Getting mildew stains off of vinyl upholstery
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17073
Printed Date: May-06-2024 at 6:06am
Topic: Getting mildew stains off of vinyl upholstery
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Subject: Getting mildew stains off of vinyl upholstery
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 11:02am
Originally from the very dry climate of Lake Havasu, Arizona, we've just learned a hard lesson about Florida's climate. We just went to get our boat out of storage yesterday, which was a rack style indoor storage facility at our local marina. It seems the boat cover must have gotten wet sometime during the winter season. Needless to say our white upholstery now looks like leopard skin seat covers and the boat smells like mildew. Short of buying a new interior, does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning this mess?
** New photo added of stain AFTER using Star Brite MIldew Stain Remover  ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Replies:
Posted By: 75 Tique
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 11:53am
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Ouch Rod, that's tough. Mildew is a real bitch and for some reason can be as tenacious as paint or stain sometimes. Well maybe not that bad, but it makes me wonder how it can stain so badly. I've gotten hit with it a few times and have had pretty good success, but it takes some time. I like Soft Scrub for over all boat maintenance. It has some bleach in it that will help. I smear it on the mildew and let it set for several hours. Then with water or more Soft Scrub, scrub on it gently with a soft brush or sponge. Several treatments with diluted bleach can help in the process, but I have heard that bleach can deteriorate stitching so I go about that gently too. Others might have better products or processes and I'm sure they will speak up. This is what I have done with reasonable success. Tho expect to repeat the process several times.
Welcome to CCF. ------------- _____________ “So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
Posted By: Air206
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 12:04pm
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Ouch! Been there.... Welcome to the South(east)!
For mold, try Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser......... does a pretty decent job. If you do need to try bleach solutions, begin on the underside (at seat base piping). That is where mold is usually the worst and you can make sure the material won't discolor. The granular bleach-enhanced laundry products are a little easier to scrub with..... Welcome to the site........... you'll get it cleaned up!  ------------- https://tinyurl.com/y6t5e3bu" rel="nofollow - 04 Air206 http://tinyurl.com/9urzgls" rel="nofollow - 91 Barefoot 78 SkiTiq |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 12:48pm
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Rod - Sorry to see the degradation. Don't use anything abrasive such as magic eraser or even soft scrub. Those will take you clear coat off the vinyl.
Use Starbright Mildew Stain remover. You should be able to get it at a Marine or RV store. Scrub it with a soft brush, you may have to apply it repeatedly. Mine had some tough spots that I had to work on all day but they finally came out. Next winter you may want to use some damp rid containers to collect the moisture, or add more ventilation to your cover. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: Air206
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 12:52pm
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The "regular" Magic Erasers are NOT abrasive. The new "Super Scrubber" style do have an abrasive side..... don't use those.
The regular Magic Erasers are a tip I got from White Lake (Graham) and they work great.......  ------------- https://tinyurl.com/y6t5e3bu" rel="nofollow - 04 Air206 http://tinyurl.com/9urzgls" rel="nofollow - 91 Barefoot 78 SkiTiq |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 12:54pm
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OK, thanks for the correction. I steered clear from them as I had heard they were abrasive, didn't know there were 2 categories. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 1:08pm
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Tried the Magic Eraser and it does seem to get the big chunks of surface mildew, but does not remove the deep stains. I will keep these in mind for clean-up once I get these stains out or get new upholstery.
I am on my way to West Marine to pick up the Starbrite stain remover... let's hope that works. I'll report back later today. Thanks for the many responses in such a short time... you all are amazing! ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: Air206
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 1:28pm
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Lemme know......... I can use all the help possible staying ahead of that battle!
Steve ------------- https://tinyurl.com/y6t5e3bu" rel="nofollow - 04 Air206 http://tinyurl.com/9urzgls" rel="nofollow - 91 Barefoot 78 SkiTiq |
Posted By: Waldo
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 1:31pm
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Fellas the carpet doctor is in the house. Mix up some oxy blaster with real hot water water spray it on and give it a good scrub. Rinse it. If the stain is still there get a spray bottle add 50% non sudsing ammonia buy it at the cleaning section at Wal-Mart. In the same bottle fill the rest of the bottle up with 30 Volume peroxide buy it from Sallys Beauty Supply. Have the boat in direct sunlight spray the spots with this mixture. Let it sit for awhile. Then rinse. After 24 hours the mixture is no good. For other stain removals go to my site www.dirtycarpets.com Only a Pro should use that last mixture so if you smoke the cushions dont blame me. If you have to go to Wal-mart follow our family rule and take a shower when you get home.
