Help with cleaning vinyl seats

[mopower440]

The seats and other vinyl upholstry in my boat are an off-white color. They had some mold on them at one time and i cleaned the mold off but it left dark spots all over, almost like a five oclock shadow on the vinyl..lol..
What on earth will clean this off? Ive tried a few cleaners i had around the house and nothing is getting them clean.
HELP!!!!

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

Mold & mildew basically etches itself into the surface of vinyl. Kinda like a tattoo. I have a mildew spot on the drivers seat of our Party Cruiser, and I've tried everything I can think of on it--
409
Fantastic
Scrubbing Bubbles
Cleanser
various dish soaps
various laundry soaps
Clorox bleach stick
oxygen bleach
various carpet cleaners
simple green
purple power
Murphy's oil soap
muriatic acid (leaned out)
naptha
mineral spriits
screen print ink thinner
denatured alcohol
turpentine
Rain Dance car wax
gel coat polish...

...the stain remains.

There's "paint" for vinyl upholstery that actually works pretty well, that's the best suggestion I got...

 

[kungpaoshizi]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

maybe some bleach mixed with water? sounds a little harsh but as long as you don't get them sopping wet and let it dry like that shouldn't do anything to the colors.. otherwise if it's a DEEP stain, maybe soak em a bit in some of the Orange cleaner stuff?

 

[lfunk11]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

I bought a boat recently with mildew on the seats and everything I have read is that bleach is bad, but I will start cleaning the seats with the mildest thing I can find and work myself up to more powerful things. I have heard magic erasers work, but take off the protective layer off the vinyl. I will have all winter to get the seats cleaned and I think the PO used harsh chemicals since I found a bottle of shower spray in the boat.

Start with the least harsh thing you can find and then get stronger. For me personally, I don't want to mess up the threads, but I don't want to stare at mildew stained seats.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

Bleach solution is a decent method. It won't remove the stain completely, but exposure to the sun eventually will.

 

[vans]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

try fantastic and a scrub brush, works for me

 

[mopower440]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

Well, i tried some clorox clean up spray today and didnt do to well, there has to be something. I saw some mildew stain remover in the boat section at academy sports, anyone tried this?

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

Spider droppings and some colors of tree sap can be death to vinyl--even with 303 treated.

I use Zep orange degreaser on everything. Awesome (Dollar General) is another great cleaner.

But Magic Erasers are the best thing I've ever found on seat stains. If it won't come up with Mr. Clean, find an upholstery supply or paint store that carries vinyl stain/paint. You can also buy it online.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Help with cleaning vinyl seats

Use peroxide to dampen the cloth and dab in some baking soda to scrub.