How To Remove Mildew From Boat Seats Once And For All
If you have been into boating for a while, you might realize how easy mildew and mold can develop on boat furniture. No matter how careful I am, the mildew keeps coming back again.
They look really unpleasant, especially on white chairs. Ive tried almost everything: washing detergents, baking soda, all-purpose cleaners, and even dish soap. After many trials and errors, I finally came up with the best way to remove mildew from boat seats.
In short, you will need mold removers or white vinegar. Spray the product on the surfaces, let it sit, scrub off the greenish dots, and wipe the seats with a clean cloth. If there are still tough spots left, use magic eraser sponges. They are the ultimate weapons against mold. Finally, apply vinyl protectant to stop the mold from coming back.
For detailed information on how to remove mildew from boat seats, dive in!
What Is The Mildew Remover For Boat Seats
To answer the million-dollar question, the top-tier mildew remover for boats depends on your cleaning requirements. Each product has its benefits that you can get the most out of by carefully considering the different factors that play into action.
Hence, we have listed down these buying guides to make shopping for boat mold cleaners easier for you:
- Type of mildew cleaner
Mildew stain removers for boats commonly come in two forms. You can choose from either liquid or powder form.
Most boat cleaning products found in the market are in liquid form. They are widely sold as a handy sprayer that many boaters prefer because they are ready to use as they are. There is no need for mixing as they can be immediately and directly applied on contact.
Meanwhile, mold removers in powder form are useful when soaking heavily stained materials. It also offers convenience because they usually come in small containers that can be easily chucked inside the car trunk or backpack if youre an active outdoor person.
Both liquid and powder forms are economical because they come in larger quantities. Liquid mildew removers are available in gallons for surfaces that need deep cleaning. On the other hand, even a small container of cleaning powder can amazingly produce gallons of solution.
- Ease of Application
Regardless, they all guarantee satisfying results. It is how you follow the manufacturers instructions that play a vital role in its effectiveness.
- Speed of cleaning action
- Type of surface
Rmr Brands Marine Mildew Stain Remover
This marine mildew stain remover from RMR Brands boasts of a powerful formula that is 5 times stronger compared to other mildew remover brands. This allows you to remove mildew from boat seats a lot easier than before.
What I like about this mildew stain remover is that it instantly cleans and removes mold and mildew stains. Moreover, it was specially designed for use on marine surfaces, hence making it effective for use on vinyl seat cushions, covers, and dashboards.
I also like how it has an easy-to-use spray bottle design which allows me and other users to clean mildew stains easily without any hassle. Furthermore, the spray bottle design is also great for efficiently targeting mildew stains on your boat seats.
This powerful product contains sodium hypochlorite in its formula which enables it to remove mildew stains quickly and effectively. It can be applied and removed in just 30 seconds. This makes it easy for me to clean my seats and other parts of my boat while still having time to take it out for a ride.
- Effectively removes mildew stains from marine surfaces
- Easy to use spray bottle design that targets and cleans mildew stains
- Quickly removes mildew stains, allowing for more time to use your boat
- Also comes in a gallon version for larger mildew removal projects
- Less effective in removing dark stains from light-colored surfaces
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How To Clean Vinyl Boat Seats Of Mildew
- Spraying the Remover
You can start spraying the remover once you have all the needed things on hand. It must be done in full coverage. So, dont miss the gaps and seams as mildew can also develop in these areas.
Give the cleaner some time to work its wonders. Check the label for the recommended time. It usually needs five minutes or more for stubborn stains. Let it sit longer if necessary to break down the mildew, and it will be easier for you to clean.
- Scrubbing the Surface
After giving the mildew remover enough time, you can start scrubbing the vinyl seats. Part of being careful is using a soft brush like the one with nylon bristles. See to it that you dont mislay scratches or some damage on the surface.
If you picked a mildew remover that works like magic, you dont have to scrub hard to eleminate the stain. You may remove the mildew but some debris can be swept with ease. When scrubbing, focus on nooks and crannies too.
- What to Do With Debris
Debris will be likely seen on sections with serious mildew infestation. Simply wipe them out to make the vinyl seats spick and span! It would be helpful if you should use a microfiber cloth in doing the job. Its the kind of fabric that doesnt tear up over vinyl.
Again, dont forget about narrow sections as they also need to be cleaned even though theyre a bit hidden. Prepare more than one piece of microfiber cloth. The number that you may need depends on the seats color and their condition.
