InstaGone and a livestock hypodermic needle can help remove stains and fix sagging material
It’s common to find ceiling fabric material similar to carpet in motorhomes. The short pile material is a bit more stylish and adds more warmth to the interior than ordinary wood ceiling panels. The fabric is constantly bombarded with cooking fumes and dust and grime that enter the motorhome through windows, vents and doors. A rainwater leak is even worse, and can lead to hard-to-remove yellowish-brown stains around vents, TV antennas and air-conditioner shrouds. Fortunately, there’s a product called InstaGone, a spray-on, multipurpose stain remover that’s a must-have item in any motorhome-cleaning arsenal.
BEFORE – Large stain in ceiling, caused by water intrusion, is ugly and normally hard to clean.
InstaGone not only removes ugly rainwater stains, but it neutralizes unsightly nicotine stains, soot, mold and mildew. The product comes in powder form and is simply mixed with warm water in a spray bottle that comes with the kit.
To use, it’s best to cover the furniture and flooring and test in an inconspicuous spot first. Once compatibility is confirmed, the affected areas can be sprayed with an even coat, shaking the bottle between applications. There is no need to oversaturate the area, which will lead to dripping. Let the first coat dry for several hours. Apply as many coats necessary until the stain is gone. For those deep dark-brown, almost blackish-gray stains, most likely the InstaGone will not make the entire stain disappear. There’s no need for rubbing or scrubbing.
AFTER – After spraying InstaGone onto the affected surface, the stain disappeared. Cleaner is sprayed on and allowed to work without scrubbing or blotting.
InstaGone is also very effective on day-night shades, curtains, windshield drapes, or vinyl ceiling material. And it can be used to kill mold or mildew in the bathroom cupboard, shower walls or under the galley sink from a water leak that has gone undetected. Another common problem affecting ceiling fabric is delamination. This occurs when the glue that holds the material to the wood paneling fails, allowing the material to sag in one or more places. Installing new material in sections can be difficult to match and the process is not inexpensive. In many cases, spot repairing may be a good option.
Large bore hypodermic needle, available at feed and tack stores, is used to inject contact cement under sagging ceiling fabric.
We have found that using a large-bore hypodermic needle to inject liquid contact cement behind the material is a good way to make these repairs. The needles and syringes that work best are the extra-large type recommended for horses or pigs and can be found at most feed and tack stores.
To use, simply fill the syringe with liquid contact cement; make sure that you purchase clear-color cement! The needle is then poked through several spots of the ceiling fabric taking care not to inject too much glue in one spot. Apply pressure to the fabric until the material holds on its own. Finding contact cement that has a low enough viscosity to inject through the needle may be challenging, so marine epoxy is another viable option.
Unsightly problems with ceiling fabric can be frustrating, but InstaGone and a little creativity can make a big difference in handling repairs that may have seemed futile in the past. InstaGone is available online and retails for $16.99, which includes a 22-ounce spray bottle and two packets.
InstaGone | 888-425-0125 | www.instagone.com
