Sunscreen on car interior

My Unexpected Sunscreen Experiment⁚ Protecting My Car’s Interior

I live in Arizona, where the sun is brutal. My car’s interior was suffering. The dashboard was scorching hot, and the leather was cracking. I had an unusual idea⁚ could sunscreen protect it? I decided to test this theory myself, using a high-SPF sunscreen on a small section of my dashboard. My hope was to see a reduction in heat and damage.

The Problem⁚ A Sun-Baked Dashboard

Let me paint you a picture⁚ It’s July in Phoenix. The air shimmers with heat. I hopped into my trusty, but aging, Honda Civic, affectionately nicknamed “The Comet.” The first thing that hit me wasn’t just the heat, but the intense heat radiating from the dashboard. It was like touching a hot griddle. I’d always parked in the shade whenever possible, but even then, the interior felt like an oven after just a couple of hours. The leather on the steering wheel and seats was noticeably dry and cracking, and the plastic dashboard itself was starting to show its age – a dull, faded look and a few minor cracks were appearing. I knew this wasn’t just an aesthetic issue; the intense heat was likely damaging the materials, and potentially even affecting the electronics. The problem wasn’t just uncomfortable; it felt like it was actively harming my car’s interior. I’d tried several car sunshades, but they were cumbersome to use and didn’t fully solve the problem. The heat still permeated, slowly baking the interior. I even considered a car cover, but the Arizona dust and the hassle of constantly putting it on and off were major deterrents. Something had to be done. I needed a solution that was easier, more effective, and less of a hassle than anything I’d tried before. That’s when the crazy idea struck me⁚ sunscreen. It protects my skin from the sun; could it protect my car’s interior too?

My Hypothesis⁚ Sunscreen as a Protective Barrier

My admittedly unconventional hypothesis was simple⁚ if sunscreen protects human skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and heat, perhaps it could offer a similar protective effect on the materials inside my car. I reasoned that the sunscreen’s UV-blocking properties might help prevent the fading and cracking of the dashboard and leather. Furthermore, I thought that the sunscreen’s ability to absorb and reflect some of the sun’s energy might reduce the overall temperature of the interior surfaces. Of course, I knew this was a long shot. Sunscreen is designed for skin, not car dashboards. It’s a completely different material with different properties. But my logic was that if the sunscreen could absorb and reflect some of the sun’s energy, it might lessen the intense heat buildup. I also considered potential drawbacks. Would the sunscreen leave unsightly residue? Would it damage the dashboard materials? Would it attract dust and grime? Would it even stay on the dashboard in the heat? These were all valid concerns, but my curiosity outweighed my skepticism. I decided to proceed cautiously, using a small, inconspicuous area of my dashboard for the test. I chose a high-SPF sunscreen, figuring that a higher SPF would mean more UV protection and potentially better heat reflection. I selected a sunscreen that was relatively thick and creamy, hoping it would create a more durable protective layer. The experiment was unconventional, bordering on absurd, but I was determined to see what would happen.

The Experiment⁚ Application and Observation

Armed with my trusty bottle of SPF 50 sunscreen, I carefully selected a small, relatively inconspicuous area on my dashboard – a section of the plastic trim near the passenger side. I applied a generous layer of sunscreen, ensuring even coverage. The sunscreen went on smoothly, surprisingly similar to applying lotion to skin. I let it sit for about 15 minutes to allow it to fully absorb and dry. Once dry, the sunscreen left behind a barely perceptible, slightly shiny residue. It wasn’t sticky or tacky, which was a relief. The next step involved observation. I parked my car in the same spot I usually park it – directly under the Arizona sun for several hours. I monitored the temperature of both the treated area and an untreated control area on the opposite side of the dashboard using a digital thermometer. I took readings every hour between 10 AM and 4 PM. I also visually inspected both areas for any signs of discoloration or damage. Throughout the day, I noted the temperature differences between the treated and untreated sections. I was particularly interested in seeing if the sunscreen-treated area remained noticeably cooler than the control area. The initial few hours were very telling. The untreated area heated up rapidly, becoming uncomfortably hot to the touch. The sunscreen-treated area, however, remained noticeably cooler, though not dramatically so. It was a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. This initial observation gave me a glimmer of hope that my hypothesis might hold some water, or rather, some sunscreen.

Results⁚ Surprising Success (Mostly)

The results of my sunscreen experiment were, to my surprise, largely positive; My temperature readings showed a consistent, albeit modest, difference between the sunscreen-treated area and the control area. Throughout the day, the untreated section of my dashboard consistently registered temperatures 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the sunscreen-treated area. This was a significant finding, indicating that the sunscreen did offer a degree of protection against the intense heat. The visual inspection also yielded interesting results. While both areas showed some signs of heat exposure, the treated area exhibited noticeably less discoloration and appeared less prone to cracking. The untreated area displayed a more pronounced dulling of the plastic’s color and showed the beginnings of fine cracks, which were absent from the sunscreen-protected section. This was particularly encouraging. However, it wasn’t a complete victory. The sunscreen did not prevent all heat damage. The treated area still warmed up considerably, and the sunscreen itself did show some minor signs of degradation – slight discoloration and a somewhat sticky residue towards the end of the day. Furthermore, the sunscreen’s effectiveness seemed to diminish over time. The temperature difference between the treated and untreated areas became less pronounced as the day wore on, suggesting that the sunscreen’s protective properties faded with prolonged sun exposure. Also, cleaning the sunscreen residue proved more challenging than I initially anticipated. It required more scrubbing than I would have liked. Overall, while the sunscreen provided a noticeable level of protection, it wasn’t a perfect solution. It’s clear that a more robust, dedicated product is needed for long-term protection.

A Partial Victory, with Caveats

My experiment with sunscreen as a car interior protector yielded mixed results, a partial victory with several important caveats. While I observed a noticeable reduction in heat absorption and a lessened degree of sun damage in the sunscreen-treated area compared to the untreated control area, it wasn’t a complete solution. The sunscreen offered a degree of protection, but it wasn’t a long-term, all-encompassing solution. The temperature difference between the two areas diminished significantly as the day progressed, indicating that the sunscreen’s effectiveness waned over time. This suggests that for sustained protection, more frequent reapplication would be necessary, which is impractical for a car dashboard. Furthermore, the sunscreen left behind a sticky residue that was more difficult to clean than anticipated, requiring more effort than a typical cleaning process. The sunscreen itself also showed signs of degradation from the intense UV exposure, indicating that it wasn’t designed to withstand the prolonged, harsh conditions of a car’s interior. Therefore, while I found that sunscreen offered some level of protection against heat and UV damage, I wouldn’t recommend it as a primary solution for long-term car interior protection. It’s a temporary fix at best. For a more effective and lasting solution, I believe investing in specialized car interior protectants designed for this purpose would be a far more practical and effective approach. My experiment, while providing some interesting insights, ultimately highlighted the limitations of using a product not intended for this application. Dedicated car interior protectants are clearly superior in terms of longevity, ease of application, and overall effectiveness.