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How do you clean fabric on your car’s roof?

I recently bought my car from a long-time smoker and there's still some lingering odor. The other day my friend pointed out the roof was stained. I think that's where the smell is coming from. How can I clean the fabric of my car's roof?

avatar
Will Baldwin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Since smoke rises, cleaning the roof will help the smell a ton! Follow these steps and your car should smell noticeably fresher:
  • Apply a fabric or upholstery cleaner to a dry cloth. Work in small areas to avoid oversaturating the roof. Doing so will also allow you to see the stain removal process.
  • Blot stained area.
  • Let cleaner sit for at least ten minutes.
  • Blot with water to remove cleaner.
  • Let dry.
  • Check odor. If the smell persists, repeat the steps.
Should the fabric dry and the odor remain, consider taking your car to a
detailer
. They’ll have professional cleaning supplies and steamers, which can help get rid of the odor for good.
Once your roof is smelling good as new, find the
best car insurance possible
for that new car of yours.
Thankfully, the
Jerry
app makes it as easy as possible. Jerry contacts your insurance company to get the details of your current coverage, so you don’t have to scale a mountain of questions. You get all the best prices and coverage with none of the legwork. And if that company isn’t for you, Jerry can even help cancel your old policy.
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