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How To Clean and Disinfect Car Electronics With a Dashboard Cleaner

In this article you will learn:


  • How to clean the dashboard of a car

  • The importance of keeping your car’s interior electronics clean

  • Why it can be difficult to clean your dashboard controls

  • The best dashboard cleaner for cleaning and disinfecting every surface of your electronics

You spend much of your day, maybe every day, in your car. It can very much feel like your own personal space; you are the master of your domain—or so you may think.  

In reality, you may have passengers that frequent your car regularly, and some may decide they like their own music better than the song you’re playing. Maybe they want to turn up the air conditioning on the passenger’s side on a hot, muggy day or use the USB port to charge their phone battery.  

Of course, like with any high-touch surfaces, your vehicle’s electronic controls are potential danger zones for germs to spread between you and your passengers. No passenger of yours deserves to come down with the flu for wanting to jam out to their favourite tunes... no matter how wrong they were for fiddling with YOUR radio!  

That’s why it’s so important to clean and sanitise your dashboard regularly. Unfortunately, cleaning all the intricate surfaces of your dash, including your car audio system and electronic controls, can be tricky. What’s more, your vehicle's electronics can break or become damaged if they aren’t cleaned properly. 

In this guide, we’ll share the right way to tidy those hard-to-reach spaces, as well as the type of cleaning products you’ll need to do it! 

Start with a pre-clean

Many car stereos, radar detectors and GPS navigation systems have decals that label the different buttons and controls. Scrubbing too hard or using harsh, household cleaners could damage these decals, which means, unless you have your entire system memorised, operating your car’s electronics may prove to be much more difficult.  

You’ll need to be careful when cleaning your vehicle's dashboard and electronics. To start, take a soft bristle brush or a dry microfiber cloth, and, before spraying products everywhere, simply wipe the brush or cloth over the surface of your dashboard and any electronic touchscreens to get rid of any loose dirt or dust buildup. Be sure to reach into all the cracks, crevices and recesses between the various buttons and knobs of your electronics, where dirt often collects.  

Spray your cloth with a car dashboard cleaner

To clean your vehicle’s electronics, you’ll need a gentle and effective solution, specifically formulated to be safe for any automotive surface. We recommend an interior detailer and dashboard cleaner infused with UV protection, like Hybrid Solutions Streak-Free Interior Mist or Turtle Wax Dash & Glass.  

Both of these convenient sprays break down dirt, dust and sticky stains easily, without leaving any streaks or residues. They even prevent UV rays from penetrating your soft plastics, which can cause them to dry out, crack and fade over time. 

Spray a small amount of your preferred interior cleaner onto a fresh microfiber detailing cloth and gently wipe down your dashboard and electronic buttons, knobs and controls. Start with the larger surfaces that are easier to access, including the plastic dash, touchscreens and steering wheel. Then, move on to smaller, more intricate areas as you work, like the dash cam and system controls. Use the least amount of cleaner and scrubbing pressure possible—you can always add a bit more product to your cloth if necessary. 

If there are any stains or soils that won’t come clean, gradually increase the saturation of cleaner on your microfiber cloth until those persistent spots wipe away completely.  

To remove the dirt and dust from the tightest spaces of your electronics, spray a small area of your cloth with dashboard cleaner and gently press the cloth into the nooks and crannies of your knobs and buttons. Then, wipe away any excess cleaner with a dry section of the cloth, pushing it gently into the same spot to soak up any remaining product.  

tw dash and glass

Time to disinfect!

Disinfecting your vehicle’s high-touch surfaces is a healthy, routine practice, especially if you drive your car often or have lots of passengers. If you typically drive solo, we recommend disinfecting your car interior at least once a month. If you’re the designated driver for your family or carpool, you should disinfect at least once a week. And, if you use your car as a rideshare, consider disinfecting your car daily, or even between rides, to keep you and your passengers safe. 

Steer clear of any disinfectant products that contain alcohol or bleach, as these harsh chemicals can damage the surfaces of your electronics and dashboard. Instead, we recommend an automotive disinfectant that’s designed for safe use on your car. Our Multi-Purpose Cleaner & Disinfectant Spray kills over 99.9% of germs, including the coronavirus, rotavirus, norovirus, flu and common cold. 

Simply spray a microfiber cloth with your preferred car disinfectant, then wipe your high touch surfaces clean. Let any excess disinfectant dry to allow the cleaner as much time as needed to kill germs and bacteria. 

Once you clean and disinfect your dashboard and electronics, your car is all set for your next drive. It will not only be a cleaner, safer space, but it’ll look good too, with a fresh, matte finish free of the dirt, dust, oils and germs. Now, crank up the radio and enjoy that next song!  

tw multipurpose cleaner and disinfectant

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