Best Ways to Clean Your Convertible's Soft Top

Driving a roadster is an experience in and of itself. Provided that you get away from the urban jungle, there's lots of fresh air, wind in your hair, a gazillion miles of blue sky above you, and you're also treated to more transmission and engine sounds than in a closed car. As you might have guessed from the different words used to refer to convertibles, open-top vehicles come in many flavors.

The world's best-selling two-seat sports car, for example, is rocking a textile roof. Mazda produces a retractable hardtop version of the MX-5 Miata as well. The C8 Corvette Coupe features a rigid detachable hardtop, whereas the sixth-generation Ford Bronco comes with either a removable three-ply fabric top or a hardtop. Other noteworthy variations of the convertible are Fiat 500C fixed-profile convertible and the Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, with landaulet standing for a convertible body style where the rear passengers are covered by a high-quality fabric top.

The overwhelming majority of convertibles feature cloth or vinyl roofs, which can easily deteriorate if you don't care for them properly. Be it bird droppings, dirt turning into mud when it rains, UV rays, lichens, mold, and everything in between, cleaning your soft top regularly is a must. That's why we have put together a guide comprising of the most important dos and don'ts you should take into consideration if you're into DIY and – similarly important – if you aren't exactly sure about the high prices charged by professional detailers.

To clean a cloth/vinyl roof, you need at least eight things to do it properly, beginning with running water and a hose. A bucket is required as well, as is a pH-neutral branded soft top cleaner/shampoo. The remainder comprises a microfiber cloth, a brush with soft bristles rather than a sponge, a soft top protectant, and an exterior trim sealant.

Before going any further, be warned that using a pressure washer is not recommended. Not only does it damage the soft top, but a soft top's dirt cannot be washed away as easily as the dirt on the paint. Another word of warning: no washing in direct sunlight because UV rays in combination with water will result in premature wear.

Experts recommend cleaning one's convertible at least once a month during summertime because the wear and tear is especially hard on fabric and vinyl tops during this period of the year. That said, now gather your cleaning supplies and start cleaning your soft top by brushing any loose debris and dirt from the surface with – of course – a brush. Make sure it's a soft-bristled brush, okay?

After scrubbing away the dirt and bird droppings without putting too much muscle into it, rinse thoroughly with clean water. Now repeat the process using a soft top cleaner. As mentioned earlier, the cleaner has to be as close to pH neutral as possible. Alkaline formulations have the ability to degrade sealants and protective wax layers. Caustic cleaners can do harm as well.

Abrasive or scouring powders shouldn't be used either, and you definitely do not want to use chlorine-based bleaching agents. Also worthy of note, you are much better off paying a few more dollars for the premium stuff rather than cheap cleaners from brands that do not ring a bell.

In case of mold, sterilizer tablets dissolved in hot water should do the trick. Another solution would be white vinegar and baking soda. In either case, do clean your soft top again with a premium soft top cleaner, then rinse it all off thoroughly.

At this stage, you're only halfway done. Allow the soft top to dry off completely, then apply a soft top protectant to guard against the yucky stuff and those harmful UV rays. Often compatible with tonneau covers, soft top protectants usually come in the form of a spray bottle. Application is relatively simple: first spray an even mist, let it dry, and repeat. Two to three coats are more than enough to protect your soft stop, then leave to cure for a few hours. A protectant will further enhance the water-resistance properties of your vehicle's canvas top.

As implied, exterior trim sealant should also be used on the rubber seals and – be it plastic or metal – on the window trim. The exterior trim sealant should also be compatible with vinyl tops, but you should read the instructions first. Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant is $19.99 per 8 ounces at press time, and it's one of the best in the biz thanks to a blend of UV blockers, advanced polymers, and rust inhibitors.

As a rule of thumb, cloth tops need a product with fluorocarbon repellants. In addition to bonding with the soft top, such a chemical will repel liquids and solids while also providing UV protection. You also have to be sure that the product does not contain oils, petroleum distillates, or silicone.

If your convertible's roof has a plastic rear window, don't be tempted to use glass cleaning products. There are plenty of dedicated products out there, which are relatively affordable. Said products are required because PVC rear windows are prone to browning, oxidation, and brittleness due to plasticizers leaching out over time.

Whichever plastic rear window you might use, always clean the surface with a microfiber cloth. Not the same one used for the soft top, though, but a new microfiber cloth. In case of scratches or oxidation, use a paint surface polish such as the nextzett No. 2 One Step Paint Polish.

That's pretty much all there is to cleaning a convertible's soft top, which brings us back to the subject of convertibles. How many open-top models are in production as of April 2024? Well, let's fire up a few more tabs to see how many are there.

In alphabetical order, the list starts with the Aston Martin DB12 Volante, Vantage Roadster, DBS Superleggera Volante, and the 1,160-horsepower Valkyrie Spider. The Volkswagen-owned Audi brand has the A5 Cabriolet and S5 Cabriolet, whereas Bentley is much obliged to sell you the Continental GTC. The peeps at BMW offer the Z4, 4 Series Convertible, M4 Convertible, 8 Series Convertible, and M8 Convertible. Chevrolet is represented by the Corvette Coupe and Corvette Convertible in Stingray, E-Ray, and Z06 guises because the sixth-generation Camaro was discontinued in 2023 with no successor in sight.

Ferrari has the 296 GTS, SF90 Spider, SF90 XX Spider, 812 GTS, 812 Competizione A, and the targa-topped Dayona SP3. Fiat doesn't sell the 500e Convertible in this part of the world, at least not yet, while Ford's Mustang Convertible can be had with either EcoBoost I4 or Coyote V8 muscle. Ford is also represented by the Bronco two-door and four-door, and Hennessey still makes the Venom F5 Roadster. Jaguar has the soon-to-be-discontinued F-Type Convertible, Jeep the Wrangler two-door, Wrangler four-door, and the Gladiator, while Lamborghini sweetens the deal with the Huracan Spyder. It's on its last legs as well, for Lambo prepares to unveil a twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid successor with Revuelto underpinnings.

Toyota-owned Lexus wants $107,300 for the LC 500 Convertible, Maserati has the GranCabrio and MC20 Cielo, and the list continues with the Mazda MX-5 Miata and MX-Miata RF. They're joined by the McLaren Artura Spider and 750S Spider, the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet, Mercedes-AMG SL, MINI Convertible, plus a plethora of Porsche 718 Boxsters, 718 Spyders, 911 Cabriolets, and 911 Targas.