Cleaned Headliner - Now water stains?!?!

[SX4DUDE2013]

So I have a 2013 Dodge dart. Got the headliner dirty so I cleaned it with some water and APC. Blotted and let it dry. Tried again the next day with distilled water with some white vinegar. The water stains are still there.

How do I remove them? The dirt stains are gone but now Im left with water puddles on the white/cream colored headliner. Any ideas????

[GuessWho530]

Re: Cleaned Headliner - Now water stains?!?!

I would suggest trying steam. Any steam machine with a removable nozzle should work, but move quickly so that it won't damage the adhesive and will less likely blot up with water stain.

[BlackHawk]

Re: Cleaned Headliner - Now water stains?!?!

So I have a 2013 Dodge dart. Got the headliner dirty so I cleaned it with some water and APC. Blotted and let it dry. Tried again the next day with distilled water with some white vinegar. The water stains are still there.

How do I remove them? The dirt stains are gone but now Im left with water puddles on the white/cream colored headliner. Any ideas????

Is this a case where you removed the color/dye of the headliner? Maybe clean the entire headliner so it all matches if you know what I mean. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it may be an option. Wait until you hear from more experienced people in this forum.

[Christopher.Brown]

Re: Cleaned Headliner - Now water stains?!?!

General headliner cleaning procedure:

Water is ALWAYS a liability to a headliner, as many manufacturers use "low cost" adhesive to bind the headliner to the roof. In the past headliners were constructed of very thin and porous materials, sometimes similar to the composition of a cotton t shirt. Although it seems to be more going to a vinyl type material, it can still be challenging to clean.... so handle with care

That being said one should always try to use as LITTLE moisture as possible to remove contaminants from a headliner. Also, strong chemicals will also interact with this adhesive, further weakening it.

I would recommend to ALWAYS spray whatever cleaning solution onto the microfiber cleaning cloth and then Tamping [blotting] the spot first to isolate the affected area and trap it directly into the cloth. In this way the contaminant is not transferred to a larger area, increasing the soiled area. Start with as little cleaning solution as necessary and add more if needed.

Work this method in sessions, allowing the area to dry between. EVEN if only an hour. This will allow the moisture to evaporate and will avoid any adhesive issues. Another benefit of this is that one will be able to re-evaliate the current state of the area, since everything is darkened when wet.

WHATEVER chemical you decide to use, do yourself a favor and do a small test spot ito test for color fastness in an inconspicuous area.

I would first attempt Distilled water to clean, since it doesnt impart anything to the headliner. If using APC i would use a VERY WEAK dilution, somewhere between 1:15 or 1:10 and repeat.



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thoughts on your water spot predicament:

Where are the water stains located?
Are they everywhere or in a concentrated area?
Are they from the APC areas or from the Vinegar at all?
Can you tell us the exact procedure you used to remove the dirt?

It sounds as if the APC was too strong.... do you remember the strength you used?


If you decide to use steam, place a MF towel over the ends of the steamer attachment to regulate the amount coming out as to minimize the moisture and protect the adhesive.