Last Updated on June 18, 2023 by Chase Manhattan
Stains on the car roof often go unnoticed until the situation gets very bad. Do you see any stains on the roof of your car? It’s best to treat it before it gets worse. How to clean stains out of car roof?
- Spray a cleaner on the headliner.
- Scrub with a soft brush.
- Wipe away with a microfiber cloth.
- Let it dry.
Think about it, you don’t really look at the roof of your car. While you are driving you are focused on what’s in front of you. Also, you focus on the fine details of the interior instead of the roof. So, minor stains on the car roof are hard to notice.
Most car owners notice that there is something wrong with the headliner once it gets baggy or when there is a big water stain.
Here’s a complete guide on how to get rid of stains out of the car roof.
[How to Get Leaf Stains out of Car Paint]
Quick Navigation
Why Is There A Water Stain On My Car Roof
This may sound obvious but the source of the water stain on your headliner is probably water. Somehow, water has penetrated the headliner on your car.
Usually what happens is that the ceiling has a leak. So, when it rains or when you wash your car, little droplets of water penetrate into the headliner.
In time, these droplets will accumulate in a pool which will result in a big water stain on your car’s roof.
Water can get on your headliner through the car’s windows as well. Try to remember if you left your car’s windows open when it was raining. If so, that’s how water may have gotten on the headliner.
Weather conditions are not always the reason why a water stain forms on the headliner. In some cases, some of the passengers spill a drink on the headliner.
Find out how the water stain formed on your headliner before doing anything else. If there’s a leak on the ceiling, you need to fix that because you will get a stain again and again.
Before getting to the cleaning make sure that the headliner is not hanging loose from the ceiling. If the attachment is damaged from the water the headliner will hang.
In that case, you will have to repair the headliner before cleaning it.
[How To Remove Mold From Car Window Seals]
How To Clean The Headliner In A Car
There are several methods you can try to clean the headliner in a car. All of these are easy enough to do, but some of them require you to buy some dedicated cleaners.
Look at the ways you can clean a car’s headliner and decide what best suits you.
[Related Article: How To Remove Mold From Car Interior]
Using An Interior Cleaner
Most of the time, the stain will be easy to remove using just a textile cleaner for the car interior. These products usually come in spray bottles.
They can be used to clean everything made from textile in your car’s interior. You can clean the seats as well.
- Vacuum the headliner.
First, you need a surface clean of dust or any other particles that may damage the headliner. - Spray some of the cleaners on the headliner.
- Let the cleaner sit for 3-4 minutes.
At this time, the cleaner will act on the stain and lift any dirt off the headliner. - Scrub with a bristle brush over the stain.
Thoroughly scrub over the stain. Here, you are making sure you are getting the cleaner inside the headliner’s material. - Wipe away with a microfiber cloth.
Wipe away the foam you made by scrubbing. If you have a vacuum cleaner that can vacuum liquids, it’s better to vacuum the headliner. - Let it dry.
Using A Stain Remover
If the stain is not made out of the water and it’s hard to get rid of, you need to use a stronger cleaner.
There are dedicated upholstery cleaners for removing stains from the car’s interior. You will still have to use an interior cleaner on the entire headliner though.
- Vacuum the headliner.
Again, this is a prepping step that you must take. - Read the instructions on the stain remover.
Each stain remover is used differently, so just follow the instructions. - Apply the stain remover.
- Clean the entire headliner to avoid discoloring.
[Does AutoZone Replace Headlights?]
Deep Cleaning
The absolute best way to clean the headliner on your car is to take it to a car detailer. This includes getting rid of stains as well.
Although using a dedicated cleaner can be effective, sometimes it’s just not enough to get rid of the stain.
Also, your car’s headliner may not have a stain anymore but it looks kind of weird. That’s when you deep clean it.
Deep cleaning a car’s headliner will result in a squeaky clean look. Your car’s heading will look like it’s brand-new.
I recommend deep cleaning the entire interior but you can just clean the headliner. It depends on how dirty the rest of the interior is.
Deep cleaning is done with a steam cleaner. The steam cleaner will accumulate hot droplets of water that will act on any stains.
Doing this requires a lot of equipment that not everyone has. If you don’t have the required equipment, you will have to take your car to a professional car detailer.
[Related Article: 11 Clever Tips To Wash And Polish My Car Interior Fully]
Related Questions And Other FAQs
How Do You Get Old Stains Out Of Car Roof
You can remove stains out of the car roof using a dedicated cleaner for textile in the car interior or a dedicated stain remover. Depending on the stain, you may need to use something stronger. The most effective way is to take your car to a car detailer.
Can You Get Water Stains Out Of Sunroof Cover
It depends on whether the cover can be washed. Check out the manual or the washing instructions for the cover. If the sunroof cover can be washed, you can try using some dedicated cleaner for fabrics.
Can You Shampoo A Car’s Headliner
It’s not recommended to shampoo a car’s headliner. You can easily damage the attachment to the ceiling. It’s best to use a dedicated cleaner or go to a car detailer.
