best way to clean an entire headliner

Bullitt AK

Bullitt AK

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the whole headliner is just generally dirty...half is just general dirt and the other half is coffee or soda or something with a few heavier stains in spots...i have apc+ and folex
 
I have heard good things about Folex.

I am a rookie at this but when I bought my used Mazda it had a bunch of dirt and brown marks all over the headliner. I just got a bag of moist baby wipes at my local pharmacy and worked like a CHARM. It pulled off so much the overall color of the headliner got lighter.
 
hm i have never heard that i may try it..i just dont want it to look blotchy and have to spend forever on it
 
Armor all cleaning wipes work really well too.

What ever you use dont wet up the headliner too much.
 
Although I just recently replaced my headliner, when I bought the car last year it had a lot of smoke stains. What I did that really helped, was very lightly misted a spot on the headliner with Meguiars interior detailer and then wiped it with a microfiber towel. You don't want to get it too wet or the glue that holds the headliner in place could start to loosen itself off of the headliner board. If the stains don't come out with the first pass, wait a while for that spot to completely dry, and go after it again. Depending on the stains, you may need something a little bit stronger, but the interior detailer worked really well for me.

Mark
 
You also don't want to push real hard on it or you'll stretch the fabric and make it sag...

Believe it or not, if it's in really bad shape, maybe consider taking it to an established detail shop that offers this as a service as they will have the right tools and products for the job and take on the risk.


:)
 
Good thinking, Mike. Depending on what they quote you, you might consider the idea of just redoing the headliner. If it's your own car and you're a do-it-yourselfer, you can redo your entire headliner for around $70 in materials. I've heard of shops doing them for around $150 - $180 for a midsize sedan. Just a thought, depending on how much you want to spend.

Mark
 
ok thanks everyone..its actually a co workers car who i am doing carpet and upholstery cleaning for.. he said he wasnt really worried about the headliner but i just wanted to take the oppurtunity to try and get some experience with a headliner like this to see what i could do
 
I will mist an APC onto a clean dry towel and then gently rub over the soiled areas. Repeat if need, flipping to a clean side of the towel each time. Avoid getting it to wet and never spray cleaners directly onto the headliner.
 
i tried the baby wipes on my own headliner which is black and doesn't have any visible dirt but i did manage to pull some out from the visors so ill see what it does on a visibly soiled headliner
 
I am definitely no pro but for stains, I use woolite pet stain remover on my audi headliner and escalade headliner. Works extremely well for removing stains.
 
this must be done carefully but i have had great success with a tornador, apc, and mf towels. i dilute the apc 10:1 and let the tornador do all the work. wipe with a towel then a couple dry passes with the tornador. if a customer is dead set on having a stain removed forewarn them that any solvent based stain remover may negatively affect the adhesive that holds the liner up. personally i would just live with the stain. best of luck whichever way you go, no one here will steer you wrong.
 
i just removed some stains from the headliner in my moms car with folex very fast and easy..i might just see what i can do with that with a rag dampened with folex...should work pretty good because alot of it is not stained just dirty, or ill try my apc+ at 10:1 thanks for the advice
 
ilb3 said:
I have heard good things about Folex.

I am a rookie at this but when I bought my used Mazda it had a bunch of dirt and brown marks all over the headliner. I just got a bag of moist baby wipes at my local pharmacy and worked like a CHARM. It pulled off so much the overall color of the headliner got lighter.
Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY :iagree:

This stuff works extremely well & is cheap! Home Depot sells 36oz. somewhere around $7. This is the single product that has never ever let me down in removing stubborn or even old stains from any type of cloth.
 
Try clear window cleaner with no ammonia. Spray a microfiber until saturated, mist the headliner and gently work on stained area. That is how I do it at the shop and work every time. Tough stains, do several times but wait until headliner dries to prevent it from damage and be able to check if the stain does not re-surface. Just make sure the window cleaner is clear..no tint in it or you will have an issue.
 
hudson1gua said:
Try clear window cleaner with no ammonia. Spray a microfiber until saturated, mist the headliner and gently work on stained area. That is how I do it at the shop and work every time. Tough stains, do several times but wait until headliner dries to prevent it from damage and be able to check if the stain does not re-surface. Just make sure the window cleaner is clear..no tint in it or you will have an issue.
Click to expand...

Are you sure? I've read that you are supposed to spray a liquid onto your rag and not directly onto the headliner because if it gets too wet it gets damaged?
 
Yes, if you hold your sprayer only inches away from it, depending on the material its made, from you will have an issue. You have to hold it far if you re going to hit it with only a mist. And yes, the rule of thumb to be safe, is dampening a good microfiber, not rag. Then again, the best way is with steamer and microfiber, but not everyone has a portable steamer.
 
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