Best product to remove headliner stain?

PaulMys

PaulMys

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So to my dismay, I discovered today that my 3rd brake light (on the top rear of the cab) has been leaking.

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Might be hard to see in the pic, but there is a definite brownish water mark extending about 6” from either side of my dome light. :mad:

I have already ordered a replacement gasket, but now I need to ask:

What are some products/methods I can use to remove this damn stain?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Wish I could help but I'm definitely not an upholstery guy.
 
Brush vacuum the entire headliner. Then Folex all stains.
 
Yup. And to clean up the entire headliner too.

Folex is so good at stain removal it will be noticeable after as a clean spot after.
 
Paul A. said:
Yup. And to clean up the entire headliner too.

Folex is so good at stain removal it will be noticeable after as a clean spot after.
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Appreciate it, Paulie bag-a-Folex! :props:
 
I've never tried Folex, maybe I need to give it a shot. I've always had great results with an orange citrus cleaner and then hit the stain with my steam cleaner and wipe with a clean microfiber. If you don't have a steam cleaner, look into the McCulluch, not expensive at all, best investment I have made in detailing products.
 
I use my Rupes iBrid Nano and I spray Acrysol on a 1" microfiber pad and buff the spot.
 
The reason I like Folex, especially for headliners is it doesn’t require scrubbing, doesn’t introduce heat, it’s minimal amount of wetting on the surface, which in turn dries in no time. Above all its never let me down.

I’ve had people bring me vehicles with white headliner acting like it’s their biggest concern on the interior and they have no idea how to possibly clean it. Those same headliners turn out to be a piece of cake and never even have to scrub.
 
Paul A. said:
And finish it off by fixin' the leak, Paulie.
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All done.

What I thought to be a 5 minute job turned into a half-hour. The gasket was shot, but the damn glue they used on it was friggin' incredible. :mad:

Anyway, it's done now. Gonna get some Folex. Thanks, fellas. :)
 
I've only used Folex as a spot stain remover on carpet. What's the best way to use it on a more fragile surface like a headliner? Spray directly on the surface and wipe with a towel or spray on the towel and then wipe?
 
David Puddy said:
I've only used Folex as a spot stain remover on carpet. What's the best way to use it on a more fragile surface like a headliner? Spray directly on the surface and wipe with a towel or spray on the towel and then wipe?
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Do not spray directly on the stain or you may have a bigger stain. Spray on a towel and lightly blot, no need to scrub or rinse. Depending on how bad the stain and color of the headliner, you may end up doing the whole liner.
 
Thanks. I probably need to clean the entire headliner in my 4Runner. At least one of the previous owners was a smoker and had a dog, so the whole thing is just dingy in addition to having a few small stains which look like coffee or soda.
 
David Puddy said:
I've only used Folex as a spot stain remover on carpet. What's the best way to use it on a more fragile surface like a headliner? Spray directly on the surface and wipe with a towel or spray on the towel and then wipe?
Click to expand...

Same as you would on carpet.. The only difference I take into consideration is I try to make sure I’m wearing nitrile gloves whenever I clean the headliner because it’s usually light beige or white fabric and the last thing you want to do is get it any dirtier than it already is because your hands may be dirty.

As you know, the way it works is, spray, gently rub into the fabric, and immediately blot/wipe off with a clean towel.

Working clean is important here, so wear some gloves that way you only have to do it once.
 
I see it in the picture. Some type of product that is formulated for fabric should work best. Ric suggested Folex which is an excellent choice. I have also had success with Wolfgang Carpet & Upholstery Restorer. Spray a little on a soft tooth brush and work it into the stain then wipe with a towel.
 
One of my favorite tricks is Folex and q-tips for small spot removal. Spritz a q tip, blot the spot and dry with a towel.

I've heard from others about the Wolfgang product, Davy. Thanks for the reminder on that one too.
 
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