Protection and Care of Boat Seating and Upholstery
Please keep your boat seats covered when not in use! The more they are kept covered, the longer they will last. The sunshine will slowly eat away at your seats. You may have noticed boat upholstery that was not kept covered. It will be Dry, Cracked, and Ugly.
Vinyl is porous and will take a stain if left unattended. For that reason, when you have sun bathers’ laying on the seats with lotion on, put a towel down or doing a quick cleaning when back at the dock or trailer will work. Leaves, grass, ink from cardboard boxes, or other items will also stain the vinyl if left unattended.
When you get a spill or some other small disaster, just wipe it up as soon as possible. The stain inhibitors will help keep the problem at bay. If you need some water to help out, just dip one end of a towel in the lake, and use the other end for drying.
Regular cleaning is also recommended. When: First thing in the spring, before you have anyone on the boat. If you are going to use the boat every weekend, you should consider every third weekend for a quick cleanup and re-treatment. If you using the boat every other weekend, a quick cleaning and re-treatment every 6 weeks.
Your best bet for cleaning is to use warm water and a small amount of dish soap or ivory soap. A plastic bristle brush works well for scrubbing,and rinse with a hose or a wet towel. You can also use any "marine vinyl cleaner", read the bottle please. You can really scrub the vinyl, it is strong and flexible. As long as the cleaner will not harm the vinyl, scrub till you get tired.
If by chance you have some mildew or stain from leaves. Use One (1)tablespoon ammonia, one fourth (¼ cup hydrogen peroxide), three-fourths (¾ cup of water). Scrub/ Rinse and then Dry.
I must stress that many Household and Automotive Cleaners will harm the vinyl composition and will take years away from the life of your seats. Marine Vinyl has ultra-violet resistant treatment, stain inhibitors, and plasticizers(for flexibility) added during the manufacturing process. Automotive and household cleaners and treatments remove the protective coatings and devolve the plasticizers. These cleaners and treatments will also weaken the thread that is used to sew the vinyl.
And now it is clean, so what now? It’s time to apply a small amount of vinyl treatment and protectant to keep the vinyl soft and supple, with sun screen protection, and an additional barrier against future stains. PLEASE use a"Marine Vinyl Treatment", not an automotive vinyl treatment with silicone. '303 Aerospace Protectant, or 'Starbrite Marine Vinyl Treatment' works well. Note that most marine vinyl treatments must be kept from freezing.
Applying the vinyl treatment is the easy part. I like to use a small cloth or a paper towel. Spray a light mist on the seat and rub it around with the small cloth or paper towel, spraying more as you go. It’s just like putting sun tan oil on before going out into the sun. Allow the treatment to soak into the pores of the vinyl and it should be dry and ready for a boat ride in half an hour,giving you some time to pack your cooler and get ready to go. Prevention can and does help a lot. . A good cover can and will protect and extend the life of your boat upholstery. If you neglect your upholstery and need costly replacements, you may wish you have read and maybe followed this advice.
Useful Cleaners and Products---------------------Potentially Damaging Cleaners
Marine Vinyl Cleaner and Treatments-----------Formula 409
Fantastic------------------------------------------------Clorox Cleanup
Mild Dish Soap (Dawn, Ivory)----------------------Armor All
303 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner--------------Household Cleaners
and Spot Remover
303 Aerospace Protectant---------------------------Automotive Cleaners
Starbrite Vinyl Treatments and Cleaners--------Automotive Treatments
Vinyl is porous and will take a stain if left unattended. For that reason, when you have sun bathers’ laying on the seats with lotion on, put a towel down or doing a quick cleaning when back at the dock or trailer will work. Leaves, grass, ink from cardboard boxes, or other items will also stain the vinyl if left unattended.
When you get a spill or some other small disaster, just wipe it up as soon as possible. The stain inhibitors will help keep the problem at bay. If you need some water to help out, just dip one end of a towel in the lake, and use the other end for drying.
Regular cleaning is also recommended. When: First thing in the spring, before you have anyone on the boat. If you are going to use the boat every weekend, you should consider every third weekend for a quick cleanup and re-treatment. If you using the boat every other weekend, a quick cleaning and re-treatment every 6 weeks.
Your best bet for cleaning is to use warm water and a small amount of dish soap or ivory soap. A plastic bristle brush works well for scrubbing,and rinse with a hose or a wet towel. You can also use any "marine vinyl cleaner", read the bottle please. You can really scrub the vinyl, it is strong and flexible. As long as the cleaner will not harm the vinyl, scrub till you get tired.
If by chance you have some mildew or stain from leaves. Use One (1)tablespoon ammonia, one fourth (¼ cup hydrogen peroxide), three-fourths (¾ cup of water). Scrub/ Rinse and then Dry.
I must stress that many Household and Automotive Cleaners will harm the vinyl composition and will take years away from the life of your seats. Marine Vinyl has ultra-violet resistant treatment, stain inhibitors, and plasticizers(for flexibility) added during the manufacturing process. Automotive and household cleaners and treatments remove the protective coatings and devolve the plasticizers. These cleaners and treatments will also weaken the thread that is used to sew the vinyl.
And now it is clean, so what now? It’s time to apply a small amount of vinyl treatment and protectant to keep the vinyl soft and supple, with sun screen protection, and an additional barrier against future stains. PLEASE use a"Marine Vinyl Treatment", not an automotive vinyl treatment with silicone. '303 Aerospace Protectant, or 'Starbrite Marine Vinyl Treatment' works well. Note that most marine vinyl treatments must be kept from freezing.
Applying the vinyl treatment is the easy part. I like to use a small cloth or a paper towel. Spray a light mist on the seat and rub it around with the small cloth or paper towel, spraying more as you go. It’s just like putting sun tan oil on before going out into the sun. Allow the treatment to soak into the pores of the vinyl and it should be dry and ready for a boat ride in half an hour,giving you some time to pack your cooler and get ready to go. Prevention can and does help a lot. . A good cover can and will protect and extend the life of your boat upholstery. If you neglect your upholstery and need costly replacements, you may wish you have read and maybe followed this advice.
Useful Cleaners and Products---------------------Potentially Damaging Cleaners
Marine Vinyl Cleaner and Treatments-----------Formula 409
Fantastic------------------------------------------------Clorox Cleanup
Mild Dish Soap (Dawn, Ivory)----------------------Armor All
303 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner--------------Household Cleaners
and Spot Remover
303 Aerospace Protectant---------------------------Automotive Cleaners
Starbrite Vinyl Treatments and Cleaners--------Automotive Treatments
Posted by blog.houseboatodyssey1.com at 6/18/2009 3:28 PM 
Categories: Buying Tips, Maintenance, Boating, Accessories, Various 101's
Tags: care boat seats upholstery cleaning
Categories: Buying Tips, Maintenance, Boating, Accessories, Various 101's
Tags: care boat seats upholstery cleaning
have an idea on this interesting article, now you will be contacted
Reply to this