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Topic: Cleaning the ceiling headliner?? (Read 2236 times) previous topic - next topic

Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Hello Dear Forum,

I know I have seen this topic before and I searched and can't find the answer. We have stains and dark marks particularly around the air conditioning units on the ceiling. Jerry was thinking a steam cleaner may do the trick. Anyone with success in cleaning the headliner? This would be for a 1995 U240 Unihome. TIA! 
Coleen Elkins
Former 95 U240
One retired husband &
two Border Collies Isabelle and Katlyn

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #1 –
Coleen, I assume you have a cloth type headliner. I talked to Foretravel a while back, they said a steam furnature cleaning machine would work just fine. However I have not tried it yet. I say any cloth furnature or carpet cleaning product would work as well.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #2 –
Just be very careful using very hot water and too much water. Both could damage the adhesive holding the carpet in place. My suggestion is to try turpentine or paint thinner on a white terrycloth rage, again being careful not to wet out the ceiling carpet with the solvent. Use it sparingly on the cleaning rag. On large stains, start at the outside of the stain and work your way inward. Wipe the area often with a white terry cloth rag to remove any excess solvent.

I really recommend hiring a commercial carpet and upholstery cleaner. The price should be reasonable and the outcome guaranteed. 
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #3 –
Somewhere in the paperwork we have from Foretravel they recommend this product for the ceiling. We have used it with good results.

Regards, Mark

Stain Extinguisher-C198-12 at The Home Depot
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #4 –
Headliners are glued in place and if ceiling is porous cloth, anything applied to the surface can loosen or dissolve the glue if the wrong solution is used. Seems that steam could do damage. We have cleaned our cloth ceiling with ChemDry.

Cleaning dirt line in drop ceiling between lights

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #6 –

My Wife and I rented a rug doctor with the upholstery hand tool.Cleaned the head liner with the hand tool and then did the carpet with the rug doctor. every thing looks good even got the black out around the AC vents. Gam
joseph gambaro
1999 U295 36'

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #7 –
We've had success with the following:  put hot water in a spray bottle and spray the stained area, then spray "Awesome"  Concentrate full strength, scrub with bristle brush, vacuum with shop vac.
Awesome is available at any dollar store.
David in VA
1994 Unihome Grand Villa U280

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #8 –
Good morning Coleen I have a 94 U280 probably with the same headliner. My suggestion is call Terand Industries in Florida, ask for a distributor in your area that sells a product that they make called Carpet Cleaner & Deodorizer. It is the Good Earth Line, Product #27618 and works well on soot or carbon, pet stains body oils,grease and especially on water stains. The application is easy. It's a foaming aerosol. Spray it on, gently move it around with a rag or sponge and allow the bio-enzymatic action to penetrate the fabric. When it's dry vacuum. Sometimes certain area's require another application.  I have been using it for many years and think it's the greatest.
Michael

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #9 –

The Terand Industries product (Carpet Cleaner and Deoderizer) is available from Amazon; but only by the case for about $58 (plus shipping but probably no tax). You might need a case anyway. Terand seems have a lot of interesting products that FT people might be interested in.

Here's the Amazon link: Amazon.com: Terand Carpet Cleaner & Deodorizer - Dry Foam (Case of 12 Cans):

And a link to the "Aerosol Store" which is one of Terand's distributors and has a list of Terand products:
Aerosol Store - Terand Industries, Inc.

Craig

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #10 –
We have used the dollar store carpet cleaner with a couple of towels and a spray bottle. Have also tried Safeway type carpet machine liquid. Both low foaming. Just in front of the top of the fridge and close to the air conditioner outlets seem to be the worst areas. Pull air conditioner trim off to get all the dirt. Usually spray, use one towel to clean and the other to dry. Works well for us. We do have the later carpet type material rather than the vinyl on the little earlier models. Water leaks/stains may require more work, usually inside the overhead compartments.
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #11 –
We purchased and used the Bissell Little Green Proheat portable deep cleaner. Worked like a charm. I made the cleaning solution a bit stronger in problem areas. Great for occasional touch ups too!!!!
The selected media item is not currently available.Bob & Faith Rozek
1997 U320 40'
Xtreme Remodel
2010 Scion XD

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #12 –
Slightly off subject but I found a heavy duty Bissel Carpet Machine at a thrift store for about $15. Has a really long hose and excellent sprayer/vacuum. Using it with commercial carpet cleaner does a great job on the floor and spot jobs on the sofa/chairs. Excellent for big dog fur. Could use it on a really dirty carpet type headliner as the vacuum sucks the water/cleaner mix out leaving it only slightly wet.
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #13 –
I've been unappreciative of my vinyl headliner until reading this thread.
Dwayne Keith
1992 U240
3116/MD3060

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #14 –
I had reasonable success using the hand wand on our Bissell carpet cleaner. I used a bit of Resolve stain remover. I removed the registers and cleaned them with the dishes in the dishwasher in the S&B house.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Coleen –
Hello Dear Forum,

I know I have seen this topic before and I searched and can't find the answer. We have stains and dark marks particularly around the air conditioning units on the ceiling. Jerry was thinking a steam cleaner may do the trick. Anyone with success in cleaning the headliner? This would be for a 1995 U240 Unihome. TIA! 

I had a couple of areas on my headliner and I was told to use Tilex grout and mold cleaner with a clean white clothe by Derek at MOT a while back which worked well.  The black mark was from a water leak and while at Xtreme I asked Rance to check the roof and he repaired a problem where the water was coming in. 
Tony Pasquale
SOLD....
'99 U295 36'
WTFE, 04/99, #5572
Toad: 2020 Equinox

Re: Cleaning the ceiling headliner??

Reply #16 –
I had the same stains at the a/c and found a good strong vacuum removed 90% , turned out to be mostly dust.worth a try.
Mitch
'93 U300 40' Grand Villa, 6V92 w/retarder