- Repeat When Needed
Apply The Mold Remover
The first thing you need to remove mildew from boat seats is the bleach-free mold and mildew stain remover. Next, spray it on the seats, making sure you use it in all gaps of the seat because mildew tends to form there too. When you are sure you sprayed the entire area, let it sit for at least 5 minutes. If the stains you are trying to remove are very stubborn, you can leave the stain remover to soak the seats longer. The soaking time will make the mold and mildew stains from vinyl boat seats break down and become much easier to clean.
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Removing Mildew From Boat Carpet
I also wanted to share with you a quick tip on how you can also clean up mildew and mold from a boat carpet, where you have fabric flooring rather than vinyl.
The best method I have used in the past is to use a product called Wet and Forget carpet cleaner. Ive used it on my pontoon and also on a house boat and it gives excellent cleaning results.
This spray is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water, but with some added elements , but it wont bleach the carpet or upholstery. From what I read, this is exactly the same approach that many people used after Hurricane Katrina and it works well on all wet environment applications.
Once you have got rid of the boat carpet mold, you want to treat it to reduce the chances of the mold coming back in the future.
The best mold treatment product I have used is called Mold Control. You can , and then using a cheap water sprayer, place it down on the affected area.
Facebook comments & feedback
After the success of my original article on the best way to clean mildew off boat seats on a pontoon, I asked for some feedback and comments on Facebook. Heres a short selection of that feedback from other boat owners.
I was really grateful when you published the vinyl boat seat cleaning mildew guide. I had tried other method, scrubbed hard, and even pressure washed but with zero results. This works perfectly and I am no longer embarrassed about inviting people on board.
Can You Use Clr On Boat Seats
Yes, you can use CLR Mold & Mildew Clear on boat seats. Ive used this product on one of my boats seat cushions to remove rigid molds and mildews after 10 minutes of resting, all molds and mildews came off the seat cushions neatly.
Although it works perfectly, it may not work on other marine vinyl upholstery. However, one of my friends told me that it worked excellently on his vinyl boat seats. He followed the products instructions and lightly scrubbed his boat seats with a magic eraser.
You can try it on any vinyl surface, but dont expect too much. If you plan to clean your vinyl boat seats with CLR, I suggest using the CLR 8541813620 Mold and Mildew Stain Remover. It is formulated to work well on marine vinyl upholstery.
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How To Clean Your Boat Seats
When you own a boat the interior is always exposed to moisture and is subject to mold and mildew.I had to clean up the boat before storing it last weekend. After trying a bleach based formula with no luck I bought the CLR brand cleaner. The CLR Mold & Mildew Clear was the only one that worked well on the vinyl seats and luckily NO SMELL!
How To Remove Mildew Stains From Vinyl Boat Seats
Now you have everything you need, follow these exact step by step instructions.
Step 1: Spray CLR Mold Remover onto the seats
Previously I used alternative mold removers to try cleaning up the vinyl, but nothing has ever come close to the CLR stuff. I hate mildew stains, but this cleaner is my main ammunition when it comes to getting rid of and removing the mold.
Its outstanding stuff, and you can almost ignore any bad reviews you see online, as I believe most of the negative stuff is from people who use it to clean houses, not boat seats.
All you do is spray it over the seat, and even into the gaps and seams.
Now this is important, because it has no bleach in it. Bleach can ruin upholstery seams, and over time, if you use bleach the seams will fray and eventually come out completely.
Leave it on for 5 minutes, longer if you feel it needs it.
Step 2: Use a soft brush and scrub lightly
Once the CLR mold and mildew remover has had time to take effect, and in most cases I have found that 5 minutes seems to be the best amount of time to leave it, you can start to softly scrub it away.
I use a soft brush, and dont go too hard, as I dont want to mark the vinyl.
CLR mold and mildew remover can get very quick results as you can see.
I find that this approach will take off the bulk off the mildew stains and dirt, but will end up rubbing the removed debris around the vinyl come a bit, which is where the next step comes in.
Step 3: Wipe away mildew debris with a microfiber cloth
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Cleaning Sticky White Vinyl Boat Seats
You dont want to sit on slimy, sticky seats for sure. The thought of it can make someone feel disgusted. Therefore, your seats will be useless in this state. It may seem threatening, but it only takes vinegar and cloth to make the stickiness disappear.
You have to soak the cloth in white vinegar. Wipe it on the sticky parts. If it persists, you can dab lubricating oil on the affected surface. The final step is using the cloth to remove the residue.
Proper Techniques For Rinsing & Cleaning Your Boat’s Vinyl Seats
The key to keeping boat seats in great shape is cleaning away dirt and contaminants prior to mold or mildew setting in. Once it does, that nasty stuff grows into the cushions as well as the vinyl and then it becomes practically impossible to get rid of.
