Machine wash Sunbrella cover?

[superbenk]

My Four Winns has the factory mooring cover which I believe is Sunbrella material. It's a canvas of some type for sure. When it rains I get streaks from the dirt & grime in the cover draining off on my white hull. I'm wondering if I can throw the cover in the washing machine to clean it or will that cause problems? How do people wash their boat covers?

 

[DBG40]

My CL has sunbrella canvas as well. The owners manual says NOT to machine wash of use a dryer.

Directions state...Wet down canvas, use a soft bristle brush to scrub with a mild detergent and water solution.

Use a mild solution of ammonia/ water and scrub for heavy soil or mildew build up. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

Brush or sweep under sideof the top. Spray with Lysol or other disinfectant to prevent mildew.

I do mine, but unless I tarp the boat, it streaks after every rain. It's just the crud in the water from the rain that dries on the boat. So annoying...

 

[Thalasso]

Can you? Yes. If you go to Sunbrella's web site they tell you you can. I have done it but here is a suggestion. Don't let it go through thru the spin cycle. What happens is it leaves lines in the material.
You can wash it on the boat using Woolite and a stiff boat brush then treat with 303 fabric protectant. I wouldn't be spraying be spraying lysol on it.
After all this, it is still going to leave black streaks on the boat. It's the dust and dirt being rinsed off of the cover
[h=3]Sunbrella: Care & claening - Marine tops/covers[/h]

eu.sunbrella.com/en_uk/how/cleaning/marine-tops-covers.php

Download the Marine tops and covers cleaning (pdf) ... still on a boat or, size permitting, they can be removed for cleaning in a washing machine or dockside.
​

 

[Mikeopsycho]

We machine washed our flybridge cover and window covers this year. They came out nice and clean. Hung them outside to completely dry, then treated them with 303 fabric stuff (the one that has the "sunbrella" logo on the label). We're very pleased with how they came out, they look like new.

edit: we didn't use the dryer, and I think the product is called 303 fabric guard.

 

[superbenk]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like the dark streaks are just a fact of life & i'll just keep wiping them down. I'll do the gentle scrub & 303 treatment before the season is done so it goes away clean.

 

[Mule Laker]

I've draped ours over a railing and sprayed it with an electric power washer. Worked really well.

 

[MH Hawker]

I've draped ours over a railing and sprayed it with an electric power washer. Worked really well.

-thats what i also do

 

[JASinIL2006]

I've washed my Sunbrella cover in a washing machine per the manufacturer's instructions, then let it air dry. Looked as good as new.