You probably already know how important your instrument cluster is because that is where you will see all of the important instruments that are necessary for you to drive well.
In that case, because the instrument cluster is as important as it is, it needs to be very visible.
But there will be times when your instrument cluster plastic case will begin to accumulate dirt and dust.
How do you clean an instrument cluster plastic?
Use a mini vacuum cleaner or a hand swifter to remove and dust and debris on the surface. Clean the surface by using a glass or plastic cleaner on a microfiber towel and make sure to wipe the instrument cluster in circular motions to avoid scratching it. To get in the cracks and tight openings, use a toothbrush.
The instrument cluster is one of the most important parts of a car but it is often forgotten when it comes to the overall care of the vehicle.
So, on your part, be sure to actually clean the instrument cluster plastic regularly to avoid having all of those dust and debris clouding it and making it more difficult for you to see all those important gauges.
How to clean instrument cluster plastic
You can never really overstate how important the instrument cluster is because of how you need to be able to see what is happening to your car while you are driving.
After all, knowing the speed of your car is crucial for your safety.
Of course, you need to use other important instruments as well such as the tachometer and the fuel gauge.
In that regard, the instrument cluster really is one of the most important parts of your car.
Because of how important the instrument cluster is, it needs to be clear and clean the entire time.
After all, when it becomes too dirty, dusty, and cloudy, it would be very difficult for you to actually see what is happening or even read the different gauges on the instrument cluster.
In that case, it is necessary to make sure that you clean the plastic case that protects your instrument cluster regularly. But how do you clean an instrument cluster plastic?
First off, when you are cleaning the instrument cluster plastic, the one thing you need to do before you try to do anything is to make sure that all of the dust and debris on the surface is removed.
That’s because trying to wipe the dust and debris without removing them first will probably move them over to the sides and allow them to squeeze through the tight spots of the instrument cluster case.
So, that’s why you need to remove the dust and debris first by using a small vacuum cleaner that will suck off all of the dust and debris that has accumulated on the surface.
If you don’t have a small vacuum cleaner, a swifter might be good to use because it is sensitive enough to be safe for the dashboard’s plastic case and can also remove all of the accumulated dust and debris well enough.
However, if you don’t have any of those, a microfiber towel might suffice but it wouldn’t be the best at really removing the debris on the plastic case.
This might also be risky because of how there is a possibility of scratching the plastic case while you are dragging rough debris on the surface of the instrument cluster.
After removing the dust and debris, the next thing you need to do is to clean the instrument cluster plastic itself.
You can use a glass or plastic cleaner to do the job here but take note that glass cleaners aren’t always good for your instrument cluster plastic case because of how some of them may contain alcohol that may end up damaging the surface of the plastic case.
In that case, the best solution to use is a plastic cleaner. Spray the solution onto a dry and clean microfiber towel and wipe the instrument cluster plastic case with it.
From there, you can clean the edges or the tight spots where dust may have settled.
You can do so by making use of a toothbrush or a cotton swab.
Use a mild soap and water solution and apply it to the toothbrush or the cotton swab.
After that, you can simply try to clean the tight edges and tiny spaces using the toothbrush or the cotton swab while making sure you are as gentle with your approach as possible.
For more information on how to clean the instrument cluster plastic, watch this great video:
How do you clean instrument cluster lenses without scratching them?
One of the problems when it comes to the instrument cluster plastic or lenses is that they may be too sensitive to the point that it will be quite easy to scratch them while you are cleaning them.
So, how do you clean the instrument cluster lenses without scratching them?
First of all, as we have mentioned, the best tool that should be at your disposal is a microfiber towel.
Do not use dry and rough towels because of how they can easily scratch the lenses.
Of course, paper towels can also be quite rough as well, so it would be best to avoid using them on the instrument cluster plastic case.
Never use anything dry that isn’t a microfiber towel because the roughness of the dry cloth or towel can easily scratch the instrument’s cluster plastic lenses.
When you are using the microfiber, apply a few sprays of glass or plastic cleaner on it.
Make sure that the glass cleaner is as mild as possible or else it might end up damaging the instrument cluster lenses instead.
And when wiping the instrument cluster plastic surface, it is best to do so using gentle circular motions so that you can avoid scratching it.
For more information on how to remove micro-scratches if happen to get them, watch this great video:
How to clean inside the instrument cluster
We have talked about how to clean the instrument cluster plastic surface.
But it can also be possible for the insides to actually get dirty especially when you are cleaning the surface and dust and debris end up getting inside when you unknowingly push them to the sides while you are wiping.
So, how do you clean the inside of an instrument cluster?
Well, it really depends on the make and model of your car because there are some instrument cluster plastic lenses or cases that can be removed without taking apart the entire instrument cluster.
If that is the case, you can just unscrew the instrument cluster plastic lenses and then clean the insides gently in the same way as you did with the surface.
Vacuum it to remove the dust and debris and then finish things off by gently wiping it with a clean microfiber towel.
However, there will also be instances where you have to actually remove the entire instrument cluster just so you can access what is inside the plastic case.
This can be quite difficult especially if you are not used to doing similar things with your car.
If that is the case, it might be best to leave it to a professional because of how risky the job can be if you have zero experience in this kind of task.
For more information on how to clean instrument cluster plastic from inside, watch this great video:
How do you polish plastic instrument clusters?
Polishing the instrument cluster plastic case is one of the best ways for you to make sure that you are cleaning it as well as removing any unwanted surface scratches that can still be polished off. In most cases, the polishing part comes with the cleaning part if you are using the right kind of product.
So, going back to how you need to use a plastic cleaner and a clean and dry microfiber towel to clean the instrument cluster plastic surface after you have vacuumed off all of the dust and debris, what you need to do is to ditch the glass cleaner and the ordinary plastic cleaner and make use of a two-in-one instrument cluster cleaner and polisher instead.
In that regard, the product we would like to recommend here is Meguiars PlastX because it is both a clear plastic cleaner and polisher.
It is great at not only cleaning the surface while removing any grime and oxidation that may have built upon the instrument cluster plastic but it also does its job well by polishing it and removing any scratches that can still be removed.
That way, by using this product, you are basically hitting two birds with one stone instead of using a glass or a simple plastic cleaner and then finding another product to use to polish the instrument cluster plastic.
Sources
CivicX.com: How do you all clean/ dust the instrument cluster plastic?
AutoGeekOnline.net: Cluster plastic
ItStillRuns.com: How to Clean a Cloudy Instrument Panel Lens