How to clean vinyl boat seats of mildew, in particular, is as frustrating as it is confusing because even if you manage to clean it off the surface, itll just grow back from the inside out. So make sure that regular washing takes place as often as possible. Once a week should be considered minimal, unless your boat is kept indoors in a controlled environment. In that case, once every few weeks should do the trick.
Additionally, be sure to rinse down those seats after each and every useeven if they look perfectly clean. Things like suntan lotion, bug repellent, or sweat may not be visible but they need to be sluiced away nonetheless.
- Always use freshwater, a soft rag or wash mitt, and remember that the best cleaner for boat seats is simply a gentle soap.
- Rather than scrubbing hard at dirt or stains, when the seats need a deep cleaning soak them down and soap them up and wait a few minutes so any dirt or grime loosens up.
- Then give them another gentle wipe-down.
- Keep up the process for several cycles until the vinyl comes clean.
- Do this on a monthly basis regardless of how the boat seats look or whether youve used the boat or not, because even if its kept indoors dust and airborne contaminants will settle on the surface.
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Mildew Remover For Boat Seats Faqs
How do You Remove Mildew from Vinyl Boat Seats?
A lot of boat experts have something to say in terms of removing mildew from vinyl boat seats. In fact, a lot of them offer different solutions and products that they think are effective in removing the stains found in the boat seat.
However, for us, the easiest way to remove mildew and even mold is to use high-quality products that only remove the stains but completely eradicate mildew and molds effectively.
These are cleaner that has the ability to penetrate and remove the source of the stain which is the fungi. There are also several mildew removers that have the ability to discourage and prevent the fungi from coming back again after the cleanup.
Finally, the product we have presented were tested and was used extensively for us to be able to know the most effective for our readers. We have experience and see for our selves how this product performs in real condition and see the result.
How do You Remove Mildew from Upholstery?
Again, there are a lot of opinions and suggestions regarding this which is good and there are a lot of products to choose from to clean a boat upholstery. Since the upholstery of your boat is different from other surfaces, it is important for you to choose a stain remover that contains unharmful but effective chemicals.
Can You use Bleach on Vinyl Boat Seats?
How to Prevent Mildew on Boat Seats?
What is The Warranty Policy?
Where to Buy?
Spray Mold And Mildew Stain Remover
Take your mold and mildew remover spray and give a liberal spritz all over your seats. Pull back cushions where the seats might fold so you can really get into those nooks and crannies. As a general rule, youre going to want to be generous with your application to really get the stuff to work.
Once everything is nice and coated in the spray, leave it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This should help the formula really work its magic and eat away at those stubborn stains. If your mold and mildew stains arent too old, this might be all you need to get the job done.
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Star Brite Mildew Stain Blocker
One of my most recommended Star Brite products is the Star Brite Mildew Stain Blocker. It is perfect for protecting newly cleaned surfaces because of its Nano-Tech barrier formulation. This product is exemplary for preventing hard and non-porous surfaces against future mildew stains. However, this is not intended for suede surfaces.
At first, I was hesitant to use this product because of some reviews I read online. However, a friend of mine told me that this product worked a miracle on his lawn furniture. Thus, I took the courage and bought this stain blocker, and I didnt regret my decision at all. Ive been using this product on my boat seats for years now and it works satisfactorily.
What I like most about this product is its easy application. All you need to do is spray on the area to be treated and then allow it to dry. Once dry, wipe the remaining mist on the surface. Make sure that the body is already cleaned before applying this product. If there are existing mildew stains, clean the area with a stain remover before spraying this stain blocker to achieve ideal results.
Further, Ive tested this product on my boat seats subject to premature mildews, making my seats look new again. All I did was spray it on my boat seats, rest for a few minutes, spray one more time, lightly scrub the area, and rinse with water afterward. I poured another batch for protection before letting my boat rest for the winter.
- Protection lasts up to three months
Use Magic Erasers On Stubborn Stains
Magic eraser sponges come with special cleaners inside that are ready to tackle messes that stick. What’s also helpful about them is that you don’t have to scrub too hard to see results, so they make for an excellent relief if you’ve been having trouble with a problem area. All you need to do is get them wet and get to wiping.
Because of their size, too, magic erasers are more likely to be able to fit into any gaps and seams your brush can’t manage to get into because of the size. You may need to take a couple of passes with the eraser to get up all the stains, but you will start to see results.
Like with your brush, you don’t want to scrub too hard with magic erasers since they can potentially cause damage to your vinyl. Take your process easy, and you’ll be in good shape to clean up your remaining mildew mess.
You could start with magic erasers if you like, but you don’t need all that power for all stains. Save them for things you can’t get rid of with the above steps.
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