Waldo |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 2:49pm
"REGULAR MAGIC ERASER: Compared to sandpaper, the Magic Eraser is roughly equivalent to 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper in abrasiveness, but it is more effective at removing embedded dirt than sandpaper." Never trust a marina with advice on cleaning a boat. They will ALWAYS take the half ass'd fastest route. They simply do not care if in the long run the process harms your boat. They'd love to sell you a upholstery job or even better yet a new boat. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Air206 wrote:Posted By: TRIP
Date Posted: April-10-2010 at 3:12pm
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+1 on the Star Brite Mold & Milder remover. You'll need to apply multiple times but it works great. ------------- http://www.flyzone-cr.com" rel="nofollow - FlyZone Costa Rica Wakeboarding http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=8406&sort=&pagenum=1" rel="nofollow - 1997 Super Sport |
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Date Posted: April-11-2010 at 10:37am
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Well, I tried the Star Brite Mildew Stain Remover yesterday and it worked to some degree, but you can still see stains. I would say they are about 10 to 15% of what they were originally.
Trip's comments about multiple applications might be the trick, but this is certainly no silver bullet. This is going to be a serious project. I'm thinking about calling my insurance company on Monday just to see if they don't hang up on me when I mention mildew. ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: Nautiquehunter
Date Posted: April-11-2010 at 1:44pm
| Have you tried Malco or Exquisite? I dont know if they work on mildew but they clean everything else? |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: April-11-2010 at 4:40pm
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When you winterize your boat, don't put Amor-All type stuff on the vinyl, it promotes mildew growth. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Date Posted: April-11-2010 at 6:51pm
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OK, spent the day with the boat and using star brite. I managed to get the side rails fairly clean... still not 100%, but now the stains can barely be seen. I didn't want to wade into the worst of the mess until I talk with my insurance company. Several other boaters at the marina suggest the soft scrub with bleach. I am just holding right now until i experiment in some out-of-the-way places under and behind the cushions. I have already decided to buy some skins for the worst of the damage, insurance or not. Fortunately there is a vendor in Orlando, which is just a couple of hours drive for me. Certainly I will do that for the bow pad cover and rear seats. I'm not sure how hard it will be to get the pads off that surround the open bow area. Does anyone have experience with that? ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: WhiteLakeSkier
Date Posted: April-14-2010 at 1:09pm
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"Spray nine"!!! Takes out most everything ------------- www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5120&sort=&pagenum=1 - 1961 CC Custom American Skier |
Posted By: merbesfield
Date Posted: April-15-2010 at 6:03pm
| Soft scrub will work wonders, but I have heard it is really bad for the vinyl. I would be very surprised if an insurance company would pay out for replacement vinyl. I would say that is part of owning a boat myself, but that is just my opinion. What I found when I used Soft Scrub is that it works great but the mold comes back easily. This must be due to removing the clear coat someone above mentioned. After using the Star Bright product, what is the best product for protection? I have heard good things about the 303 product line. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: April-15-2010 at 9:34pm
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I use 303 after the Starbrite mildew remover. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 12:25am
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Same as above ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: Bremsen
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 1:57pm
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Gonna agree with SNObsessed here. No Magic Erasers or Bleach. My interior was really mold ridden when I bought it. I cleaned it with a combination of TSP and diluted bleach. It worked well, but is also fell apart within 2 years. I don't know if just using a diluted TSP would harm the vinyl or stitching. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=923&sort=&pagenum=3&yrstart=1986&yrend=1990 - Our 88 SN2001 |
Posted By: merbesfield
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 6:18pm
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Here is the reply I got from 303.
