Cleaning and protecting headliner

[John Pasinski]

This may be one of those questions that's been asked a bazillion times
before, but I did a search and I couldn't find an answer to my question.
I just bought a decent headliner (thanks Randy); I want to clean it prior to protecting it.
I'm reading all kinds of don'ts and what not to use. Some say armorall is good but it just sits on the surface, others say don't use it. No one seems to have a difinitive answer.
Do any of you have suggestions on what I can first clean it with? Then I want to protect it. I'm toying with applying Ru-Glyde (NAPA) but that's a tire mounting lubricant. Not sure how it will react to the soft vinyl.
Thanks...........

[71blksuper4x4]

I use dawn dish soap, a cheap toothbrush, and a bowl of warm water. I scrub in little areas about 6" x 6" and wipe down with a microfiber towel. Then I go back with a leather conditioner (cream or paste) to protect it. Trevor

[LockDoc]

-
..x2 Only I use a bigger brush...

[John Pasinski]

OK..........That's good enough for me. I'll try that; followed by some LEXOL.
Thanks a lot.

[coueshunter]

I use simple green and follow with a good leather conditioner

[Grumpy old man]

Guys , after 35 years building Aircraft/auto and marine big boy toys and being a 4th generation upholster these are the tips we used everyday and still today .

When cleaning VINYL seats and VINYL headliners which are petroleum based products you have a few choices

always try mild detergent and a soft brush first but if you have grimy dirt or grease you can use mineral spirits or my choice is low octane "gasoline" on a rag

Vinyl being a petroleum based product cleans easily and won't be damaged by gasoline and since Vinyl has pores like leather the gas will clean and soften the Vinyl ---never use gas on cloth as it will stain it ....

Leather conditioner does NOTHING ON VINYL OTHER THAN SHINE IT UP TEMPORARILY

if you feel you must have a shiny VINYL surface use one of the CLEAR VINYL sprays. The old Amour all that had a yellow tint to it actually had wax in it and would shine up the surface but fill the VINYL pores and shorten the life of the Vinyl that is why they invented clear Amour all .

VINYL is not LEATHER cow hide ! you can't use leather treatments or cleaners ment for one on the other there just not ment to work that way . NO , Not one !1967 -72 truck came with real LEATHER seats .dash or door panels

REAL LEATHER should always be cleaned with nothing but saddle soap and conditioned with "MINK oil" sparingly on a dry rag --Nothing else ! All the store bought cleaner conditioners have ALCOHOL In there ingredients and will shorten the life of the leather over time --leather is skin just like ours and if you wipe yourself down every week with ALCOHOL you'll look like granny who spent her life on a sunny beach soon !old and leathery !Always read the ingredients before buying leather conditioner...

CLOTH- seats /headliners/ carpets -- for grease stains use lacquer thinner on a soft cloth rag and use sparingly to remove the stain use to much on a headliner stain and you'll kill the foam behind the fabric and be buying a new headliner soon ...

If you find that even after cleaning you have areas of discoloration VINYL can be easily redyed to look like new by using one of many brands of VINYL dye available today at most auto parts stores , NOT PAINT use DYE it comes in the same type spray can but they are totally different --DYE has a flex agent built in it and paint doesn't ...

To redye a VINYL headliner
Clean with soap and water
allow to dry
Clean entire surface to be dyed with LACQUER thinner on a lint free rag Mask off any surrounding painted areas
use light coats of dye in long overlapping strokes and allow to dry before next coat
usually it will take 2-3 light coats to give a good result and a semi gloss shine as original ... used too heavy or too many coats and it will end up looking glossy and painted , When using dye LESS IS BETTER !...

if you have discolored chrome interior or exterior it can easily be cleaned using BRONZE WOOL

Bronze wool works about the same as STEEL WOOL but being bronze it won't scratch your chrome surfaces or leave behind microscopic pieces of steel to rerust your chrome , bronze being softer won't scratch your chrome surfaces and won't rust after use it also heats up and self lubricates and works fantastic and has been used on sailboats and yachts bright work for many years and they live in salt water so try it out and you may be surprised !...

Bronze wool can be bought at Loew's / Home depot or ebay ...

And as with any new process ALWAYS TRY IT ON A INCONSPICOUS AREA BEFORE USING ANYWHERE ELSE !

[Andy4639]

Good info and thanks for sharing. I have found that on interior stuff it's best to use a little warm water and a clean rag. Get's 99% of the regular dirt off of anything.

[John Pasinski]

Thanks all for the great information and help. Especially you, Grumpy Old Man.
As for protecting the vinyl, CLEAR ARMORAL is your only recommended product?
My visors are all sticky with some kind of vinyl protectorant. I'll try the low octane gas suggestion on the back side to see if they'll clean up and soften again.
I've copied, and pasted your advice so I can print it and keep it w/ my repair manuals.
I would have NEVER considered gasoline. But it makes sense being petroleum based.
The headliner I have really isn't that bad. It doesn't appear to have tobbaco stains, dust, etc. Just looks like it was sitting up there for 40 years going along for the ride.
I'll see what it looks like after I wash it with DOVE dishwashing liquid and water.
Now to find the headliner trim, Hmmmmmm........................

[Grumpy old man]

Once you 'clean' your VINYL many times it will be dull or look dried out , You can use clear majic or clear Amour all ,But your just going to be reapplying these products again and again , I personally would redye the headliner and the key is to use the correct dye and use very light coats . you will see by using very light coats it will give you that nice semi gloss look ,if you try to use dye the same way you would spray paint you will even with dye end up with a finish that looks painted and to heavy coated and that looks shabby think dusting coats not trying to cover with a wet coat as you will fill the grain of the material and end up with a shiny finish =bad !, Always when working with dye LESS IS BETTER ! I have used SEM coat products for many years with great results . You can recolor door panels,dash pads and even seats but in those "high traffic " areas you would want to use an adhesion promoter called BULLDOG , It comes in rattle cans or by the quart/gallon and again a little goes a long way MORE IS NOT BETTER ! AS WITH REFINISHING ANY SURFACE PREPERATION IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAIR AND FANTASTIC RESULTS , PREP,PREP,PREP AND THEN PREP AGAIN !

Just remember once you wipe VINYL with lacquer thinner it will remove the finish and become permanently dull until redyed with VINYL DYE


As a side note many guys have jet skis that the top dash has faded and looks bad you can refinish them easily by wet sanding the plastic dead finish off down to good clean color and after cleaning the surface with Lacquer thinner and lint free cloth use a few light coats of Bulldog adhesion promoter as a clear coat and it will look brand new without buying a new dash cover ! try it, it really works I've refinished dozens that way