A convertible is a lot of fun and, as a convertible owner, you know that better than anyone. You are also aware that a convertible needs maintenance
and that this is not just limited to everything under the bonnet. The adjustable top of your convertible also needs maintenance.
That's why you should clean and impregnate the hood or soft top regularly. Use special products that will make your hood look like new again. Simply do it yourself, in three easy steps.
Why are there three steps?
Because you want to clean the convertible fabric thoroughly, of course, and this requires care and a little patience. Especially when removing green build-up from a convertible top or other fabrics. Naturally, you don't just want to remove grime. You also want to prevent new grime from attaching itself and to have a good waterproof hood again. You can manage all this by following the three steps below:
- Step: Clean Convertible top with Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo
- Step 2: remove heavy dirt with Power Cleaner
- Step: Impregnate convertible top with Sprayhood & Tent Protector
Simple and easy to do yourself. Before we go into these steps in further detail, we will first explain a number of cleaning methods that you should not use. As we have said, fabrics are sensitive. Not every cleaning product is suitable for cleaning the hood of your convertible.
What shouldn't you do?
Wash a convertible top in a car wash
Almost every car can go through the car wash. Don't even think about doing it! This is unwise in the case of convertibles, even if the hood is still waterproof. A special car wash for convertibles is not a good idea either. This is ill-advised because:
Leakages occur.
The different layers of the fabric are glued with an adhesive that is sensitive to some cleaning agents.
Coating gets damaged.
The coating used to treat the outside of the fabric wears off in a car wash.
The rear window may break.
The plastic rear window of a convertible can easily be damaged in a car wash.
Convertible top cleaning with green soap
You sometimes hear convertible lovers and owners giving the following piece of advice: just clean it with green soap. DON'T DO IT!
Green soap is fairly aggressive and, above all, a little greasy. This combination makes it unsuitable as an agent for cleaning fabric. Because of this greasy substance, it is difficult to rinse out. As a result, it affects the quality of the fabric.
However, almost as annoying is the fact that a greasy fabric attracts and holds grime. In short: just forget about the green soap and instead use cleaning agents that actually are suitable for the job at hand and follow our three-step guide.
What should you do?
Avoid dirt!
In general, it is easier to remove superficial grime than stubborn grime and build-up. That's why you should avoid stubborn grime with the following steps:
- Briefly clean the top after each trip
- If possible, do not park under trees
- Regularly impregnate the hood
- Store the convertible under a carport or, better still, in a garage
Impregnating a convertible top
The most important function of a top is, of course, to keep out precipitation. Many people don't know this, but in a technical sense, the fabric of a convertible top or tent canvas is not waterproof.
In fact, it is more water-repellent. This water-repellent effect must be maintained and for this you need to impregnate the fabric.
Waterproofing a convertible top is not the only benefit that comes from a good impregnating agent. Grime is also less likely to attach itself to a well impregnated fabric.
This is important to know! Impregnation only works properly on a clean hood. That's why you should always make sure the hood is clean and dry before impregnating it.
See also our three-step guide for the right agents and order of treatment. Cleaning and impregnating a convertible top should be done in the following order and preferably in quick succession, so that you are impregnating the top when it's at its cleanest. This will give the best results.
Clean the convertible top with a suitable brush
The right choice of brush can make all the difference when cleaning a convertible top. For this purpose, use a firm, but not too hard, brush, preferably one with split ends.
Clean the fabric with long, round movement without using too much pressure. This will allow you to see whether the brush is perhaps too hard. The brush is doing a good job if, after use, it is a little grimy and this grime can be washed off with ordinary washing-up liquid.
3 Steps Convertible top cleaning and impregnation instructions
It is best to clean a convertible top with suitable agents and in the right order. We will help you to do this with the following step-by-step guide. Just follow these steps carefully and the hood of your convertible will soon be like new again.
Step 1: Use Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo to clean the convertible top.
- Use lukewarm water and a suitable brush to pre-rinse the fabric.
- Apply Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo to a damp cloth.
- This time, brush a little more firmly and spread with the sprayer.
- Allow the shampoo to soak in for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse and brush at the same time until both shampoo and grime have been rinsed away.
- Now give the fabric time to dry thoroughly.
- Is grime still visible? Then continue with step 2.
Step 2: Remove stubborn grime with Power Cleaner.
- Apply Power Cleaner and rub in with a soft brush. You can use a plant sprayer for this purpose.
- Leave the Power Cleaner to work for about an hour. Is there still grime visible? Then repeat this step as often as necessary.
- Rinse the fabric thoroughly.
- Now give the fabric time to dry thoroughly.
Step 3: Waterproofing the convertible top with Sprayhood & Tent Protector.
- Apply this agent generously to both the outside and inside of the hood.
- In doing so, avoid the windows and varnish. What if the agent gets here anyway? Then remove it immediately with a damp cloth. What if it's already been there for quite a while? Then take it off with a little benzene.
- Now give the fabric time to dry thoroughly.
- Repeat the above steps at least once for optimal results.
- Finally, clean the windows with Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo.
