A car headliner can become dirty and stained over time, affecting the overall appearance of the car’s interior. Cleaning a car headliner is a task that is often overlooked, but it is an important aspect of keeping your car looking and smelling fresh.
Make the headliner the first thing you do when detailing a vehicle’s interior, as water may drip down as you clean. You’d be creating more work for yourself if you were to save the headliner for last.
Here’s how to clean a car headliner:
- First evaluate the headliner to make sure that it is in good shape, that it is not drooping or sagging, and determine if it is safe to clean the headliner without causing harm.
- Start by vacuuming the headliner: Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove any dust or debris from the headliner. This will make it easier to see any stains or spots that need to be cleaned.
- Spot-clean stains: If you notice any stains on your headliner, pretreat these areas with a stain remover such as our Hot Shot. Let this dwell for 30-60 seconds before using a clean, dry cloth to lightly agitate and remove the stain.
- Clean the entire headliner: Use a non-foaming product like our Extractor Soap along with our Hydra Sponge or a towel. Dampen the sponge or towel with water, wring out approximately 90% of the water, and spray a mist of the Extractror Soap on the wet sponge/towel. Lightly scrub the headliner working in sections. Use a clean towel to do a final wipe to dry and remove dirt once everything has been cleaned. *Make sure not to scrub too aggressively to avoid causing the headliner to sag.
- Use a cleaning product that will not leave a ton of foam or soap behind: Headliners are made of a delicate material, and are held on by glue so it’s best to use a mild, non-foaming cleaner that doesn’t require lots of water to rinse. Too much water and/or pressure when scrubbing can lead to loosening of the headliner material and it will start to sag. Our Extractor Soap or Interior Super Soap are both excellent choices!
- Always remember the visors: For a quick & easy clean, use a Tornador Interior Cleaning Gun equipped with a Cone Brush and paired with Interior Super Soap.
- Allow the headliner to dry completely: Once you’ve finished cleaning the headliner, leave the car windows open to allow it to dry completely. Avoid exposing the headliner to direct sunlight or heat sources, as this can damage the material.
Tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid oversaturating the headliner. Use of a carpet extractor is not recommended.
- Scrub gently as the headliner can loosen up and sag easily especially on older vehicles..
- Heat can loosen up the glue that holds the headliner to the ceiling so avoid steam cleaning.
- As you’re wiping away dirt with your towel, flip to a clean section of the towel each time to not push dirt back into the headliner.
- Overlap sections as you clean with your sponge to prevent water stains.
It’s important to note that different headliner materials may require different cleaning methods, so it’s always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s instructions or the vehicle owner’s manual before cleaning. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials on the headliner, as it could damage the fabric.
Cleaning a car’s headliner is an important aspect of maintaining the appearance of the interior. It can be a quick and easy task if done regularly, and it can help you and your passengers feel more comfortable during long trips. A clean headliner can also help to improve the overall appearance of your car and boost its resale value.
Working with damaged headliners
Repairing damaged headliners can be difficult or expensive – in many cases, the only fix will be to replace the entire headliner. That’s why taking precautions is so important.
The most important thing to remember is not to oversaturate the headliner or apply too much heat, as both of these things can disintegrate the adhesive holding it in place. Only cleaning the headliner as needed will prevent adding undue stress to the material. If there aren’t any visible spots that need to be cleaned, it’s not worth detailing.
There may be instances where the headliner has already been damaged, whether it is torn or sagging. There are a few quick fixes you can use to help the appearance.
Headliner pins are inexpensive and are designed to blend in with the headliner fabric. These are used to pin the headliner to the foam beneath it to disguise the sagging.
For the DIYer, you can attempt to reactivate the adhesive with the heat from a steamer and use a foam roller to press the headliner back into place. Be careful not to exacerbate the issue with this method.
Tears can be hidden by patching in fabric or by recoloring the foam beneath. Burns can be treated the same way – check out our Cigarette Burn Repair Kits.
Headliners are a sensitive area, but that’s no reason to neglect them. By using the proper supplies combined with our proven methods, you can make any headliner look as good as new.