Picture the scene: you own a convertible and it has finally happened. You have bird muck or tree pollen on your roof. You are unsure how best to remove it without damaging the material. Well, in this blog, we will help you to remove stains from your convertible top. You will find that it is easy to efficiently remove marks using the correct products.
Contents:
- How to protect your hood and prevent marks
- Removing marks from convertible roofs
- The knack for getting rid of extra-tough marks
- General pointers for cleaning convertible tops
- Summary – the essentials of marks on convertible roofs
Avoiding marks before they happen: how to effectively protect your hood
Prevention is better than cure. And that applies to convertible hoods, too. Ideally, when you are parking, you should avoid risk spots for things like bird muck, green staining and Saharan dust. The best place to park is in a garage, though a carport also provides some protection. If you don’t have these options, then a shelter can be helpful. You can buy pack-down garages, but a standard cover is actually sufficient. Prevention is therefore the most effective way to keep your convertible roof stain free and looking lovely for as long as possible. When we think about preventing marks on convertible roofs, another question inevitably comes up: should you use a protectant? Protectants provide convertible roofs with a kind of protective film that repels the dirt. However, applying chemicals is not the starting point or the only option for preventing marks. You can dig further into the subject of protectants in our blog post: Using protectants on cabriolet hoods – what to watch out for.
Removing marks from convertible roofs
Even with sufficient preventive measures, marks still sometimes appear on convertible roofs. After all, convertibles come to life on the open road, not hiding under a cover or in the garage. The usual culprits in roof damage are birds and dirt particles in the air. If a convertible is parked, without a cover, under a pollen-shedding, bird-filled tree, the roof may quickly become dirty. Before taking action, it is time to analyse the situation. Is the dirt in specific places or is it spread across a large area? Both cases require action as soon as possible to give the dirt as little chance as possible to really stick. If the dirt affects a large area, head straight to an automatic car wash. Take a look at this blog post to find out to watch out for when using automatic car washes: Convertibles and car washes – what to watch out for.
If your convertible top has a mark in one area, then hand cleaning is recommended. When removing dirt, the important thing is not to damage the roof further so only use lukewarm water and a soft brush.
The knack for getting rid of extra-tough marks
Most of us have seen a convertible roof with green patches or bird muck spatters. This problem gets worse if the response is not fast enough. The longer these substances are left, the more they stick to the fibres. If this has already happened, then water alone will not be enough. In these cases, you can help it along with a little readily available, alkali-free delicates wash powder. Afterwards, rinse the convertible roof with generous quantities of fresh water so that further dirt cannot stick to the detergent residue. It is best not to use aggressive cleaning agents as they can cause permanent damage to the canvas roof.
General pointers for cleaning convertible tops
Any brushes or wash mitts should not be too stiff, as this can affect the fabric hood. You should only use a pressure washer with extreme caution. The hose end of the pressure washer must not come too close to the fabric during cleaning. Once you have finished cleaning the roof, you should ideally leave your car to stand in the sun for a while so that the hood can fully dry. If a damp fabric roof is opened, the moisture can create a microclimate that fosters mould growth. Ugly water marks can also form when wet convertible tops are folded up and kept in the hood compartment for longer period.
Summary – the essentials of marks on convertible roofs
A good convertible roof is low maintenance. It will only need cleaning when dirt is visible. The first step is to prevent dirt on your convertible roof by protecting your car from the elements using a physical barrier – a garage, carport or cover. If the fabric is already dirty then it is best to remove the substance using a soft brush and warm water, adding in alkali-free delicates wash powder if required.
If you still have questions that were not answered in this blog, please do contact us any time.