# Cleaning and presurving vinyl soft top roofs? (detail help please) **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [April 29, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823 "2011-04-29T07:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yamba6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/yamba6/32/5161_2.png) [@yamba6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/yamba6)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/1 "2011-04-29T07:02:55Z")
So after picking up the new ride, I realized I’ve never had a vinyl roof before. If any of you good detail guys can help me. How would you go about cleaning the roof to get dirt, bird shit (dont have now but sure it will happen sometime), or any other grim/bugs. After cleaning, what would you suggest to put on the roof that would protect it from cracking, ripping or wearing. I saw some stuff called “Blue Magic Convertible Top conditioner” Never tried Blue magic products before… are they recommended, and if not. what would be the best product for the roof. I will spend the extra money to keep this thing in great shape. I do not want a product that over time will cause the roof to dry out faster and crack. Also… since the detail guys are in here. What would you recommend to use other than “Armor All” that will not try out the vinyl over time. I have heard many people say Armor All looks good, but over time it causes the vinyl to dry out and crack. Thank you and sorry if this is some sort of repost. ---
**Author:** ![yamba6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/yamba6/32/5161_2.png) [@yamba6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/yamba6)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/2 "2011-04-29T12:10:42Z")
Kind of surprised their hasnt been one response to this. Figured the majority of this forum liked keep their cars fresh and clean. I guess I was mistaken. lol ---
**Author:** ![OfficerK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4da419/32.png) [@OfficerK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OfficerK)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/3 "2011-04-29T12:18:25Z")
You gave it all of 5 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Motocrossx23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/motocrossx23/32/5120_2.png) [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/4 "2011-04-29T12:25:52Z")
Not many of us have soft tops though, my Spyder was a cloth top so I’d help you out but idk much about vinyl tops. ---
**Author:** ![yamba6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/yamba6/32/5161_2.png) [@yamba6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/yamba6)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/5 "2011-04-29T12:33:57Z")
> [@OfficerK](#): > > You gave it all of 5 hours. Yeah… this is when i find the forum to be most active, sorry. forgive of me. > [@Motocrossx23](#): > > Not many of us have soft tops though, my Spyder was a cloth top so I’d help you out but idk much about vinyl tops. All good. Any thoughts on the best vinyl for doors and the dash to which it will not cause any cracking over time like Armor All does? ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/6 "2011-04-29T12:43:48Z")
When I had my Tracker all I ever used was soap and water. Heard lots of bad things about armor all and I quickly realized any type of “shine” product I put on it just made a complete mess of my paint when it got wet and ran down. ---
**Author:** ![DetailWNY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@DetailWNY](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DetailWNY)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/7 "2011-04-29T12:46:32Z")
Vinyl tops are relatively easy to take care of. It is a matter of regularly protecting them so there is a sacrificial yet additive effect of the preserver you are using. The old saying of Armor All was because the old formulation was a cheap solvent dressing where the solvent, when depositing the cheap silicone oil into the vinyl, would also have the reverse effect of carrying away the things that kept the vinyl(or rubber or w/e other surface it was applied to) supple and flexible - hence the premature cracking and degradation. The new formulas of AA are a little better only because its now water based but AA products are still mass produced cheap stuff that really don’t even lend themselves to _protection_ as much as they do making things shiny for a very very low cost. Meguiar’s #39 Vinyl Cleaner and the #40 Vinyl and Rubber Conditioner which is a water based conditioner(once you get it clean) is a really good choice, very easy to use and produce a quality look. Just keep in mind vinyl top care(because its always exposed) is something you need to stay on top of, every few washes if its being used, not just once a summer or once a season. ---
**Author:** ![Axis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/axis/32/5149_2.png) [@Axis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/8 "2011-04-29T12:53:13Z")
1. Purchase hardtop 2. Slap it on. 3. Clean as usual. 4. ??? 5. Profit ---
**Author:** ![yamba6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/yamba6/32/5161_2.png) [@yamba6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/yamba6)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/9 "2011-04-29T13:22:14Z")
Thank you very much for the interior help. Very helpful and knowledgeable info I was looking for. I am not one to only do it once a year, Generally, I was cleaning my car once a week keeping that sucker clean. As for the vinyl roof… Someone had a suggestion of the same stuff you use on Tonneau Cover. Didnt know how much to believe that person though. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/10 "2011-04-29T13:54:56Z")
> [@Axis](#): > > 1. Purchase hardtop > 2. Slap it on. > 3. Clean as usual. > 4. ??? > 5. Profit Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![deliverator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@deliverator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deliverator)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-and-presurving-vinyl-soft-top-roofs-detail-help-please/211823/11 "2011-04-30T09:48:24Z")
Try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Makes vinyl tops look like new.