3 Tips For Keeping Your Convertible Top In Good Shape
Owning a convertible is a great and fun experience, but the downside to this is that the convertible top can often experience a lot of wear and tear over the years that can cause it to degrade at a much faster rate than the rest of the vehicle. Listed below are three steps you can take to keep your convertible top in good shape.
Use The Right Cleaning Products
One of the most important steps you can take to keep your convertible top looking as nice as possible is to use the right cleaning products when washing the top. For example, it is absolutely vital that you do not use a cleaner that is designed for use on a vinyl top on a cloth convertible roof. The reason for this is that the chemicals used in the vinyl top cleaner are going to be much more abrasive than those used for a cloth top, which means that using a vinyl cleaner on a cloth roof can lead to substantial damage and degradation to the cloth roof.
In addition, make sure that you use the right brush when handwashing your convertible roof. Make sure that you never use a metal bristled cleaning brush on the roof of your convertible top is that will leave scratches in tears and the material. Instead, make sure that you purchase a soft-bristled car cleaning glove or brush that is unlikely to cause any damage to the roof during the cleaning process.
Don't Lower The Roof When It Is Wet
Another tip to make sure that your convertible top stays in good shape is to make sure that you do not lower the roof when it is wet. Sure, it may be tempting to jump into your car and put the top down for a nice drive after the rain has stopped, but lowering a wet roof is a good way to cause mold and mildew to develop on it. The reason for this is that when you lower a with the roof into the storage compartment, you are trapping all of that moisture in a confined space with the roof, which the perfect breeding ground for both mold and mildew.
Avoid Manipulating The Roof In The Winter
Finally, you will want to make sure that you do not manipulate the roof in the winter until the roof has had time to warm up a bit. The reason for this is that the materials that are often used in convertible tops are the types of materials that will often shrink in the cold.
As a result, if you lower a cold roof and then attempt to place the roof back up before it has had a chance to warm up, it could very easily tear due to how much it may have shrunk as a result of the cold. In order to avoid this, consider leaving the roof up throughout the entire winter or allowing the roof to sit in the storage compartment for a while in order to let it heat up and expand so that it can be latched back into place without using unnecessary force or tearing the fabric or vinyl.
Contact an auto body shop or upholstery specialist, such as Westside Upholstery, today to discuss what you can do to keep your convertible top in the best possible shape for as long as possible. Using the right cleaning products, not lowering the roof when it is wet, and avoiding manipulating the roof in the winter are all essential ways to keep your convertible top in the best possible shape.