deteriorate. The UV protection in 303 slows down this natural process.

Another feature of most plastic is that it readily takes, and sometimes generates its own, electrostatic charge. Little particles of dust, dirt, diesel exhaust, and general gunk, can become charged, too, and attracted to the plastic. If you just clean the plastic, you can remove the gunk, but new gunk is likely to be re-attracted. The antistatic compounds in 303 tend to conduct the electrostatic charge away, and if the plastic has less charge, charged gunk is less likely to stick to it.

I have no first hand knowledge of Mother's Back2Black, so I can't comment on how well it works, or doesn't. What I think both Galaxee and I agree on is that a goopy solution like Armor All actually tends to gather more gunk.

 

The "tape" idea mentioned in post no. 4 works well. Just be very careful, and do not use a lot of pressure.

 

You're very welcome! I'm glad it's working. The great thing about PriusChat is that we can learn from each other and all benefit. Try the 303 on your tires and the black "skirts" on the back.