How to clean the ceiling in a car with your own hands without streaks using improvised means at home

If you need to wash the ceiling upholstery in your car, it is advisable to use the services of car dealership professionals. If you want to do this yourself, study the information on how to clean the ceiling in a car with your own hands to avoid accidental damage to property.

Causes of soiled ceiling upholstery

The main culprits behind vehicle interior pollution are:

• Restlessness of young children. Kids cannot sit still quietly and do not yet understand that they need to be clean. Therefore, after a trip, you can find traces of fingers smeared in chocolate, food, juice.
• Placing dirty cargo in the back seat, resting on the top of the car.
• Smoking of the driver or passengers. Cigarette smoke settles on the surface, its smell is absorbed by the casing.
• Traveling with the windows slightly open . Dust and other particles enter the interior.

If you have a habit of smoking in your car, clean the upholstery regularly even if there are no visible stains, as it will become more and more difficult to remove ingrained odor over time.

Ceiling lifehacks

• Look in the directory or check with the seller for the material of the headliner. When choosing a detergent, be guided by this information.
• Use budget cleaners. They can handle basic stains like chocolate, coffee or juice. Adding washing powder or stain remover will enhance the effect.
• On the eve of general cleaning, test detergents on an inconspicuous area of ​​the upholstery. It will show all the flaws without risking your image.
• Soft microfiber cloths are suitable for cleaning the ceiling. If you use a rough brush, the upholstery will become tattered. A towel that is too soft can leave lint on other surfaces, which will become immediately noticeable.
• Only a vacuum cleaner with this function is suitable for washing. The usual one will separate the upholstery from the ceiling and will require reupholstery.
• If the car ceiling is removable, it should be washed outside the car. The washing procedure is the same as below. The only note is that you can return it to its place only after it has completely dried.

Using the Tornador cleaning gun

Recommendations for high-quality cleaning of car ceiling trim

The effect of dry cleaning a car ceiling with your own hands depends not only on whether you chose the right product, but also on whether you followed the subtleties of the process. Experts give the following tips on how to remove dirt without harming the upholstery:

1. Assess material wear before cleaning. Press with your finger. If it straightens quickly - low, if slowly - high, there is a possibility of its disconnection. In the latter situation, wash extremely carefully.
2. Test the cleaning agent in an area that is hidden from view, such as behind a sun visor. You may have made the wrong choice. It's better to find out about this before you waste a lot of time washing.
3. Use warm water. At temperatures up to 40℃, contaminants are removed more efficiently and less liquid is required.
4. Choose one direction of movement when cleaning. This will avoid changes in shade and missing spots.

Try not to use folk remedies or universal household chemicals to clean delicate surfaces. Buy formulations that are suitable specifically for your material.

What not to do when cleaning a car ceiling

Don't make these mistakes:

• Do not press hard on the canvas , trying to rub off the stain. It is the cleaning solution that does the work, not the rag or brush.
• Don't overdo it with water. Most upholstery materials absorb moisture, then take a long time to dry, and can sag or even peel off.
• Do not finish drying prematurely. If the fabric remains wet, it will grow mold.
• Do not apply too much cleaner. Many of them do not allow you to see the result instantly; you need to process it and wait a little.
• Do not clean the car ceiling with hard brushes. Rough pile will leave scratches, stains, and pellets will form.
• Do not allow the cleaning composition to dry out. If you don’t wash it off in time, a stain that is difficult to remove will remain at the treatment site.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner with high power. The ceiling covering is delicate and can tear or peel off under pressure. This can only be corrected by re-plating.

What you need to prepare to clean your car ceiling

You will need:

1. Several microfiber towels to clean surface dirt.
2. Upholstery cleaner. If it is sold in a bottle without a sprayer, pour it into another container that has this device.
3. A soft brush to target more stubborn stains.
4. Low-power vacuum cleaner with upholstery attachment - simple or special car.

Also prepare a place to work - it should have sufficient lighting so that all defects on the ceiling of the car can be clearly seen. If you wash in the garage, open the windows for ventilation so as not to breathe in chemical compounds.

Drying

Chemical cleaning of the ceiling part is completed by drying. Carry out in a warm room or outside. There is only one way to dry the car ceiling well: by opening the windows, doors and trunk. If you don't dry it, close everything and put it in the garage, a damp smell will appear.

For drying, use a construction or regular hair dryer. The main thing is not to touch plastic elements and glass. Dry carefully, directing hot air only to the material. In this way, you cannot dry ceilings made of natural and artificial leather. The hair dryer is only suitable for fabric surfaces.

Chemical cleaning of the car ceiling at home is more economical. But it is not always possible to return the casing to its previous appearance on your own. If you contact a car service, the ceiling will be cleaned with a washing vacuum cleaner and special compounds.

What to pay attention to before washing

You must know exactly what material the ceiling cladding is made of and what the nature of the contamination is. The choice of cleaning agent, consumables and washing technology depends on this information.

Upholstery texture

The ceiling in a car is usually made of a frame, panels, which are covered with decorative material:

• natural or artificial leather;
• Alcantara;
• velor;
• flock;
• carpet

Having found out exactly what the top of your car is covered with, take a detergent composition that is suitable specifically for such a coating, then the effect will be much better.

Nature of pollution

All-purpose cleaners tackle a variety of stains. But there are complex stains that may require the use of strong stain removers.

Cleaning accessories

The main tools for washing the ceiling in a car are brushes and rags. The former should not damage the skin, and the latter should not leave fluff on it.

