Headliner Vinyl - Help!

[whozmaresy]

Hello,

I have a headliner issue with my VW. The headliner is white and vinyl and there are lots of black (grease?) stains and one large yellow stain. I have tried various cleaners with a cloth and even a tooth brush. Now my headliner looks even worse! There are "wet" (shiny) looking stains from where I tried to use product. The headliner looks so bad, and I am very discouraged about how to clean it. Everything else on the car looks great! Any help is appreciated!

[CalAltaDubber]

Well the first place is to look at http://www.cabby-info.com/top.htm#Cleaning. Kamy has a lot of good resource material there.

If you have tried the products she has listed, go to your local detail shop. Ask what they use, and try that. If you are willing to buy the product they use, they will probably be more helpful.

[kamzcab86]

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

[gull]

And when you eventually have to redo the top, put in a dark colored headliner.

[RepZoo]

hey there, i found your post interesting, as i had the same problem last week with my headliner. i had black (grease) stains, and even the yellow spot on my headliner as well. I had several problems finding something to clean it with. i tried everything. I took the car to my dads house, because my dad has worked for a chemical company for 30+ years where he mixes industrial chemicals for large businesses. I was sure he would know what to do. After talking with him he recommended using a carpet cleaner mixed with water to create a soapy solution, and then getting a sponge and using the abrasive side of it (green side) to scrub the top. You need to be careful when trying different chemicals, because the top is vynal and alot of cleaners will eat it right up. Carpet Cleaner works best, or any natural cleaning agent. Get a bottle of carpet solution, not the spray aerosal kind. Mix it with water, and scrub the hell out of the vynal. After this, get fresh water and go over the top again with a sponge. Then get a wash clothe and wipe down the top. Once dry, go over with some armorall and your top will be looking fresh and clean in no time. Trust me, it took a long time for me to figure out what to do.

[Briano1234]

I don't have any issues with what you have posted save for armorall. That product ruins vinyl rubber and the like. 303 Aerospace protectorant.

[gull]

While we're at it, any thoughts on removing mildew stains from the outside of a top? It's (unfortunately) white, and I'm finding the grained vinyl really hard to clean. I tried Simple Green and a scrub brush, which helped some, but the top still looks pretty bad. I'm tempted to try a dilute bleach solution.

[Briano1234]

Plenty of water, magic erasers, and Westley's Bleche White.

Spray Bleche white small area work with magic eraser and hose off. move to next area...repeat.... Wear a white t-shirt...

oh, and there is the other way..... see what I did to a boot cover:

Using magic erasers, a soft closed cell foam scrubby and my cleaner, it was clean but now still grey.

So I said looks like re-dying time.

I don't give a dam usually about being green, but this time it paid off:

gray/white side by side





What made this transformation?



Taking the boot off the car and place it where you can lay it flat.

Use the Green Can of Brake-Klean ( the environmental friendly can). The other stuff is tooooooooooo extreme.

Spray an area about 12 inches by 12, and get it wet let it sit about a good 5 count and then using a good non-colored rag rub like hell. Re-spray and flip the rag to a clean side.

It will pull all the dirt and crap off the vinyl, and evaporate without ruining the vinyl.

When finished use the protectorant of your choice mine is 303 aerospace.

You have to use a bunch It took 3 1/2 cans and about 12 good white rags but it worked and I don't have to re-dye the thing.

Let it air out.....

[whozmaresy]

Thanks so much for all your help guys! I haven't tackled the thing yet, but I'm planning to in a couple of weeks.

The difficulty with cleaning the top (other than what I have already mentioned) is that it is the headliner. I'm trying to save myself having to take the whole thing down which means that I am working upside down! Gravity is no help when I am trying to spray and leave on certain products as described. Briano, can I do your suggestion on a headliner when it is not laid out on the ground? Will the spray stick/stay long enough?

Thanks, Maresy

[gull]

I would put garbage bags over the seats to protect the fabric. You can also partially open the top, which will let you do more of it standing up.