Vinyl protectant/conditioner

[chambers1517]

My boat has a new interior with light seats. They are hard to keep clean. What kind of treatment should I use to help keep them clean. I wiped everything down with 303 but they still get black marks easy.

 

[flashback]

303 has worked well for me, I find if I don't rub it in well or apply too much it will cause some streaking.

 

[JimS123]

3M Vinyl cleaner. Best in the world. 303 is sticky.

 

[chambers1517]

3M Vinyl cleaner. Best in the world. 303 is sticky.

What kind of protectant do you use.

 

[jlh3rd]

windex...

 

[Horigan]

I've been happy with Starbrite Vinyl Cleaner & Polish. It has UV protection.

 

[JimS123]

What kind of protectant do you use.

3M's Maguire Natural Shine Protectant. Armorall used to be the standard, but 3m's technology beats them now.

 

[ChooChooSnakeMan]

I just tried Turtle Wax Inside and Out Protectant. It went on well and did leave a nice shine. Time will tell if it actually holds up and protects for any length of time. It makes these claims:

• Cleans and protects plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces on both the interior and exterior of your car
• Glossy polymer coating prevents cracks and fading by repelling harmful UV rays while augmenting your flawless, showroom finish
• Quick & Easy non-greasy, streak-free formula for convenient and on-the-go use

If anyone has used this product for any length of time for marine applications I would be interested in your review. Thanks!

 

[dingbat]

Fortunate in that I have snap on cushions instead of upholstered seating. Tend to stay in the cabin and out of the sun most of the time.

Having said that, if 303 is sticky, you're using way too much.
I use it on my cushions and the tri-fold cover on the truck. Works well. Almost 7 years and the tri-fold still looks like new

 

[mike_i]

The guy that did my upholstery told me to use WD40.

 

[chambers1517]

The guy that did my upholstery told me to use WD40.

Never heard that.

 

[dingbat]

Never heard that.

WD40 is a great cleaner.

50–60% naphtha (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy
<25% petroleum base oils
<10% naphtha (petroleum), hydrodesulfurized heavy (contains: 1,2,4-trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-trimethyl benzene, xylene, mixed isomers)
2–4% carbon dioxide

Not much of a UV protectorate however

 

[jlh3rd]

I wasn't kidding about windex. The upholsterer that re-did my pontoon shocked me with that answer. I was expecting otherwise. I wanted to also hear what product to use on my now new $5800 upholstery job, but it wasn't what I expected.
I'm at a new marina this year on the chesapeake. I ran the same question by the Marina manager. Same answer......
Fwiw....

 

[JimS123]

Wonderful thread. I almost upchucked my beer.

WD40 is a petroleum product. It may be good for a spot cleaner for an oil spot or something, but you better wash it off and put a protectant on top. Be sure to never do bizness with the guy that told you that ever again...

Back in the day we used Lemon Pledge in the boat. It was what the wife used in the house so we didn't need to buy a special bottle of boat stuff. It worked fantastic. It was 100% on a boat that I kept for 35 years, so it can't be all that bad.

Nevertheless, modern chemistry has evolved. No matter if you have a boat or a car or a golf cart, 3M is what you want.

I say that as a 3M retiree with knowledge of the chemistry and R&D that went into their products.

 

[JimS123]

I wasn't kidding about windex. The upholsterer that re-did my pontoon shocked me with that answer. I was expecting otherwise. I wanted to also hear what product to use on my now new $5800 upholstery job, but it wasn't what I expected.
I'm at a new marina this year on the chesapeake. I ran the same question by the Marina manager. Same answer......
Fwiw....

LOLOLOL Windex is ammonia in water. Nice cleaner for sure, but it won't last long. Your upholsterer is a smart guy. He has a customer for life now....

 

[flashback]

Yep Windex is about 30% ammonia, a touch of alcohol, good cleaner.

 

[jlh3rd]

LOLOLOL Windex is ammonia in water. Nice cleaner for sure, but it won't last long. Your upholsterer is a smart guy. He has a customer for life now....

the marina manager has no skin in the game.....and knew nothing of the other person...
Same answer from two different sources, who are in the boating game.
You don't know ,or have met, the upholsterer. Therefore, you are no judge of his character or his motivations. He has plenty of business and needs no repeats.
The fact that he was willing to spend the time and effort on a '06 pontoon boat as equally as he spends his time and efforts on 100's of thousand dollar value boats , as far as personal judgement goes, was enough for me....

I know what windex has in it......

 

[jlh3rd]

LOLOLOL Windex is ammonia in water. Nice cleaner for sure, but it won't last long. Your upholsterer is a smart guy. He has a customer for life now....

and...lol....
"vinyl sauce", "3M", "303", "Griots Garage", "Meguires", ...and on and on...
Who wants customers for life?....

 

[JimS123]

the marina manager has no skin in the game.....and knew nothing of the other person...
Same answer from two different sources, who are in the boating game.
You don't know ,or have met, the upholsterer. Therefore, you are no judge of his character or his motivations. He has plenty of business and needs no repeats.
The fact that he was willing to spend the time and effort on a '06 pontoon boat as equally as he spends his time and efforts on 100's of thousand dollar value boats , as far as personal judgement goes, was enough for me....

I know what windex has in it......

Sorry for upsetting. My response was TIC. No implication that the guy deliberately made a bad suggestion. If he said a protectant on top of the windex, then it would have made sense.

Bleach is another alternative, as long as its topcoated and careful on the stitches.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I know people that have used pledge on their vinyl for decades.

I wouldnt use WD-40

I keep spray-9, simple green and 303 for the upholstery, and windex for the windows on the boat at all times