Cleaning up neglected seats

[jasonneal]

I am looking at buying a boat that has sat outside for a while. The seats are really dirty and peppered with a lot of what I would day is mildew. The canvas sunshade is also peppered with a lot of it. The top and seats are in good shape and do not need replacing other than dirty. Will this mildew clean off and if so how? Thanks for any help.

 

[72SideWinderSS]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

I have had pretty good results with 1/3 cup Tri-Sodium-Phosphate (TSP) 1/2 cup Bleach in one gallon of luke warm water.

 

[salty87]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

old seats need special care. they've already seen alot of use and abuse. the vinyl and stitching are aging and getting drier than when newer.

bleach is one of the worst things you can do to your stitching. armor all is a close second. anything with scrubbers in it like soft scrub or kitchen cleansers....yikes, stay away. vinyl has softeners and plasticizers built into it which can get dried out from harsh chemicals.

i bought some of this recently and couldn't be happier. i think it's just a mild soap in liquid form. spray it on, work it into the grain with a brush, wipe if off with a micro-fiber cloth (pretty important step).

the grain of the vinyl gets cleaned out, any striping you may have on the seats, the vinyl feels soft and supple afterward. no oils left behind from chemicals.

if there are any stains left over, there may be since this isn't a 'stain remover', the sun will fade them over time.

she only sells on ebay right now... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Exqu...015QQitemZ250292439056QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[lkbum]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

In our area, N Georgia, it seems everyone associated with boats (drought and gas prices) is hurting a little and offering "specials" on their services. If it were me, and I really liked the boat, I'd get a quote on having the seats redone. Several shops advertise on Craigslist in our area and seem to be anxious for work. I think you'll find the seats clean up ok, but as a previous poster pointed out, the vinyl is getting harder. IMO, when you start "using" them again, they will be subject to cracking in the very near term.

 

[turborich]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

The best stuff that I have ever used is called awesome & believe it or not it's sold at the 99 cents store. It works far better than anything else I have ever tried. Don't knock it until you try it.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

Clorox Cleanup,
might be a bit harsh, but works great
My 1986 seats were out in the elements for a while and now look good as new

 

[lkbum]

Re: Cleaning up neglected seats

see attached link from sea ray. good summary of cleaning vinyl.
http://www.searay.com/maintenance_tips.asp?tab=6&incl=vinyl