Getting Rid Of Yellowing On Vinyl Boat Seats
It may frustrate you to see yellowing spots on your boat seats. You cant just get rid of them in a single strike of cleaning. Use a vinyl cleaner to eliminate it rather than ammonia which is recommended by some.
Its better to use a cleaner like the 303 Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner to prevent yellowing in the future. It also provides strong UV protection.
Vacuum Up Large Particles
Start cleaning your boat seats by vacuuming up any large particles, such as sticks, pine needles, or crumbs from the snacks you enjoyed the last time you took out the boat. You’ll also be able to get much of the dust and debris that may have accumulated while the boat was in storage. Try to get in the crevices, underneath the seats, and around the seat edges for the best results. A portable shop vac works well for this job, but you can also use your home vacuum’s attachments to accomplish this task.
What Causes Mildew Stains On Vinyl Boat Seats
The constant contact of vinyl boat seats with seawater splashes is the main reason for mildew formation. Moisture can also create a suitable environment for mildew to thrive, which is why mildew often grows on your boat seats after being in storage. Mildew needs a moist environment to thrive, so store your boat seats in a dry location.
Don’t Miss: Mould In Bathroom Ceiling
Make Any Needed Repairs
As you clean and inspect your boat’s seats, you may notice small tears, rips, or cracks in the vinyl. If caught early, you can probably repair this damage yourself. Purchase a marine vinyl repair kit. This kit will have instructions for its use, but keep in mind the following general tips:
- Make sure the damaged area is clean and dry.
- Use only the materials supplied in the kit.
- Follow all directions provided with the kit.
- After application, use high-grit sandpaper to smooth over the spot.
- Paint the repaired spot if the color doesn’t match the color of your seats.
Use Magic Erasers On Stubborn Stains
Magic eraser sponges come with special cleaners inside that are ready to tackle messes that stick. What’s also helpful about them is that you don’t have to scrub too hard to see results, so they make for an excellent relief if you’ve been having trouble with a problem area. All you need to do is get them wet and get to wiping.
Because of their size, too, magic erasers are more likely to be able to fit into any gaps and seams your brush can’t manage to get into because of the size. You may need to take a couple of passes with the eraser to get up all the stains, but you will start to see results.
Like with your brush, you don’t want to scrub too hard with magic erasers since they can potentially cause damage to your vinyl. Take your process easy, and you’ll be in good shape to clean up your remaining mildew mess.
You could start with magic erasers if you like, but you don’t need all that power for all stains. Save them for things you can’t get rid of with the above steps.
You May Like: Can Black Mold Cause Lung Cancer
Protecting Your Boat Seats From Uv And Dirt
Its easy to be happy and just quit after getting your nasty, moldy boat seats clean. The problem with being satisfied here, is that theyll get dirty very quickly again and be difficult to clean all over again.
After getting the results you were hoping for on you boats interior, you need to take another very important step. You need to apply some vinyl boat seat protectant/conditioner.
The conditioner will do a few things for you:
- It helps keep your boat vinyl pliable. Untreated vinyl will eventually dry out and crack.
- A boat vinyl conditioner will also protect from UV light, which will sunburn and also dry out your boat seats.
- It will also have a protective coating that is guarding against dirt and stains. If conditioned regularly, cleaning your boat seats will take nothing more than a damp cloth to wipe them clean.
So again, youll only have the one time deep cleaning to get it like new. From that point on, its all about just doing a little light cleaning and conditioning.
Vinegar And Baking Soda
Both vinegar and baking soda can be used solely to kill mildew, but when combined together, their potency goes to a whole new level. This combination works because of the fizzing action that eliminates mildew from all the surfaces, including boat vinyl seats. Sprinkle enough amount of baking soda on the seat and then pour white vinegar on it. Leave the solution to do its work, and then clean with a damp cloth. Redo the method if required.
Recommended Reading: Black Mold On Ac Vents
Effective Mold Cleaning Products
The first step in learning how to clean mold off marine vinyl is purchasing an effective cleaning product. While there are a variety of mold-killing products on the market, the following have been proven most effective for eliminating mildew on marine vinyl:
- Greased Lightning Marine Formula
- Mixture of bleach and water
- Mixture of ammonia and water
- Mixture of baking soda and vinegar
Choose The Right Cleaning Solution
Oh, the horror stories I’ve heard of some cheap Charlie that thought they could save a few bucks by attacking their vinyl seats with bleach and a pad of steel wool. I shudder at the thought. To clean vinyl seats you need to utilize the right cleaning product, or be at risk of wearing away the structural integrity of the vinyl itself!
