Scratches On Interior Plastic

[korat102]

The previous owner of my Verso must have been pretty ham fisted. The area around the ignition key slot is badly scratched. I'm trying to decide on the best way to reduce those scratches a bit. The problem is that the plastic isn't nice smooth stuff, it's contoured and rippled and is going to look a mess if I attack it with any sort of abrasive. Was wondering if anyone had had any luck removing or masking these types of scratches.

[Raistlin]

Instructions

1

Wash the scratched area with a specialized soapy water. Choose a liquid soap made for cleaning the interior plastic in your car and mix it with warm water. Clean the area well with a rag. If the plastic is textured or very dirty, use a soft-bristle brush to remove the deep dirt and grime.

2

Rinse the soap and dirt away with clean water. Allow to dry thoroughly.

3

Put a concentrator tip on a heat gun and turn the setting to 50 percent power. Aim the heat on the scratch until the surface is soft and pliable. The surface will take on a shiny appearance. Do not leave the heat aimed on the area too long, or you can melt or burn the plastic beyond repair.

4

Press a grain pad to the plastic with the palm of you hand. A grain pad will re-texture the plastic to match the rest of the plastic part. If the area is made of smooth plastic, then lightly sand the area with 2000-grit sandpaper. Firmly press the area with your fingers to rub out the scratches.

[korat102]

Thanks! Certainly something to have a think about.

I haven't used the heat gun for ages...there's probably a good reason for that!

[Owen1]

LMK how it works. I have a simular issue

[korat102]

Ok, I didn't trust myself with my heat gun inside the car and didn't fancy dismantling half the dashboard so...since the scratches were in a location pretty much hidden from normal sight, I just used one of those kitchen cleaning pads to gently buff it. I lubricated the thing with WD40 and rubbed gently. In a few places I rubbed a bit too hard and lost some detail...you wouldn't want to do this on an area in plain view though, it's just removing material...much like sandpaper would...

[Jubee4]

Interesting. May have a go at the non-heat gun. Not bcoz I'd melt it but bcoz I dont have one. Cheers