Interior Care & Maintenance

How to properly clean and maintain interior materials — whether factory, refinished, or custom work by Carr Designs or another reputable interior shop.

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1. Our Philosophy

Your vehicle’s interior isn’t meant to be shiny, oily, or “gloss protected”. If it was supposed to be shiny or oily, it would have been right off the showroom floor... and we mean before the low-end detailer in the wash bay "details" it before the customer takes possession of the vehicle. 

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It’s engineered — and in our case, refinished — with durable matte or satin coatings designed to breathe and resist wear. Proper care preserves the chemistry of those coatings across leather, vinyl, and both original and refinished plastic components, not just their appearance.

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The goal of aftercare is simple: keep every surface clean, dry, and free from buildup.

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2. General Care Guidelines

✅ Do:

• Regularly dust with clean, soft microfiber towels.

• Use mild, pH-neutral cleaners only (pH 6.5 – 8.5).

• Spray cleaner onto the towel — never directly onto surfaces.

• Wipe gently, then dry immediately.

• Test any new cleaner in an unseen area first.

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🚫 Do Not:

• Use products that leave shine, gloss, oil, residue of any kind, or fragrance.

• Use solvent, citrus, or ammonia-based cleaners.

• Use alcohol solutions stronger than 25%.

• Use “interior dressings,” “conditioners,” “protectants,” or “restorers.”

• Dry-wipe dusty parts (can scratch or haze surfaces).

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If it leaves the surface slick or shiny, it’s doing harm.

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3. Plastics & Recolored Surfaces

Our recolored plastics are protected with a true professional coloring system that is nontoxic and crosslinked and has been tested and proven to be the most durable and chemically resistant in the entire industry to this day. we also have a video in the gallery of this website with a demo of the durability compared to other popular retail products for those interested in seeing the true quality they get when we do work for them. But that being said, nothing is indestructible, even plastic parts and it's coloring that are not restored but rather in a new vehicle. 

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Cleaning:

• Use only neutral, residue-free cleaners labeled safe for plastics and interior trim.

• Apply to a microfiber towel and wipe gently.

• For heavier soil, repeat with fresh towels rather than scrubbing.

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Avoid:

• Silicone, wax, or petroleum-based products.

• All-purpose cleaners or degreasers.

• Anything that promises gloss or UV “protection.”

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Matte means protection — gloss means degradation.

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4. Leather & Vinyl

Most modern leathers — including all leathers we use — are urethane-coated.
They do not absorb oils or conditioners. The surface film is what needs preservation.

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Cleaning:

• Use a mild, water-based leather or vinyl cleaner with a neutral pH.

• Lightly agitate with a soft brush or microfiber, then dry immediately.

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Protection:

• Apply a modern water-based polymer protectant specifically made for coated or pigmented leathers.

• It should leave a dry, matte finish and no oily residue.

• Reapply every 3–6 months.

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Avoid:

• Traditional “conditioners” with oils, waxes, or lanolin.

• Solvent or alcohol-based cleaners.

• “Shine” or “moisturizing” wipes.

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5. Trim Pieces with Automotive Clear Coat (Hydro-Dipped, Matte, or Gloss Finishes)

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Many small trim components — such as bezels, inserts, and hydro-dipped parts — are finished with an automotive-grade two-part urethane clear. These surfaces are strong but visually sensitive, and require specific care depending on the sheen.

Matte Clear Coat

• Clean using water and a neutral cleaner formulated for matte automotive finishes.

• Always use soft, clean microfiber towels and wipe gently in straight lines.

• Never apply wax, glaze, or polish — these products fill microscopic surface texture and cause permanent sheen changes or patchy gloss areas.

• Avoid circular buffing or pressure that can “burnish” the matte surface and create unwanted shine.

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Gloss Clear Coat

• Treat like automotive paint, but with extra caution due to the small size and delicate contours of trim pieces.

• Wash with a pH-neutral soap and a soft microfiber towel.

• Avoid excessive use of waxes or polishes. Repeated or heavy applications can leave residue in edges, trap dust, or create light haze and micro-marring that dull reflections.

• If surface protection is desired, a very thin, hand-applied polymer sealant may be used once or twice per year.

• Never use “cleaner waxes,” abrasive compounds, or aggressive buffing pads.

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6. Maintenance Frequency

This chart provides a general maintenance frequency. It’s not a strict schedule, but a reliable starting point that can be adjusted based on your specific use, environment, and needs.

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7. Long-Term Preservation

• Park in covered or shaded areas when possible.

• Use a windshield sunshade when parked outside

• Tint windows (if legal in your area)

• Avoid interior “detailing sprays” or scented treatments.

• Inform outside detailers not to use silicone-based products inside the vehicle.

• For show vehicles, wipe with dry microfiber only — never apply gloss coatings for appearance.

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8. Summary

If it leaves shine, it’s doing damage regardless of what has been marketed by a brand.

