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Soft Top Cleaning

Corpsup

New Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
8
Car
CLK230
Hi all. I have recently bought a CLK230 convertible, all good apart from the soft top that has a lot of green mould all over. I have cleaned it several times but can,t get rid of the green stains the moss has left. Is it possible to recolour the soft top. If it is, can anyone advise what product to use. It is a dark blue colour. Thanks in advace for advice.
 
What have you cleaned it with so far? There are specialist products available, although I've not used them personally. For example:

 
Renovo make a soft top colourant that’s good stuff .
Milton baby bottle tablets from the supermarket kills the green stuff .
Johnsons baby shampoo is a good gentle soft top washer
Grangers Fabsil Gold is a cheap waterproofer
 
Renovo do the full 3 part kit, which I used on the dark blue hood of my 968 cab just after I got it. Stage 1, scrub the shampoo into the soft top with a small scrubbing brush, leave a while then rinse off - hose and quite some time until the suds stop. Let the roof dry comletely. Stage 2, mask up so the colourant does not go where it should not, but have a damp cloth handy as it's thinner than water, easy to remove when wet but a PITA when dry (guess how I know). Follow the instructions to re-colour the roof, especially "do not fold the roof for at least 24 hours after application" or you will get white crease marks (again, guess how I know!!). Once roof is completely dry, stage 3, apply water proofer and allow to dry. Bit long winded but lasts well, in the 6 years after I did it I re-proofed the roof with Renovo until it ran out then Fabsil Gold which I happened to have, and it still looked good.

Been a number of threads on this subject, Renovo and Autoglym stuff always get good reports, as do Milton, Johnsons baby shampoo and Fabsil Gold.
 
Renovo do the full 3 part kit, which I used on the dark blue hood of my 968 cab just after I got it. Stage 1, scrub the shampoo into the soft top with a small scrubbing brush, leave a while then rinse off - hose and quite some time until the suds stop. Let the roof dry comletely. Stage 2, mask up so the colourant does not go where it should not, but have a damp cloth handy as it's thinner than water, easy to remove when wet but a PITA when dry (guess how I know). Follow the instructions to re-colour the roof, especially "do not fold the roof for at least 24 hours after application" or you will get white crease marks (again, guess how I know!!). Once roof is completely dry, stage 3, apply water proofer and allow to dry. Bit long winded but lasts well, in the 6 years after I did it I re-proofed the roof with Renovo until it ran out then Fabsil Gold which I happened to have, and it still looked good.

Been a number of threads on this subject, Renovo and Autoglym stuff always get good reports, as do Milton, Johnsons baby shampoo and Fabsil Gold.
Great, thanks
 
Renovo do the full 3 part kit, which I used on the dark blue hood of my 968 cab just after I got it. Stage 1, scrub the shampoo into the soft top with a small scrubbing brush, leave a while then rinse off - hose and quite some time until the suds stop. Let the roof dry comletely. Stage 2, mask up so the colourant does not go where it should not, but have a damp cloth handy as it's thinner than water, easy to remove when wet but a PITA when dry (guess how I know). Follow the instructions to re-colour the roof, especially "do not fold the roof for at least 24 hours after application" or you will get white crease marks (again, guess how I know!!). Once roof is completely dry, stage 3, apply water proofer and allow to dry. Bit long winded but lasts well, in the 6 years after I did it I re-proofed the roof with Renovo until it ran out then Fabsil Gold which I happened to have, and it still looked good.

Been a number of threads on this subject, Renovo and Autoglym stuff always get good reports, as do Milton, Johnsons baby shampoo and Fabsil Gold.
Many thanks
 
I used the Renovo kit on my old Boxster wash,restain and seal did exactly what it said on the bottle brilliant stuff
 
I've an unopened bottle of Renevo ultra reproofer and one of Fabsil gold. I've read that Fabsil is a better reproofer, but shouldn't be used on glued seams.
As the CLK has a bog glued seam across the the rear of the roof, I'm nervous re the Fabsil, but as my car lives outside I want the best possible protection.

Any views Fabsil Gold vs Renevo Ultra proofer?

Just reading some more Fabsil is spirit based and Renevo water based
 
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Never used the Renovo products but they are on my to do list because I need to re-colour the roof on my 9-3. However, I have used the Fabsil stuff plenty of times and it's a good product. Haven't heard of issues with seams.

I've also used Milton fluid and got much better results than with Autoglym etc.
 
I've an unopened bottle of Renevo ultra reproofer and one of Fabsil gold. I've read that Fabsil is a better reproofer, but shouldn't be used on glued seams.
As the CLK has a bog glued seam across the the rear of the roof, I'm nervous re the Fabsil, but as my car lives outside I want the best possible protection.

Any views Fabsil Gold vs Renevo Ultra proofer?

Just reading some more Fabsil is spirit based and Renevo water based

AFAIK all Fabsil products are spirit based ... I used to treat frame tents with it and the fumes were pretty strong! But if it's specifically sold for use on car roofs (which I think it is) then it should be safe. You would also assume that glues used on soft tops would be resistant to spirit-based cleaners/proofers anyway.
 
10 years of Fabsil on the CLK roof has caused no issues . We would have heard if it ever had .
 
I've an unopened bottle of Renevo ultra reproofer and one of Fabsil gold. I've read that Fabsil is a better reproofer, but shouldn't be used on glued seams.
As the CLK has a bog glued seam across the the rear of the roof, I'm nervous re the Fabsil, but as my car lives outside I want the best possible protection.

Any views Fabsil Gold vs Renevo Ultra proofer?

Just reading some more Fabsil is spirit based and Renevo water based
I would use them both , no point leaving them in the garage . Both are good products
 
Looking at the warning on the back of Fabsil tin, I think I'll save it for less critical items.
 

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