How to Clean Your Car's Headliner

Expert automotive detailer Larry Kosilla shares his tips on handling this delicate task.

Bob Sorokanich | 

May 6, 2024 | 3 min read

Larry Kosilla

The upholstery covering the interior of your car's roof, called the headliner, is meant to go unnoticed. But if you have stains, smudges, or splatters, they probably catch your eye. These cleaning tips from a professional detailer can help you get it looking factory fresh.

Headliners Are Delicate and Require Special Handling

"A headliner is not the same as carpet or seats," said Larry Kosilla, a professional car detailer who teaches detailing techniques on YouTube and founded AMMO NYC, which makes high-end car detailing products. "It's made of very short fibers, much different from carpets, where you can be a little more aggressive."

The upholstery on a car's ceiling is delicate and held in place by a thin layer of glue. It can pull apart if it's handled incorrectly. Once a headliner starts sagging, there's really no remedy other than taking the whole thing down and re-gluing it, a chore that involves major disassembly of your car's interior trim.

Step Away From the All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

Kosilla said there are three things that are sure to ruin your headliner: aggressive scrubbing, strong detergents, and over-soaking.

"All-purpose cleaner is what people usually grab from under the sink, and that's the Achilles heel of headliners," Kosilla said. "The super, super high pH and the other additives are designed to remove greases and oils, but what it also does is remove the glue."

Many companies sell cleaners designed specifically for headliners. But you can also make a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and water, and apply it with a microfiber towel.

"You put a little bit on the towel, and you blot, blot, blot the area," Kosilla said. By blotting instead of spraying the headliner, you reduce the risk of over-soaking, which can damage the glue behind the fabric.

If the vinegar blot isn't working, you might need to get slightly more aggressive. Kosilla recommended using a new, unused paint brush with soft bristles to gently agitate the stained area. Spray or dip the brush in your cleanser or vinegar mix and lightly scrub the headliner.

"Go back and forth and up and down. The idea is to be incredibly gentle. Try not to do circles," since a circular motion can braid the short fibers of the headliner upholstery into tiny little knots, Kosilla said. "You'll form a twist, and you can't really undo that."

It's a Tedious Job, but Resist the Temptation to Take Shortcuts

If you need to clean your entire headliner — perhaps a soda exploded all over it — the method is the same.

"You would repeat the steps that I just said on the entire area, which is long and annoying," Kosilla said.

Unfortunately, that slow and steady process is the only way to avoid over-soaking the headliner glue. As tedious as this process may be, resisting the temptation to take an appliance-assisted shortcut is important.

"Notice I didn't say anything about vacuuming," Kosilla said, "If you start vacuuming, you'll suck the fabric off the glue."

If all this blotting and brushing still hasn't done the trick, it might be time to call in an expert, because the only thing worse than a stained headliner is a droopy, detached headliner.

Bob Sorokanich

Bob Sorokanich is a car-obsessed journalist and editor who manages to maintain an old Mini Cooper and a love affair with automobiles while living in New York City. When he's not thinking about cars, he's riding his motorcycle, and when he's not riding his motorcycle, he's anticipating his next joy ride.