Headliner...

OCDinPDX

OCDinPDX

Paint Ph.D
Hello all...

I come once again seeking your assistance. I began to notice something yesterday that I have, for a while, been able to ignore. I am very tall in the torso and have to duck considerably to get out of my Hyundai Santa Fe, even though the car provides plenty of head room when I'm in it. Over the five years I've had the car, little bits of hair from my head (loose from after a haircut) have deposited themselves into the velour fabric of the headliner. Also, it has begun to get a bit dirty there, not sure how but it's happening.

I am having my seats, carpets, and floor mats steam cleaned in the spring and was wondering if the same treatment could be applied to my headlining to remove the dirt and the hair. I have the detail department of the dealership I work for do the steam cleaning as they do a bang-up job and the price is right ($40 whole car). But I won't let them touch the paint as they use rotaries. :yikes:

Does anybody think this can be accomplished? Thanks.
 
I would be careful with having them steam clean the headliner. If the steam gets near a spot where the adhesive is weak it may cause the headliner to sag.
 
As far as the loose hairs they can be easily removed with a Lint Roller - The kind with the Peel-Off sheets.

This also works well at pulling off stray fibers that are poking through the holes in perforated leather seats.

Regarding the headliner itself use warm to hot water and a white cotton terry cloth towel and gently brush over the stained portion of the headliner. If you have some sucess with some discoloration removal at that point continue. You may wish to do it in stages letting it dry in between attempts. This method will minimize separartion of the liner from its backing. DO NOT use this method on a headliner that is over 10 years old. If you have no results with the water only step up to some upolstery cleaner but apply the product to the white cotton terry cloth towel and not to the headliner itself.

Hope this helps !

:rockon
 
Good advice so far. If they are using a vapor steam cleaner then that works great on headliners when used properly.

As for the hair. Lint roller is good or just a strong vac with the right attachment.
 
As already mentioned in posts above, the lint roller and a vacuum will take care of any debris. I also offer the same caution regarding using heat for the same reasons already stated. I find foam style cleaners and a sponge (grout variety, or you may experiment) work well for cleaning anything that the lint roller and/or vacuum won't remove.

Edit to add: I forgot to mention the obligatory warning to first try any cleaner in a small area for fabric color testing.
 
Having had to repair a few headliners that have come de-laminated from the backing board, I believe I would try what ever method at hand that keeps the headliner dry. If you ever need to repair a headliner that has done this 3M makes a spray pressure sensitive adhesive that will handle the job. I had this happen on two (same model, same place) Town Cars 7 or 8 years ago. The headliner by itself was a small fortune to replace
 
I clean the headliners in every car that I detail...I use a clean MF towel...with some APC...I fold the towel up in four...spray on some APC on the towel only...not to get it super wet but moist...then rub that on the HL...with gentle pressure...remember that the APC is doing the work not the pressure..its very effective at removing any stains that I've come across...even ink pen marks on one car..

The thing that you want to avoid is heat!....the material is glued to a foam backing...that glue can release quite easy with heat...and no way to re-glue that back up with out removal that I am aware of.

I mix my APC at 10 to 1 water to APC..if you come across a stain that is not coming up...then increase the strength of the APC some


For the loose hair as suggested...lint brush or a brush attachment on a shop vac
 
Sorry...I forgot about this thread.

Thanks for the tips. :bigups The lint roller took a few passes but it got 90% of the hair out. I'll have to try the APC tip when I get home.
 
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