In addition to these devices, cleaning the ceiling of a car with your own hands can be done using the following equipment:

• Household, car or washing vacuum cleaner . Set the power to minimum, use a nozzle with soft bristles, and do not press it close to the upholstery. The device removes dust and tiny particles of dirt. Detergent to cope with medium stains.
• Tornador is a device for dry cleaning vehicle interiors. It removes almost any stain, but a lot depends on the chosen cleaner.
• Steam generator . Use with a brush equipped with soft bristles or a cloth cover. Set it to minimum power mode. Removes light and medium defects, softens old spots.
• Mini high pressure washer . Use with a special brush for washing car interiors, set the pressure to low. In combination with high-quality chemistry, it will clean off various types of dirt.

The choice of tools depends on the severity of the problem. In some cases, it is enough to walk with a towel, in others you cannot do without heavier artillery.

How to clean the ceiling in a car without streaks at home

The main role in cleaning is assigned to the purifier. If its quality is low, then no devices or efforts will help.

What is the best product to choose for dry cleaning the ceiling in a car?

Select the composition depending on what the ceiling cladding is made of. Cleaning components that are optimal for one coating can cause harm to another.

Table 1. Recommended products for cleaning car ceilings.

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Home Remedies

It is not worth cleaning the car ceiling using traditional methods, for example, with a soap solution - you will aggravate the problem or you will not see any results. The only situation where you can use improvised substances from home is greasy stains.

You can remove it locally without damaging the coating with a mixture of 9% vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:3. Soak a microfiber cloth in the solution and lightly wipe the contaminated area.

Often, after cleaning the interior yourself, a specific smell remains. Home remedies can also help remove it, for example, air freshener or spraying essential oil. Just don’t aim directly at the ceiling, just spray into the air.

What should you not clean?

When choosing what you can use to wash the ceiling in your car, immediately note the following products:

• Solvents, gasoline, diesel fuel, acetone, kerosene. They are often used to remove greasy, stubborn stains. But they are not suitable for delicate interior materials, as they corrode the paint and adhesive of the upholstery, contain toxic substances, and take a long time to weather.
• Soap. The soap solution is strongly absorbed into the upholstery of the car, leaving behind stains, and its effectiveness is low.
• Chlorine bleach . It cleans stubborn stains well on white surfaces, but is too aggressive for many materials and can destroy the adhesive base and leave light areas.
• Isopropyl alcohol. It perfectly removes greasy, old stains, but is not recommended for car ceilings because it dissolves glue.

Don't take risks using these products. After all, new cladding will be many times more expensive.

Preparatory work

Before cleaning the car interior, it must be thoroughly prepared for the process.

Necessary:

1. Turn off the engine and refrain from using the car's audio system. Wet cleaning will short out the wiring.
2. Carry out dry cleaning of the seats, floors, rear shelf and dashboard, and not just the ceiling.
3. It is recommended to vacuum the interior. An air compressor will come in handy. Gets to hard-to-reach places.

The preparatory work has been completed. It's time to clean the ceiling.

Surface cleaning steps

Before cleaning the ceiling of your car, take care to protect the interior - cover the seats, panels, and controls with waterproof oilcloth.

Stage 1. Dry cleaning

Remove surface dust from the ceiling with wipes or vacuum. Even if you don't see it, it's still there. Do not neglect this stage, otherwise dust will manifest itself when applying the detergent composition and will negatively affect its effect.

Stage 2. Wet cleaning

Direct washing with the cleaner is carried out in accordance with the instructions for use of the product . For example, if it is foamy, apply it to the coating, wait a little and rub in with a soft brush. The foam will change its color before your eyes, picking up dirt.

Stage 3. Washing off the solution

Remove the cleaning liquid with a damp foam sponge. Repeat until it stops getting dirty, that is, the composition is completely removed from the ceiling. Move in one direction.

Some drivers begin to wash off copiously with water. This is a big mistake. Due to the large amount of moisture, the canvas will begin to peel off, and bubbly, uneven areas will form.

Stage 4. Drying

Wipe the surface with dry wipes; they will remove excess moisture. Open the windows and doors in the car and let the ceiling dry naturally. It is not recommended to use blowing or heating, as this may adversely affect the condition of the upholstery.

Cleaning the surface with a steam generator

A steam cleaner cleans with hot steam. Wrap the nozzle in microfiber and treat the cloth. The steam flow will lift dust and dirt from the surface, and the fabric will absorb it all. It is advisable to use the device only for difficult-to-remove stains.

When working, do not allow the material to overheat, otherwise the adhesive base will weaken and the car ceiling will sag.

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Removing particularly difficult stains

Greasy, ingrained defects must be eliminated before washing the ceiling in the car. Use special stain removers for car interiors. Pre-test the solution on an invisible area of ​​the cladding, since such potent products have an aggressive composition and can damage the coating.

Step by step instructions

You don't have to do all the work at once. Break the ceiling cleaning into stages. The principle is to move from the windshield to the rear. In order to protect interior elements from splashing, it is better to cover them with film or other material that will not allow liquids to get on sensitive fabrics and the instrument panel.

1. Although cleaning is called wet, it is preceded by a dry stage. Use a dry microfiber cloth to remove traces of dust and soot that have appeared on the surface during the reporting period. Remember the rules for combing pile fabric.
2. Next, a cleaning agent is applied to the upholstery. Distribute it evenly over the entire surface. Remove any excess. Significantly facilitate the packaging process with a spray bottle. Or use a clean cloth made of the same microfiber.
3. The cleaner will dissolve stains in 3-5 minutes. Now you need to carefully rinse off the solution. Proceed delicately so as not to destroy the fabric structure.
4. To wash off the solution, use a washing vacuum cleaner. Microfiber and cotton towels are alternatives. The fabric is pre-moistened in clean water and then lightly wrung out before wiping.
5. After removing the detergent, the ceiling should be dried. Now all that remains is to mark the date of the next procedure on the calendar.

Comparison of dirty and clean ceilings