Halfords Intensive Glass Cutter - damage to dashboard

[froggyted]

Hi. I've made the mistake of using Halfords Intensive Glass Cutter to clean the inside of the windscreen, not realising the formulation is a bit similar to t-cut. Drips on the dashboard are proving very difficult to remove completely: you think you've got them off but when completely dry there's still a white sheen. Can anybody recommend a product that will do the job without damaging the plastics in any way? I'm really angry that there is no warning on the packaging about this, because it could similarly mar outer plastic trim. This is one of many Halfords own-brand products that i've bought over the years that i'm really dissatisfied with. I certainly won't be using it inside the car again, and probably not at all. When you buff it off it just sheds a myriad of bits over the trim. That's easily resolvable, but the marks on the dash are proving a problem, any advice would be appreciated.

[Clan]

try water first then isopropanol , methelated spirit , turpentine . none should harm the dash ..

[froggyted]

Thanks Clan

I've tried water, Auto Glym cockpit cleaner, lens cleaner (isapropanol?) and sticky stuff remover. I haven't yet tried meths and turpentine. So far, i've removed all but a faint white haze in one area, and the sticky stuff remover (not sure of the composition, but i can find out if anybody is interested) has been the most effective. I think the worst thing to do with this sort of spill is to try to rub off when wet (the natural inclination). I did a test 'swab' overnight on another bit of plastic and surprisingly the next morning it wiped off really easily. However, when i then applied some more of the evil stuff and rubbed it in a bit it proved, just like on my dash, extemely stubborn! Another case of being wiser after the event!

Whatever you do, don't anybody try using super glue remover on this sort of stain!!! I did a test on a bit of plastic and it seemed ok, then tried on the dash - fortunately on a hidden area - and after initially seeming to show no reaction, after about 5 minutes it came up as an ugly white spot!

I fear the problem now is that i've stripped the factory finish off the damaged area and that nothing will remove the damage. A bit of polish will probably obscure it completely; i'll resort to this when everything else has failed. However, i'm really angry that a seemingly innocuous cleaning fluid has caused such damage to my vehicle, and that there are no warnings on the packaging.

[Murrayhouse]

I had a similar problem, though from a different cause. I stupidly super-glued one of those metal discs you use to mount a sucker on to to the dash. When I removed it there was real mess left behind. I tried meths, isopropyl alcohol and even an anaesthetic liquid that I was told was a fantastic solvent. Nothing worked, then I used super-glue remover (you would have thought I would have tried that first, but there you go) and that did the job. The problem was that the area I had worked on was left with a matt finish, as opposed to the light gloss it should be. After about 10 applications of carnuba wax it looks 80% ok.

[froggyted]

Hi Murrayhouse. From my experience in a test area i would say to anybody thinking of using it, use super glue remover with extreme caution. I don't know what vehicle you have, mine is an 08 S40, and no doubt this stuff reacts differently depending on the plastic involved, since it showed no adverse reaction on a bit of hard plastic i tested on. The facelift S40 has a (very attractive) padded dashboard, and it's possible it reacts with the foam beneath the surface. Certainly, i've cleaned the worst of it off, and i suspect i can polish it up so that i'll forget it's there (it's on the side of the dash panel that is hidden when the door is closed), but i wouldn't recommend it from my own experience. Basically, i've just componded the original problem of Halfords Intensive Glass Cutter fluid splashing onto my dash by testing a possible cure which ended up damaging another bit of the dash!!

[christheancient]

When I first got the 'Blue Streak' the PO had been a heavy smoker and used the polish the residues into the vinyl and switch buttons with cockpit shine.

So, I got out the trusty old laundry gel and smeared a coat of it on all the vinyl, left it on for about 20 minutes and then cleaned everything with standard 'all purpose cleaner'.

Having said that, there was one bit it didn't clean properly on the dash where, I think, that had been something glued onto the dash just above the instruments which, I think, must have slightly bleached the vinyl.

Worth a try, though.

[froggyted]

Thanks, Chris, i don't think we've got any laundry gel (in fact i've never heard of it), but i'll have a root around in the cupboards.

All minor splashes have now been removed more or less 100%, it's just one larger splash that is proving stubborn. I think the worst thing you can do with this stuff is to rub it off whilst wet, it seems to just ingrain it into the plastic. Again, wiser after the event! Previously unnoticed minor splashes have wiped off quite easily, since the stuff seems to harden like t-cut or body polish.

I'm really not impressed with Halford's own brand products overall. I think Halfords lack major competition on the high street and feel they can sell mediocre quality products and get away with it. Their light bulbs have poor service life (even though one employee insists they are made by Bosch), their windscreen washer fluid leaves smears, and i've had countless other products over the years i've not been pleased with. One of the few products i've bought that i could recommend is a suction mounting phone holder, which i've mounted discreetly behind the floating console on my S40 and which, due to a flexible arm, holds my i-pod Touch neatly at the side of the console. I suppose i also had some nice microfibre cloths too.... but there's not much that can go wrong with them!

[stephend]

Originally Posted by froggyted

Their light bulbs have poor service life (even though one employee insists they are made by Bosch),

Which? did a test on headlamp bulbs quite recently. Osram Nightbreakers and standard Bosch did best; Halfords, umm, didn't... actually came bottom, I think, worse than manufacturer's standard on the cars tested (VW and Vauxhall)!

Sorry for the slight thread hijack!

[froggyted]

Originally Posted by stephend

Which? did a test on headlamp bulbs quite recently. Osram Nightbreakers and standard Bosch did best; Halfords, umm, didn't... actually came bottom, I think, worse than manufacturer's standard on the cars tested (VW and Vauxhall)!

Sorry for the slight thread hijack!

No problem re hijack!

I've used basic Halfords bulbs in the past but am currently using Halfords Extreme Brilliance. I bought them due to the unsatisfactory dipped beam on the S40, and then discovered that they are not highly regarded on this forum, and sure enough the first set lasted about 6 months. Obviously the Volvos have day-running lamps, but i probably only clocked about 3,000 miles in that time. Since i'd bought them as a 2 for 1 offer i've now fitted the second pair, but will certainly not replace with the same, rather the Osram Nightbreakers, which are as you're probably aware highly regarded on this forum.

[Laney760]

There are a lot of 'sticky stuff removers' on the market, I use a 'Betterware' one which I believe is predominately citric acid, its very oily and effective and natural and it has never damaged or stained any surface I have used it on

Many of them guarantee to be safe on plastic, its worth trying one out?