Every car owner wants to keep their ride’s exterior and interior sleek and shiny. Armor All is a good product for that. But it leaves a greasy residue and some owners don’t like it at all. I’m sure you are one of them.
How to remove Armor All?
You can easily remove Armor All from plastic, vinyl, and leather. First, you must clean the surface with a dry rag. Using a damped rag and a cleaning solution, you can rub the Armor All off your vehicle surface. You can use a good glass cleaner or may as well use a DIY cleaning solution for this.
Liked the overview and want to know more about it? We have prepared a dedicated segment on Armor All and a step-by-step guide on how to get rid of it. So, without further ado, let’s jump in.
Remove Armor All From Car Surface
Greasy residues are always annoying, especially on car interiors. If you hate the residue from Armor All, you may as well think to remove it totally from your car surface. Well, it is quite simple to do that. All you need to do is to follow along.
Things You Would Need
Here are some of the necessary things that you may need to start removing Armor All:
- Some lint-free microfiber rags
- Clean Warm Water
- All-Purpose Cleaner / Homemade Cleaning Solution
- Spray bottle (for homemade cleaner)
Step 1: Use a Dry and Clean Rag on the Surface
First, it is necessary to wipe down the surface that you wish to remove Armor All from. Try to wipe as much of the greasy residue as you can with a clean microfiber rag.
Make sure to use a lint-free rag to follow this process. A lint-free rag has better cleaning capabilities and less chance of contaminating the surface. Rags with no lint are prepared to trap tiny particles of dust and grime without scratching the surface.
Step 2: Use a Cleaning Agent
You need to use a good all-purpose cleaner for this or make one of your own. The cleaning agent must be strong enough to cut through the grease particles and separate the bond. That way you can make quick work of the Armor All.
Spray the cleaning agent directly on the surface you want to remove Armor All from. Don’t spray the total surface in one go. Spray one area at a time and clean the surface. Stay miles away from abrasive cleaners for this.
If you want to make use of some all-purpose cleaners for this step, here are some that we highly recommend:
| Product 1 | |
| Product 2 |
Step 3: Use a Damped Lint-Free Microfiber Rag
After spraying the cleaner, use a damped rag on the surface. Here a damped rag is necessary because in this manner you will make work to remove the protectant, not absorb it in.
Go one area at a time and clean it thoroughly. This way you can make sure that you are not missing any part of the surface. As you will be using damped cloth, try not to get in contact with any electronic devices while working on the car interior.
You should frequently dip the lint-free rag in the cleaning mixture to keep it wet and working. Don’t go too harsh or too soft on the surface. Put just the right pressure to cut through the greasy Armor All mess.
Step 4: Dry the Area Using a Fresh Rag
By this step, you have successfully removed most of the Armor All from your car surface. Now, it’s time to dry it up. Use a fresh rag to rub-down the surface using a bit of pressure.
This way you will not only be drying up the surface, but you will also get the remaining Armor All that is still on in some areas. So, better lookout for those and give the surface a good wiping.
Step 5: Apply a New Protectant
This is purely an optional step. You may not apply any protectant on your car surface after you just rubbed off one. But not applying a new protectant will leave your car surface totally unprotected.
A protectant makes the plastic and vinyl interior and exterior look sleek and shiny. It also lessens the chances of making your car’s leather seats mold.
So, we recommend you apply a new protectant of your choice after you have removed Armor All. There are many good and durable protectants out in the market that do a better job than Armor All. Pick one of those and you are good to go.
Why We Don’t Recommend Armor All
Armor All is a car care product envied by many car owners. It is used to protect and shine plastic, vinyl, and leather car interior and exterior. It is branded as an automotive protectant and it works quite well.
It is a spray-on solution that contains water, silicone, glycerin, diethylene glycol, and some other chemical substances. Such chemical products tend to leave some undesirable residue. For that reason, it has accumulated quite a bit of criticism from us.
The greasy mess it leaves behind needs to be removed to restore the car’s original state. This is the primary reason we don’t like Armor All. It just adds more issues to the seats and dashboard problem rather than making them sleek and shiny.
There are other automotive protectants out there on the market with good customer reviews. You can check those out if you want to keep your vehicle surface protected.
FAQs
Why does Armor All leave residue?
Answer: Armor All has silicone contents in it which is one of the reasons behind it leaving streaks. But according to many car owners, it gets better with time.
Is automotive protection absolutely necessary?
Answer: No, it is not a must. But your car interior and exterior are better-protected when an automotive protectant is applied. We recommend 303 Automotive Protectant if you are interested in getting one.
Can I use an automotive protectant on all car surfaces?
Answer: Yes, you should be able to. These protectants can be used on plastic, vinyl, and leather, making them very versatile in terms of use. Try using one on your car.
Endnote
We don’t want to see you leave but we have hit the end segment. Hope you now have a better understanding of how to remove Armor All. If you don’t want to do it yourself then you may drive to your local service point and get it done.
Wish you good luck!