Interiors are meant to look natural, clean, and matte — not oily or polished.
Using the right type of neutral cleaner keeps surfaces strong, colors accurate, and finishes lasting for years.

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9. What Happens When Incorrect Products Are Used

Using oily dressings, solvent-based cleaners, or glossy “protectants” doesn’t just change the look of a surface — it causes real physical and chemical damage over time. Because we dedicate a significant amount of time to researching, testing, and understanding the supplies and products used in our shop, we’ve learned the what, how, when, and why behind the behavior of plastics, adhesives, coatings, color systems, and other materials we work with. That same knowledge applies to proper material care. Below is a simplified explanation of the science behind why certain interior care products can actually do more harm than good.

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Plastics & Recolored Surfaces

• Some plastics contain what’s called plasticizers — added chemicals that increase flexibility and reduce brittleness. These are common in materials such as ABS blends, PVC, TPO, and others. Over time, plasticizers naturally migrate closer to the surface as part of the aging process. However, many detailing products contain petroleum and silicone oils that accelerate this process, drawing out those compounds faster than they would move on their own. The result is premature hardening, brittleness, and cracking.​ A common example of this effect can be seen in videos where people use a torch to “restore” faded plastic — such as old stadium seats or bumpers. What’s really happening is that the heat forces the plasticizers and other internal oils to the surface, temporarily darkening and shining the plastic. Petroleum- and silicone-based products do the same thing chemically, just at a slower pace. The surface may look “revived,” but in reality, it’s being aged from within. ​Polypropylene does not contain plasticizers, but petroleum- and silicone-based products can still affect it negatively. These chemicals can soften or oxidize the surface, trap heat, and interfere with OEM and aftermarket coatings adhesion — leading to fading, uneven gloss, and long-term degradation even without plasticizer loss.

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• Surface Softening: Solvents or strong detergents can swell or soften not only the plastic itself but also aftermarket and OEM coatings applied to it. When solvents penetrate the surface, they disrupt the polymer chains that hold the material together, causing localized swelling and loss of surface tension. On coatings, that same chemical action can partially dissolve or “reflow” the film, leading to fingerprints, tackiness, haze, or uneven sheen. Repeated exposure accelerates surface dulling, weakens adhesion, and can permanently change the texture or gloss of the part.

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• Color Degradation: Oils and waxes trap heat and UV, accelerating fading and discoloration for OEM and restored plastic parts.

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Leather & Vinyl

• Top-Coat Breakdown: Oil-based “conditioners” and high-alkaline cleaners weaken the urethane seal that protects leather and can cause it to peel or cloud over time.

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• Microcracking: Modern automotive leather is coated with a thin polyurethane or polyacrylic finish that allows limited flexibility and breathability, while most vinyl materials form their own dense PVC surface film. When dressings or solvent-based products are applied to either, they penetrate into microscopic pores and surface texture rather than conditioning the material itself. The oils and solvents expand when heated and contract when cooled, creating cycles of movement within the surface layer that it was never designed to handle. Over time, these repeated heat and flex cycles cause mechanical fatigue, leading to micro-wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and eventual cracking—especially in high-contact areas such as seat bolsters, steering wheels, and armrests. In vinyl, these same chemicals can soften or extract stabilizers and plasticizers, further reducing flexibility and accelerating surface hardening. Solvents also dissolve or weaken the coating or skin layer, leaving it increasingly brittle and less resistant to UV exposure. The surface may appear “revived” at first, but continual expansion, contraction, and chemical breakdown caused by those products destroy the material from within, resulting in premature wear and failure.

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• Staining and Dye Transfer: Shiny or greasy dressings leave an oily film that fills the microscopic texture of a leather or vinyl coating. That film stays slightly tacky and acts like an adhesive layer, attracting dust, body oils, and fabric dyes from clothing. Under heat and pressure, the oily residue softens the coating and allows those colorants to migrate into the surface, embedding them into the finish instead of letting them wipe away. Over time, these stains become locked beneath the oily layer, giving the surface a darkened, uneven, or dirty appearance that normal cleaning can’t remove without further damaging the coating.

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Hydro-Dipped & Clear-Coated Trim

• Gloss Distortion: Excessive wax or polish residues from improper cleaning and overuse of the wax/polish can build unevenly, creating a cloudy or blotchy finish.

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• Matte Finish Contamination: Matte clear coat has “flattening agents” in it to achieve that flat or low-sheen appearance. When those flattening agents dry and cure, they do not form a smooth, reflective surface — instead, they create a microscopic texture that scatters light in different directions. This diffused reflection is what gives the finish its soft, non-gloss appearance. Because that texture is part of the cured film itself, any polishing, waxing, or contamination that fills or levels those microscopic valleys will permanently alter the sheen and make the surface appear blotchy or glossy.

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• Solvent Etching: Aggressive cleaners can etch or dull automotive clears, leaving irreversible marks.

Every form of visible “wear” starts as a chemical imbalance at the surface level.
The wrong cleaner doesn’t just remove dirt — it removes part of the protective finish.