Jump to content

Convertible top cleaners


farnelle

Recommended Posts

I have a Reatta with a dirty vinyl top.  Have tried dawn dish soap, Blue Magic top cleaner and in one spot I tied a little 3M adhesive remover which usually works on anything.  It is spotted with what almost looks like mildew.  Anyone have any ideas?  I wonder if a vinyl top can be dyed?  Unfortunately the car has pretty high mileage and replacing the top is likely not an option since I need to sell it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Reatta with a dirty vinyl top.  Have tried dawn dish soap, Blue Magic top cleaner and in one spot I tied a little 3M adhesive remover which usually works on anything.  It is spotted with what almost looks like mildew.  Anyone have any ideas?  I wonder if a vinyl top can be dyed?  Unfortunately the car has pretty high mileage and replacing the top is likely not an option since I need to sell it. 

 

Have you tried Raggtopp?  http://www.amazon.com/Raggtopp-Convertible-Top-Care-Kit/dp/B0002KKJ1I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1436155311&sr=8-7&keywords=convertible+top+cleaner(might be available thru Ronnie's site).

 

I haven't used it for vinyl but did use it for a beige cloth top.  It did a great job removing bird poo that was 7-10 days old.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For years I have used Comet to clean the vinyl seats in my boat. Always did an excellent job. Boat is 22 years old and still has original vinyl. 

 What I would do is dilute Comet in a bucket of clear water scrub with a scrub brush and wipe down with clear water and a sponge changing the water frequently to be sure to remove all the harsh chemicals in tne Comet. Follow up with a leather conditioner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use Raggtopp on my vert and have found it wonderful on my white vinyl top.  It is a 2 step process.  The first step cleans the vinyl.  The longer you leave it on, the more it cleans.  The second is a treatment for the vinyl to keep it looking fresh.

 

If that doesn't work and the top is a white one, I'd try a diluted bleach mixture to see if it is actually mildew.  I'd test somewhere where it isn't obvious and stay away from the stitching as the bleach may rot the thread.  I use diluted bleach all the time on my RV awning which is made of vinyl and it cleans up beautifully.

 

Greg 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went thru that process several years back and tried almost everything in the house.

The first thing I did was put a cheap plastic drop cloth between the top and the car/paint.

 

Wesley's tire cleaner works extremely well but it takes some experimentation.   Diluting it with water......  try different ratios until you get results.   Start with about 30 Wesley's/ 70 water

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest my3buicks

I agree about Wesley's, I am so thankful I bought two of the big jugs years ago - I use it like it is liquid gold.  You may also want to try Purple Power, it is powerful stuff so try to keep the painted surfaces wet so it doesn't strip your wax.  I have used it on dirty conv tops with great results.  You will need to out a conditioner on the top after.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...