headliner cleaning

[doug263]

Hey I have a 1988 searay 340 that the headliner is stained. It is stained where the hvac vent is. It looks like mold but I cant tell. How can I get this clean without bleaching the fabric?

Thanks again!

 

[oneillch]

Upholstery cleaning machine works great....be sure to extract all the water or you will have a water stain. If the mildew persists you can try using some tilex spray, scrub the area and remove any residual liquid with cleaning machine, but ALWAYS test it first in an area that doesn't show. You don't want bleach stains on your header. Also make sure that it's a well ventilated area....those bleach fumes can be awful on your eyes, etc...

When we bought our current boat, the headliner fabric in the forward cabin was all spotted with mildew. It was a miserable job because of the fumes, but well worth the effort.

Lady C

 

[Flutterby]

An oscillating fan, directed away from your work area, would help......

 

[BobV1]

You need to determine if it is mold/mildew or something else. The clean up procedures will be different for the type of stain. Hydrogen peroxide on a Q tip will kill mold and should not bleach the fabric. However, you should test it in an inconspicuous area. Remember you're dealing with a fabric that's over 20 years old.

If it's not mold, I would suggest you use procyon spot and stain remover. This product is an amazing stain remover.

 

[SCORPIO]

I've used a small carpet/upholstery cleaner and used Spray 9 to clean the stain and then rinsed with water and extracted with the vac of the carpet machine.