Seat runined?

[XSlackerX]

I removed all of my seats for the winter and stored them in a clean dry place in my basement. However, I pulled them out and noticed a brown stain on the front passenger seat (4 inch by 2 inch) and the same on the rear driver side seat. I tried getting the stain out with soft scrub, goo gone, and general boat wash without any luck. It lightened it up a bit, but it looks terrible. Any ideas what I can do to get it out? I'm thinking is mold... but it could also be grease or rust. No idea how it got there... please help!

I am pricing out replacement seats right now just in case that is my only option

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Seat runined?

have it reupolstered, auto seat cover shop, cheaper than marine shop.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Seat runined?

A cheaper, short term solution would be to respray it with a suitable vinyl paint which are available just about everywhere.
This is certainly not as nice a solution as reupholstering the seat however short term it would improve the appearance.
My two bits.
BP

 

[bhammer]

Re: Seat runined?

Can you tell what the stain might have been from? If not, can you tell if it is biological, oil or protein based? This can help in determining what would be best to try and get at it.

I have also had great success with oxy-clean. I mix up a paste with a little water and then apply it on in a big goup and then cover with syran warp and tape down. Every night I would check to make sure it was still a paste and had to add water once. After 5 days, the stain was gone totally. Maybe took longer than the 5 minute infomercial did but it worked.

 

[XSlackerX]

Re: Seat runined?

Thanks for the advice. I am going to pick up some oxyclean on the way home today and give it a shot. I'm crossing my fingers!!! The front seat is $63 for the skin, but the back is $272 just for the skin!!!

 

[salty87]

Re: Seat runined?

don't go crazy with chemicals, bleach def. isn't good. what you can't clean, i'd give the sun a chance to fade before dropping the cash.

 

[oops!]

Re: Seat runined?

Can you tell what the stain might have been from? If not, can you tell if it is biological, oil or protein based? This can help in determining what would be best to try and get at it.

yup.... the stain didnt just appear......what was on the shelf above it?

any kids runnin round yer house?......

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Seat runined?

I bought a boat in November once (end of year sale, great price), and the dealer offered to store it for me until spring. When I cam to pick it up in March, there was a stain on one of the seats, and they couldn't get it out no matter what they tried (and these guys are pro's). They offered to order me a new cushion, but it took several months to get there (sent the wrong one twice!). By the time the new cushion came, the stain had been bleached out by the sun, I didn't even bother to replace it!

Moral of the story: use it for a while and it might just fade away by itself.

 

[zibzer]

Re: Seat runined?

Meguiars #57

And if that doesnt work...

Meguires #39

... I had great luck getting 2 stroke oil stains out of my vinyl seats with #57.. I would imagine #39 would be even better....

Good luck!

 

[Zero Balance]

Re: Seat runined?

Try Westleys "Bleach White" Works like a charm. You can get it at most markets or auto parts stores.

 

[XSlackerX]

Re: Seat runined?

I just ordered #39. Never saw this before, so I'm gonna give it a shot before I try everything else. Crossing my fingers! Thanks!

I'm gonna have a closet full of chemicals, byt the time I'm done with this. I hope one of them works before the vinyl melts away.

 

[zibzer]

Re: Seat runined?

Let us know if the 39 worked for you...

oh.. and one thing i found out with the 57, if you leave it sit for 5 minutes it works better than just spraying and rubbing

 

[canoeist]

Re: Seat runined?

Call someone who does marine upholstery. They will be glad to tell you what to use.