Thread: Cleaning the headliner

Any tips on how to clean the headliner? Prior owner smoked and it could really use a cleaning. I can vacuum it like mad, but was wondering if there was a better option.

Thanks in advace

Thanks for the help. Looks like a sore neck for Monday.

Originally Posted by ShadowSwept

I'm extremely paranoid about headliners. Saw so many sagging down to the seats while I was growing up that I won't even touch them for fear of the lining coming loose

I agree. The 80's were not a good decade for headliners.

I suppose if I'm just careful, i can get it mostly clean.

If your OCD about smoke like I am, follow this procedure:
1) remove headliner
2) install new headliner
3) done

It depends. What is more important, the wife or the car?

I think I'm in need of just buying a new one already, burn marks from jamming my cigarettes into the roof (trying to hold it while adjusting the rear view like a dumbass), and burns in the back from flooring it over a few bumps, and forgetting to actually warn the people smoking in the back.

I need to stop for the sake of my car more than anything!

I just had some water stains on the headliner after I got my windows tinted. The place I got them done at recommended cheap automotive foam window cleaner and a rag. It sounds kinda weird, but I just went all over town asking people about it and they had no faith in me getting the stains out without the headliner falling apart. The main thing is spraying the foam on the rag first and then scrubbing away on the headliner. Do not use too much as to saturate the headliner, because once you get the foam underneath wet you are doomed. The foam color seaps out onto the headliner fabric and kinda stains it. That's what happened to me and I used the foam window cleaner and it came off with some time and determination.


This is the stuff I used. It's like $4 at the local auto stores.