Even supposedly “lighter” cleaning solutions such as Windex or that old Navy favorite Simple Green will deteriorate vinyl over repeated uses. You definitely don’t want to end up with a color-faded seat, especially one covered in duct tape patches for the myriad tears that will start developing once the vinyl seat starts to give.
Of course, reupholstering every few years isn’t an option for most of us either, so the only solution left to clean vinyl seats is a cleaner that doesn’t use harsh chemicals and can protect your seats properly. Enter The Better Boat’s marine leather conditioner and cleaner with UV resin!
Our marine leather/vinyl cleaner is so gentle that it will not degrade seats or trim even after years of use. It adds moisture to restore color, and leaves a UV resin that will prevent the color from being stripped away. When I hear horror stories of bleach and ammonia, this is what I recommend. It just works.
Recommended Reading: Get Rid Of Black Mold In Basement
In Closing Store Your Boat In A Ventilated Area And Use A Boat Cover
After cleaning and trailering the boat, cover it and strap the cover down to prevent any spores or insects from getting into the boat between use.
If youre pulling the boat from the water for the winter, store it in a dry place, and keep the cover in place throughout the storage period.
After removing your boat from storage, check the seats for signs of mold that may have entered the interior over the winter.
Typically, mold only grows in warm, humid conditions. So, if you live in the Southern parts of the US, make sure you dry the boat completely before fitting the cover, or youre creating the ideal breeding ground for mold.
Wipe Down Vinyl Upholstery
After you’ve vacuumed up the dust and large particles, you’ll be ready to break out your clean cloths. The best way to clean boat upholstery is with either a marine-grade vinyl upholstery cleaner or some water and a little dish soap. Use the cloths to wipe down every visible surface of your boat’s seats, looking for damage and signs of mildew and mold as you go.
You May Like: Uv Light Basement Mold
What Is The Best Cleaner To Use On Boat Seats
The best cleaner for your seats is a bucket of slightly soapy water. There are dozens of marine-grade vinyl cleaners available, but they cost a fortune, and many of them will remove the special protective coating so use them as a last resort.
The manufacturers protective coating on the seats will fade over time, so contact a boat restoration company and have your seats retreated every other year to prevent damage to the material and to prevent mold growth.
Why Does Mildew Keep Returning
The main reason why mildew keeps coming back even after you rigorously remove it is because of excess moisture and humid conditions. This environment is where mildew thrives the best. Its essential to regularly monitor the moisture levels in your storage area and keep it well-ventilated to prevent the comeback of stubborn mildew.
Read Also: How To Clean Bathroom Mold On Ceiling
How To Clean Boat Seats What You Need To Know
Most modern boats come with a vinyl material covering featuring anti-mold, anti-microbial, and stain protective treatments. These coatings do a great job of keeping mold growth at bay, protecting the fabric from fungal infestation.
However, if you dont maintain the material, its only a matter of time before mold starts growing everywhere. If you dont use the right cleaning chemicals and materials for maintaining your seats, youre likely to rub away the protective coating, resulting in damage to the seats.
Follow these five tips for keeping your seats in great condition.
Formula Using White Vinegar To Remove Mildew From Canvas
For generations, people have been using white vinegar as a cleaner around the house. If you are a boat owner, vinegar can be a helpful product to use to clean your boat too.
Vinegar has many uses. One of the most helpful is using vinegar to remove mildew from your boat. If you do not want to use bleach to clean your boat canvas, white vinegar is a good alternative to try.
Mix up a solution that is 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water. The brand of vinegar does not matter, I buy the cheapest gallon of vinegar I can find.
| The Vinegar Formula: |
| 50% White Vinegar50% Water |
You can also use 100% white vinegar and forgo the water. I have been known to put the vinegar in a pump sprayer and soak down the canvas. I let is sit for up to an hour and I try to keep it wet the whole time.
If it starts to dry, I will mist it with a garden hose to help keep the vinegar wet and on the mildew stains. After it sits for that long, I use a soft scrub brush the agitate the canvas until the mildew comes off. Then I blast it with a ton of freshwater.
Also Check: Sanding Mold Off Wood
How To Remove Mold From Car Seats Carpets Or Interior
There are a number of chemical ways to remove mold from car seats and most people would jump for the bleach or ammonia based products to kill it and clean the area, however this will not work!