Mark, here's 303's standard reply to this question. Give this a try, it's safe for the vinyl. And if this doesn't get it completely clean give me a call regarding the next step. TX, RKD ........................................................................................................................................... Overview on vinyl/mildew The key to minimizing mildew/mold is keeping the material as dry and as clean as you can. One of our products helps do this...while keeping the vinyl looking good and protecting from UV. More on that later. First, cleaning off mildew/mildew stains. Cleaning vinyl isn't difficult, but cleaning it withOUT damaging the vinyl “topcoat” is the real concern. The largest supplier of marine vinyl to US boat builders over the last couple of decades is G&T Industries. We have reproduced their cleaning info on 303's website. Here’s that text (Notice it advises how to mix certain household cleaning agents to clean and also kill the mildew spores). "Protecting the topcoat, then, is the most crucial aspect of properly maintaining vinyl and the subject with which vinyl manufacturers are most concerned. Vinyl manufacturers agree on and recommend the following. General Cleaning: Never use household cleaners, powdered or other abrasives, steelwool or industrial cleaners, dry cleaning fluids, solvents (petroleum distillates), bleach or detergents. Use a medium-soft brush, warm soapy water, (such as Ivory soap), rinse with cool water and then dry. Mildew Stains: To kill the bacteria creating the mildew, use a medium-soft brush and vigorously brush the stained area with a 4 to 1 mixture of water and ammonia; rinse with cool water. Tough Mildew Stains: Apply a mixture of one (1) teaspoon ammonia, one-fourth (1/4) cup of hydrogen peroxide and three-fourths (3/4) cup of distilled water; rinse with cool water. Note: All cleaning methods must be followed by a thorough rinse with water. Obviously abrasives should never be used on vinyl. Petroleum distillates are a universal "no no" for both vinyl and rubber. Waxes should never be used on vinyl because (a) Most waxes contain petroleum distillates; (b) Wax is a build-up product, holding in the heat absorbed from the sun and accelerating heat damage. Virtually all vinyl manufacturers agree that no type of oil should be used on vinyl. Silicone oil vinyl treatments should not be used for several reasons: 1) Silicone oil formulations typically attack the vinyl topcoat. 2) Silicone oil formulations usually contain no effective UV screening ingredients. 3) Silicone oil formulations are build-up products which accelerate heat damage. 4) Silicone oil formulations are greasy and oily, attract dust, and soil more quickly. READ THE LABEL! Product directions suggesting more than one coat for better cosmetic enhancement are build-up products and are recommended against by vinyl manufacturers." After cleaning the vinyl, you'll want to use 303 A. Protectant...and reapply it routinely a) to keep up the "like new" look it imparts to the vinyl, b) to protect against UV, and c) to keep up the repellency. Here's more information about that: http://www.303products.com/shop303/index.cfm/category/206/what-you-need-to-know-about-vinyl.cfm |
Posted By: Waldo
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 6:48pm
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Crackheads. Reread Waldos thread. I finally have some useful info and you guys throw me under the bus.
Waldo |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 10:00pm
I read and absorbed your tips the first time because I know it came from a pro. Thanks ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: merbesfield
Date Posted: April-16-2010 at 11:20pm
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Who is Waldo and where is his thread?
|
Posted By: Vicbowling
Date Posted: April-22-2010 at 9:04pm
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Thanks for the tip! I'm currently having the same problem also but I haven't tried this yet. Nothing else seems
to work for the stains.
---------------------------- Free http://www.2insure4less.com/ - insurance quotes |
Posted By: kapla
Date Posted: April-23-2010 at 12:38am
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I lost the battle!! so i learned to live with the mildew... ------------- <a href="">1992 ski nautique |
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Date Posted: April-23-2010 at 12:47am
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I too lost the battle... the Starbrite worked the best, but there are still light stains. I am buying new skins and having the interior redone. Thanks again for all of the help from everyone! ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: RJnFlorida
Date Posted: April-23-2010 at 12:48am
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I too lost the battle... the Starbrite worked the best, but there are still light stains. I am buying new skins and having the interior redone. Thanks again for all of the help from everyone! ------------- Rod & June in Florida 1995 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: April-23-2010 at 9:55am
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Waldo, some tend to stray. i noted your info.. ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: storm34
Date Posted: April-23-2010 at 2:01pm
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Waldo, I think you may need to make a trip over to DM and help me mix up some of this secret cleaning solution.
on a side note..... we need to see if Keith will let you use this as your avatar...  ------------- |
Posted By: wakemeup
Date Posted: April-24-2010 at 1:23am
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Whatever you do, do not take off the top coat like I did. On mine the mildew will clean up OK, just like yours did but after the boat was covered it came right back. Star Brite Mildew cleaner worked the best but be careful, it will take the top coat off and then your screwed. The mildew gets imbedded in the vinyl and you will never get it out. I am going to have to replace my upholstery. ------------- Wakemeup 1988 Ski Nautique 1999 Air Nautique |
Posted By: tommer12
Date Posted: April-26-2010 at 7:54pm
| I had a little on my engine cover and I used a tiny bit of soft scrub with bleech. I gently rubbed a little bit with my finger, then wiped it with a rag. Then rinsed with warm water. It came out perfect. Im not sure if this bad in the long run. I have used in the past Vinyl Victory off of ebay and it seems to work really well, just this stain, I could not get out and I resorted to the pesky soft scrub... |
Posted By: rmm025
Date Posted: April-26-2010 at 8:00pm
| Simple Green works great for me everytime. |
Posted By: anthonylizardi
Date Posted: April-27-2010 at 12:43am
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For me the best stuff is a cheap one. It was a little secret a lady at the marina told me.
MEAN GREEN: buy it at the Dollar store, $2.50 the gallon. |
Posted By: anthonylizardi
Date Posted: April-27-2010 at 12:45am
| After cleaning with Mean Green, apply conditioner. |