# Washing car; bringing rich color back **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809 "2009-06-05T12:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/1 "2009-06-05T12:57:08Z")
Whenever I wash the inside my vehicle, when it is wet it has that full original color. Once it dries it goes back to a faded dull color. Is there any product that lets the interior keep its original luster? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/2 "2009-06-05T13:12:16Z")
Armorall? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/3 "2009-06-05T14:33:23Z")
You wash the inside of your car with soap & water? Well, OK. Here’s another vote for Armor All for vinyl sufaces, but beware that the benefits are temporary. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/4 "2009-06-05T14:33:30Z")
Nevermind, I read too quickly and thought we were talking about the exterior paint. ArmorAll is all I got. Disregard this text: > [@](#): > > IANAE. > > Polishing compound + power buffer. My thought here is that you have to remove that top layer of oxidized paint. After you do that and get it all shiny & new looking, keep it waxed. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/5 "2009-06-05T14:52:53Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > You wash the inside of your car with soap & water? Well, OK. > > Here’s another vote for Armor All for vinyl sufaces, but beware that the benefits are temporary. It’s a pickup truck with rubber floors. I can take the seats out and scrub the flooring. When it is wet, it has a nice jet black look. When it dries, it fades and you can see some swirly dirt. I guess I need to scrub harder or get a vat of armor all. Thanks for the answers! ---
**Author:** ![Discipline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Discipline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discipline)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/6 "2009-06-05T16:12:45Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I guess I need to scrub harder or get a vat of armor all. > > Thanks for the answers! Don’t use armor all. Use [Einszett Cockpit](http://www.glisteningperfectionstore.com/servlet/the-76/einszett%2C-Cockpit%2C-Premium%2C-500mL%2C/Detail). ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/7 "2009-06-05T16:39:03Z")
Over time Armor All will dry out the material. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/8 "2009-06-05T17:23:32Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > Over time Armor All will dry out the material. Plus, it’s disgusting and greasy. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/9 "2009-06-05T17:40:24Z")
> [@Discipline](#): > > Use [Einszett Cockpit](http://www.glisteningperfectionstore.com/servlet/the-76/einszett%2C-Cockpit%2C-Premium%2C-500mL%2C/Detail). Are you a professional detailer? That looks pretty interesting. Is it available at auto suppy stores or just online? ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/10 "2009-06-05T18:06:08Z")
we used baby oil back in the day, also pledge furniture polish ---
**Author:** ![Discipline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Discipline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discipline)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/11 "2009-06-05T23:49:12Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Are you a professional detailer? That looks pretty interesting. Is it available at auto suppy stores or just online? No, just a hobbyist with high standards. I’ve never seen it in stores but you can find it at any number of online retailers. It’s the best stuff for black plastic interior pieces, dash, door panels etc that I’ve ever used. Non greasy, leaves a clean surface and a rich, matte finish that lasts. ---
**Author:** ![sharding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@sharding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sharding)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/12 "2009-06-06T02:33:59Z")
I use Einszett Cockpit too. It’s good stuff. I think I got it from [Detailers Domain](http://www.detailersdomain.com/), but I can’t remember for sure. I also buy from [Emmons Coachworks](http://www.emmonscoachworks.com/) and [Griot’s Garage](http://www.griotsgarage.com/). ---
**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/13 "2009-06-07T23:47:55Z")
Be careful where you spray that Armorall (or substitute). It’s extremely greasy. Get any on a leather steering wheel and you’re likely to find it slipping through your fingers on a hard turn. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/14 "2009-06-08T01:20:59Z")
> [@'\[cc](#): > > ;11220328’]Be careful where you spray that Armorall (or substitute). It’s extremely greasy. Get any on a leather steering wheel and you’re likely to find it slipping through your fingers on a hard turn. I don’t believe it has petroleum products but it does have silicone so it’s very slippery and the manufacturer warns against using on contact surfaces like you mention, and especially pedals. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washing-car-bringing-rich-color-back/498809/15 "2009-06-08T01:37:54Z")
Armorall works great if you want a high gloss interior. I never had any long-term problems with it after 20 years of use. However, use a rag to put it on. Spraying will cause overspray onto your windshield and instrument panel which will come off but it takes a lot of effort. If you keep putting on coats a few hours apart, you can get thing really shiny and the effect lasts few a long time with small reapplications every few months. Putting it on the steering wheel or pedals is not a good idea.