Best Technique For Cleaning Cabby Hood

Guys
What's the best way to clean the hood on a cabby? I have a Rivage with either a mohair or canvas hood and want to give it a clean. Is it better to use a brush or would it be too abrasive? I've got some 303 cleaner and protector but just wanted some pointers on the best way to protect the hood.

Cheers  
Leigh

Mohair I just use my wash mitt (what i use on car) always comes up gravy then just a splash of gazebo cleaner to seal it. Other than that I have no special tips!

what does anyone use to protect a vinyl roof?!

Hello.. There are products sold specially for cleaning and water proofing the mohair hoods.. Auto glym do one, but its expensive.. I never used the cleaner because to be honest, I am always a little bit cautious of how something like that may affect other areas of the car.. I am sure its perfectly safe, but I have seen so called alloy wheel cleaner dull the laquer on wheels in the past and I think that any labour saving cleaning chemical must be quite aggressive..

 So… I would start with the most gentle cleaning process and work up to a specialised cleaning fluid if necessary.. In fact you can have mine with pleasure if you need it.. Use one of those soft car cleaning brushes and warm soapy water and plenty of elbow grease.. You won't do it any harm with that, let it dry and see how it looks.. If it is a little faded, there are again products that can bring back the colour somewhat, but I would imagine they are just some kind of greasy silicone based liquid which puts a sheen back on the fibres and prevents them looking faded.. The water proofing process may improve this a little..

So.. Water proofing… Your hood is mo hair, not unlike canvas, which of course, some tents are made out of.. Camping specialists sell water proofing fluid for tents etc and from what I can gather is pretty much the same stuff that auto glym bottle up for you and charge the earth for.. So investigate that option.. If I ever do mine again, that is what I will be using.. Hope this helps..

Thanks guys.

That's really helpful Walt, thanks for the pointers. I've had the car a while now but haven't cleaned the hood yet (although it's been garaged mainly since I got it anyway). My other Cabby I had for 3 years and don't actually think I cleaned the hood once - just kept waterproofing it instead (it needed a new hood anyway). I intend to take better care of the Rivage though.

I shall maybe give it a go this weekend - gonna give the car a proper detailing inside and out, it's in SERIOUS need of a clean. Poor Barney's been a bit neglected this last year… although just spent a grand having bit and bobs sorted so he should be alright now.

 

Leigh

I use one of those stickey rollers first this removes any hairs or big peices of dirt you will see the  roller go dark in colour with the dust.
I then use a clean white hanky that I keep wringing out in a basin of hot clean water again you see the hanky getting dirty and the water going darker.
I have never used a shop bought cleaner and I have a mohair roof.