What did I do wrong? Dashboard scuffs

**053xr** · 06-23-2021, 10:45 AM

Brand new car, picked up Meguiar's interior cleaner (see pic), a couple of microfiber towels (see pic), sprayed the cleaner onto the towel, few rubs on the dashboards (started just above the gloves compartment), then attempted to rub dry with a separate, brand new towel and ended up with very distinct scuffs which now won't go away no matter what I try (different towels, water, etc). What did I do wrong?

What did I do wrong? Dashboard scuffs-img_0751-jpg

What did I do wrong? Dashboard scuffs-img_0752-jpg

What did I do wrong? Dashboard scuffs-img_0750-jpg

**053xr** · 06-23-2021, 12:28 PM

just wanted to add that it's a Lexus nuluxe dashboard... the more I research, the more I realized I probably should have been a lot more gentle... or the fact that I didn't shake the bottle well. Now I'm curious if there is a way to buff our those scuffs...

**Rsurfer** · 06-23-2021, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by 053xr

just wanted to add that it's a Lexus nuluxe dashboard... the more I research, the more I realized I probably should have been a lot more gentle... or the fact that I didn't shake the bottle well. Now I'm curious if there is a way to buff our those scuffs...

Don't think you can get the rub marks out. Try a leather/vinyl protectant to blend it into the surrounding surface.

**2black1s** · 06-24-2021, 10:42 AM

Those marks certainly do not look like they were caused by the cleaner you used. If they weren't already there before you started then something you did in the process caused them. Contaminated towel maybe? They look like an abrasion to me.

**Bill D** · 06-24-2021, 10:54 AM

I'm not sure how high quality those towels are. That may have something to do with it

**053xr** · 06-24-2021, 11:22 AM

Did a lot of digging yesterday, turns out these Lexus dashboards are pretty finicky - if you press too hard, even with microfiber - you will end up with scuff marks. Now that I am trying to carefully rub these marks off - I am leaving new ones(not as noticeable, as I am being a lot more careful now).

It seems the only way to get rid of these is to re-dye. A local shop offered to do it for $200. I also found this Lexus interior dye colors for leather & vinyl by year, make & model. - looks like they match Lexus interior colors, so I may give it a try.

**Texchappy** · 06-24-2021, 06:57 PM

I vaguely recall from owning a Lexus that the dashboards were very soft & easy to damage.

**Rsurfer** · 06-24-2021, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Texchappy

I vaguely recall from owning a Lexus that the dashboards were very soft & easy to damage.

Yeah, they also cracked and got sticky.

**053xr** · 06-26-2021, 09:15 AM

Ended up applying this leather conditioner Amazon.com and so far the scuffs are no longer visible! woohoo!

What did I do wrong? Dashboard scuffs-img_0767-jpg

**chilly** · 08-01-2021, 11:56 AM

I did the exact same thing on my 2020 Lexus UX250h F Sport trying to clean up the mess left from tinting

I used some bound edge CG Workhorse towels and my normal amount of product and pressure and produced some amazing scuffs on the upper dash panel

I was convinced it was the bound edge that did the damage but after reading your post maybe not, maybe any towel would have done the same thing

Finicky and fragile are understatements

I tried 303 massaged in and that didn't help and finally tried CG VRP with a MF applicator and just gently worked it in and it helped a lot

I don't normally use VRP on the interior but I went ahead and applied it over the entire dash and door panels to help even out the look

I also have a dash mat ordered but I still feel like a total rookie doing the damage in the first place