Headliners

B

boywonder

New member
What is the best process to clean headliners without damaging them? I recall seeing a dry-clean product but I am not very sure on its effectiveness on certain stains (e.g. hair grease).



I have cleaned headliners using upholstery cleaner spritzed on a towel and worked in that way but I'd think that process would be extremely inefficient to clean an entire headliner as opposed to a spot cleaning process.
 
You could try a foam type of fabric cleaner/spot remover. Remember, you don't want to get the headliner too wet. I think your method of using upholstery cleaner on a towel isn't a bad process.
 
I use Autoglyms cleaner, sprayed onto a soft pad and if necessary a very soft brush. Rinse with a damp applicator pad. This works well for me.
 
PrinzII said:
I guess it's more practical to spot clean a headliner as opposed to doing a total cleaning on them.
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I agree



Headliners:

Require special care and attention, as cloth type headliners are assembled with foam backing and usually glued to a fibre roof panel. If the headliner becomes wet, it can cause the head liner to delaminate and fall down. An interior cleaner (303 TM Fabric & Vinyl Cleaner) should be used. Spray onto a terry towel and wipe very gently



Do not spray products directly onto head lining. Wipe lightly making sure not to leave headliner wet. Inspect and re-clean as necessary. It is better to clean twice, rather than to allow the head liner to get too wet. An alcohol based aerosol glass cleaner may also work for this operation because of its quick evaporation. Vinyl headliners should be cleaned the same way.



·Lightly brush the headliner with a natural-latex sponge or a horsehair brush, they have very soft bristles that are gentle and is specially made for headliners or leather surfaces, this will loosen dust / dirt and make vacuuming easier (for very light dust or lint use a rolling lint brush)

·Do not use a stiff brush as you may snag or tear the headliner material

·Lightly vacuum the headliner to remove loose dust

·Spray 303 CM Cleaner & Spot Remover on to a 100% cotton terry towel

·Cleaning the headliner a quarter section at a time, use very light and even pressure on the towel to work the cleaner into the fabric. Do not saturate the material or use much pressure on the towel

·Use a fresh, clean damp, 100% cotton terry towel to remove the soil / dirt

·Frequently rinse the towel in clean warm water to ensure all dirt I soil is removed

·If the vehicle is fitted with a sunroof, open it a couple of inches, as dust builds up at the front edge.

·Clean this area before closing the sunroof and proceeding to the rear of the sunroof.



JonM
 
I cleaned a bunch of spots in my mom's car yesterday. She had an unopened can of root beer freeze and explode in her car on Christmas Eve, leaving a whole lot of spots on the ceiling and seats. I poured a spot of Woolite about the size of a quarter into a 5qt bucket, and filled it up with warm water.

The spots came out pretty quickly and easily. I would squeeze out most of the solution, then lightly rub the headliner. I had a WalMart MF to do the cleaning, and another WM MF to dry.
 
Now this is interesting, I would normally clean the entire headliner and simply take caution whilst cleaning. If it is particularly dirty I would do two runs. I had not considered it to be a time consuming or risky task.
 
White95Max said:
I cleaned a bunch of spots in my mom's car yesterday. She had an unopened can of root beer freeze and explode in her car on Christmas Eve, leaving a whole lot of spots on the ceiling and seats. I poured a spot of Woolite about the size of a quarter into a 5qt bucket, and filled it up with warm water.

The spots came out pretty quickly and easily. I would squeeze out most of the solution, then lightly rub the headliner. I had a WalMart MF to do the cleaning, and another WM MF to dry.
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I did the same thing on a Concorde that had splotches from Coke on the headliner. I sprayed EF Spot Remover onto a clean terry cloth and agitated gently. Worked perfectly.
 
What do you guys do for tobacco smoke? I have shampoo'd many headliners. How do you spot clean a dirty HLiner?
 
I have a bottle of oxyclean that i mixed. I warm that up and spray on a rag. Then I dab it on the cloth. I do that all over the headliner. DOn't saturate it. You don't need to. The problem areas just keep dabbing and they will disappear. It works great and doens't cost alot like other cleaners and don't have chemicals in it. I've done it dozens of times and have had no problems with it ruining the ceiling. Just don't saturate it or it will leave a residue. That's why I mix it and not use it purely. Also dry it by dabbing it with a dry cloth. Walla!
 
Use caution when using bleach like Oxy-Clean



Bleach:

Chemicalally lightens or oxidizes as it is formulated with either sodium hypochlorite (Clorox® is a chlorine bleach) or hydrogen peroxide (Oxy-Cleanâ„¢ is an oxygen bleach) and there active ingredients are generally considered to be a corrosive. Bleach should never be mixed with other chemical cleaners, ammonia, or rust removers as the mixture can create toxic gases and volatile explosives. Prolonged contact with metal or fabric materials will cause pitting, dicolouration or disintigration.



JonM
 
Since we are talking about the subject of headliners;



1- Have you ever replaced a headliner?

2- Is it a very difficult and involved process?

3- What would a replacement headliner kit cost?
 
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