Soft Top Cleaning

[Bradford]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Elle, Around here some of the automotive trim and upholstery shops carry Raggtop products. Maybe check some of them.

[bwlewis]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Islandtime, I have purchased it from Advance Auto Parts and it's listed in the calcarcover catalogue

[Chuckster]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Elle,

If you can't find Ragg Topp products at your local stores, you can purchase on line at a number of sites. I've listed one below.
http://www.superiorcarcare.net/raggtopp.html

I've always been happy with the job the Ragg Topp protective coat does. Yesterday was the 1st time the hardtop has been off my PCR in well over a year. It was a pleasant surprise when I put the ash soft top up yesterday evening to find only a few small black spots, all of which came right off with a dry brush - thanks to the protective coat.

[islandtime]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Thanks to everyone for your help. I've searched everywhere in Tidewater and cannot find it, so on-line I go! I was just hoping to get the top cleaned before it turned cold again (this weekend). Funny thing is, if I had bought it on-line last week, I'd probably have it by now, and wouldn't have wasted all that time driving around...oh - wait - I was top-down, so I guess it wasn't a waste!!!

[SixPac]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Elle,

Wait til Frits gets to the 'White House". Present him with a gift called Ragg Topp. Then tell him to get busy cleaning the soft top on the Bird that he's driving to the TBN event in Wilmington, NC.

[islandtime]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Elle,
Wait til Frits gets to the 'White House". Present him with a gift called Ragg Topp. Then tell him to get busy cleaning the soft top on the Bird that he's driving to the TBN event in Wilmington, NC.

Not a bad idea, except that he doesn't get here until late afternoon the day before we leave...and we're leaving @ 7:00 AM!!!

NO JOKES about the fact that he'll be on European time...I need him awake when he's driving Goldi!!!

TBH - he's gonna be treated like a king when he arrives...as he should be. But yes, he'll be responsible for interim detailing during CBT!

[CVCashmere]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Bradford:

I did use your tips today on Cashmere. It did get most of the stains out and brighten the roof. Now, I am going to apply the sealant.

The bleach did scare me, but it did not damage the roof.

thanks

CVCashmere

I have a Cashmere with the Light Stone top. I had the same thing on mine. Drove me crazy, I tried everything, I tried the carwash with presoak, Raggtop Cleaner, 303, even tried Woolite. Seems like I could get some of it, dried looking nice but still visible when wet. Not long after, the spots that showed wet would start to get darker again.

I started researching, found a website of Haartz, one of the leading
makers of the cloth / canvas top material. I was able to ask the question and get help with cleaning mine. Seems it was actually mildew, all my claening was taking care of the surface mildew, but not killing it's growth in the weave of the canvas, and more visible when wet. Soon all I had killed was growing back due to not killing it down in the weave.

Their solution freaked me out. But I decided to try it because I had reached the point of replacing the top. Their soltution was mix 1/4 cup of Raggtop Cleaner, 1/2 cup of bleach, yes bleach, and 1 gallon of water. The bleach is what freaked me out. They assured me, wet the top first, sponge the cleaning solution all over, let stand for minium of 20 minutes, don't let it dry, if you need, keep sponging on to keep wet. Then rinse it throughly. It worked, I had to do a few spots a second time. My top looks like new, it even cleaned up the areas where the creases are from folding. I followed it with a good washing with the ragtop cleaner to make sure there was no beach residue left.

After it dried good, I was amazed the difference, didn't beach or change the color at all. I put several applications of the water proofing / sealant on. It looks like it did three years ago when I bought the car.

It's nerve racking to put bleach on the top, but I trusted Haartz and tried it. I would do it again if needed. I'm tryingh to be more diligent cleaning and putting on the sealent.

[bostewart]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

after seeing EDIron pictures, I know what I have to do. Great job and thread. I was pretty much done fooling with he top. Mine was a black mildew disaster right from the time I bought it It was raining like crazy and never showed it with the soft top up. Some one had put it down wet and I could not believe what I saw. I've used Rag-top the usual way but was always worried about the bleach for the. I guess I should have gone and tried it a long time ago. Your top looks just great now.

[Welker]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

This may sound like sour grapes but I had nothing but ugly stains on the sand top of my car from the first year I had it and I bought it new. The stains and misery that came with that sand top kept me reading TBN and anything I could find on T Bird sand colored tops and everything was depressing....so, I was finally gratified to finally have that old top wear out and replaced it with a black one. It looks great and gets as many complements as the car. A convertible top will need to be replaced at some point and I would recommend that it be done with black.

[bostewart]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Well I certainly can't say I blame you. If my wife had not tied me to a tree I think I would have done the same. The last time I used ragtop cleaner I let it sit on the bad areas longer but I had not seen the rag top bleach water mix. people seem to have pretty good luck with that. So be for I go and get myself divorced I better at least give it a shot. I have seen that a few cars were made with a Merlot top. I have never seen one personally wish I could find a picture. I did fine one supplier who had them but that was a while ago. I would say I'm about 99% clean of it. What is left is where the frame is putting pressure and the very back folds into the car. The original damage was horrific I mean tears in my eyes. horrific. I had no idea at the time just how hard it was going to be to get rid of. This weekend I'm going to try what EDIron
did I'll take some pics before and after. You can get fooled though sometimes it looks clean and get it wet and it pop out until it dries again so its very deep. the biggest thing is don't ever put that thing down until its bone AZ desert dry. I have the Hard top on now it had been left up and did not get any worst then it was when I cleaned it. I have also hail maried it through the no touch car wash with everything but the wax. One time it worked the next the water was old and it left a gray haze on it.

[Welker]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Bo, it isn't worth a divorce so go ahead with the bleach or whatever miracle solution you find. Mostly what you are reading here is wishful thinking. I went through the denial phases myself.....I bought and used every possible solution to the black stain problem on the sand tops. That bleach solution is as old as the problem and does not work for long.....the black comes back like a bad penny. If you talk to a new top installer with any experience he will tell you that Ford had a problem with this top from the get go and never had a solution. Some people have said it comes from leaving the top down with the hard top on. Others say it comes from dirt accumulating in the well that holds the top. Others find the bleach solution an answer but it is short term until the first rain and it will not last. If they are honest they will admit it. Get a black top. Being in denial about the problem has been the problem for a long, long time.

[bostewart]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Well I could make the bleach solution to strong and the phone rings and I take a nap and oops. Have you got a picture of yours with the black top.

[Welker]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Bo, I am completely computer illiterate but my wife is a professional photographer and I will ask her to take and send a picture. I can tell you that black makes the car look richer and bigger. I am really happy we went for black. Picture comes when I can get her rounded up to take and send it...tomorrow probably.

[bostewart]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

My sand has been a problem since I bought it. The tan I has seen before and my wife loved it. In fact its probably the only reason I was allowed to buy a play car. We usually have suburbans and trucks to haul horses and poop.
I think it will be done but not until I clear the kids out of collage in a year. I would really like to see the picture when your wife can do it so I can show mine. .

[JAB02LHS]

Re: Soft Top Cleaning

Well I could make the bleach solution to strong and the phone rings and I take a nap and oops. Have you got a picture of yours with the black top.