Mohair Hood Cleaning

[Keith Newton]

Can anyone recommend the best way of cleaning a Mohair Hood on a 1964 MGB Roadster please?
I have seen products from Autoglym: Cabriolet Fabric Hood Maintenance Kit and also Renovo - have you had any experience of these?

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Keith,
I've used Auto Glym Fabric Hood Cleaner, and their Fabric Hood Protector on a 2002 MG TF mohair hood with moderate success. I had hoped that this combination would have restored the hood back to black or at least deep brown. I have since found out that if the hood is faded then these two products alone won't restore the colour, but they do make a good job of cleaning the fabric and then waterproofing it again.
A mohair hood is also like a magnet for diesel particulates so it is essential to give the hood a good vacuuming before you start. In fact I would recommend that you do this before buying any products as the effect of getting all the dirt out of the material makes it look a lot better. If you decide to use a cleaner on it, I found it was difficult to get a consistent clean all over the surface, and the first application left some lighter and darker patches. A warm day helps it to dry more quickly, but you will probably have to vacuum the surface again to get rid of any residues. Also the cleaner can mark the paintwork if it is not washed off immediately.
Applying the protector was fairly straightforward - you can see where you have applied it as it takes a little time to dry (and obvious faster in warm weather or direct sunlight.
Once cleaned the effect lasted about 2 years but then a good vacuum restored the look.
All in all it was a worthwhile exercise, but it might be a good idea to investigate how to restore the colour, particularly if it is a dark colour.

[Keith Newton]

Thank you Peter
It is a black hood and has just a few marks on.
As you advise, I will try vacuuming first and then try the Autoglym products if required