First of all, those type of products will stain or bleach your car seats, carpet and interior. They also do not work well on hard or porous surfaces and will damage the color of your carâs interior.
Second, they will not kill the mold! They will change its color and may kill some of the surface mold initially, however, mold spores will still survive and even worse, mold will actually thrive and grow on ammonia, so it will get worse than when you started!
So what to do to remove mold from car seats and carpets? Luckily, mother nature has provided us with some natural, powerful and effective tools to kill mold on car seats, carpets and all interior, plus you can use the same for anywhere in your home.
The following are three way to remove mold from car seats, carpets and interior.
Inspect The Boat Seats
First, inspect the seats thoroughly. This inspection will give you an idea of the job you have ahead of you. You’ll be looking for any significant damage to the seats, signs of mildew or mold, and the amount of dirt present on the seats after you bring the boat out of storage for the season. Once you know what cleaning your boat seats will entail, you can move on to the next step, gathering supplies.
Also Check: Black Mold Ac Vents
Can I Use Vinegar To Clean Vinyl Seats
Vinegar is a cleaning solution used most commonly to get rid of mold. If youre wondering if you can clean mold stains with vinegar, then the answer is yes, you can!
You will need vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, a sponge, and a few towels to do this. Below is a set of instructions on how to properly get this done.
Follow these steps to get mold out of your vinyl effectively:
Some people will advise you to use bleach or ammonia on your molded vinyl. Harsh chemicals such as these will damage your seats. They can cause the stitching on your seats to deteriorate over time. Bleach can also discolor your vinyl and make them look old and worn out.
Clean Vinyl Seats Properly Conclusion
While the vinyl seats of your neighbors will slowly lose color and develop rips and tears, you can stand proud knowing that you’ve put the proper care and investment toward clean vinyl seats! When the time comes for them to reupholster their seats, or if they ask how you maintain yours so well don’t hesitate to lead them to this article and all of our amazing boating products. They’ll be sure to thank you for it.
FREE BOAT ERASER OFFER
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Of Leather
Other Things To Know About Keeping A Boat Clean
Keeping a boat clean requires vigilance on your part. After being out on the water all day, you probably don’t feel like scrubbing down your boat. However, if you want to keep your boat in tip-top shape, this cleaning isn’t something you should skip. Not only do you need to wipe down the seats after every use, but you should also clean the exterior of your boat to prevent transporting invasive marine species, such as zebra mussels, from one body of water to another.
Owning a boat can provide plenty of summer fun. If you want to add to the excitement of your boating experience, check out the selection of dynamic marine audio accessories offered by Wet Sounds.
Need To Remove Mold And Mildew From Vinyl Seats
Fireman431 said:Magic Erasers will remove the spots, but they will come right back. It doesn’t kill the bacteria that’s causing the mold in the first place. You need something with Sodium Hypochlorite in it. Clorox Clean-Up only has 1% bleach so it won’t destroy the threads or fibers in the material or the stitching. The other cleaners in it will also get rid of the spots.
Also Check: How To Clean A Bathroom Ceiling
Buy Now If Our Customers Could Theyd Give Us 6
Once in a great while, you can actually agree with the claims made by a product and dont feel letdown by the ensuing experience of using it. Such is the case with MiracleMist.
We promise that MiracleMist will clean your boat vinyl more thoroughly and faster than products youve used in the past. Our promise is supported by our chemistry a smarter chemistry that minimizes the dwell time needed to produce an impressive clean.
Not sold yet? We invite you to watch these videos to see what our customers have to say after their MiracleMist experience. We hope youll have the same reaction and will send us your video experience!
Wash Away New Mildew Stains With Mild Dish Soap
While using commercial stain removers is a great remedy, using home products can also solve your mildew stain problem. In this method, the use of mild dish soap will help get rid of newly stained mildew from your boats vinyl seats with ease.
The following steps are how you remove mildew stains off your vinyl boat seats using mild dish soap:
You May Like: How To Remove Mold From Basement
Removing Stains From Boat Seats
Some boat seat stains are tough to come out no matter which vinyl cleaner you use. Scuff marks and grime stains are hard to clean off the vinyl and require stronger cleaning methods.
An easy and effective product to use is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Ive used this on many hard to remove stains, and it never lets me down. After cleaning your seats, wet the magic eraser and scrub directly on the stains. The stains should disappear like magic. Wipe down the area after youve finished the eraser could leave soap residue on your seats.
