Keeping your boat seats clean is not an easy task. Most boat seats are white, and that allows even the smallest of stains to become visible.
There are so many things that can cause your boat seats to get dirty. Food and drink, along with the weather, are some of those many causes. The best way to clean your boat seats is to wipe them down as soon as they get messy. Don’t let stains set in!
If you’ve found that your boat seats have become dirty over time, a simple way to clean them is with soap and water. For 1 gallon of water, add ¼ cup of dish soap. You can use a sponge or rag to scrub the vinyl with the soap and water mix lightly.
After you’ve scrubbed the entire seat, get a new rag and clean water. Now wipe the seat down with the heavy wet rag. Make sure to remove all the soap and scum from the seat.
Washing your seats with any mild soap will work fine. Make sure not to use harsh products or chemicals, such as bleach, ammonia, or Windex. Many people think bleach is the solution for white vinyl seats, but this will only ruin the material. Bleach will leave your seats dry and will sand down the vinyl over time.
Don’t stress too much if you’re still unsure how to clean your vinyl. We’ll address more tips and tricks on how to perfectly clean your boat seats further on in this article.
Cleaning Your Vinyl Seats
The simplest way to clean your seats is to use dish soap because most people have easy access to it. If you’d rather use a cleaner especially made for vinyl boat seats, you can purchase a marine vinyl cleaner. There are many on the market to choose from. Here is an up to date list of the top best marine vinyl cleaners.
Most of the vinyl cleaners on the market these days are cleaning sprays. They don’t require too much effort to clean your seats as would regular soap and water.
With several marine vinyl cleaners, you just spray or rub the product onto your seats and wipe off with water. The cleaner does most of the work. If you’re one of those people who enjoy scrubbing your seats or don’t feel like buying a cleaner, then dish soap and water should be just fine to use.
Vacuuming seats before adding your cleaning solution is highly recommended. Whichever cleaning method you decide to go with, vacuuming is an essential part of getting your seats spick and span.
A vacuum can get out all the dust and crumbs that fall in between seats and cracks. You don’t want to scrub vinyl that is full of debris; this can lead to scratches or scuff marks.
A quick tip to remember after cleaning your seats with soap and water is to dry them off completely. Water often gets left in the cracks of the seats and can leave residue.
The best way to maintain vinyl seats is to keep them clean. Don’t let them sit and get dirty for too long before you decide to clean them. This will make it harder for you and could possibly ruin your seats. Don’t make it where you have to replace your seats because you can’t keep up with a good cleaning routine.
Keeping Your Boat Seats Clean
Boat seats can get dirty pretty quickly if they aren’t looked after and cleaned regularly. To make a hard task easy, clean your seats as soon as you see any dirt or stains on them.
- Keep alcohol wipes on “deck.” This allows you to quickly wipe up any spills or messes that can happen to your seats.
- Use boat seat covers or full boat covers to protect your seats when you aren’t on your boat. Debris from trees can fall onto your seats as well as bird droppings.
- Purchase a small car vacuum to suction any crumbs or dirt on your seats. Dust and dander can build up in the crevices, and if accumulated, it can be hard to get out.
- Apply vinyl guard to your seats. Spray it on your seats once you’ve cleaned them and rub the product in with a sponge or washcloth. It adds a protectant layer to your vinyl and should last you a while.
Use this advice to keep your seats as tidy as possible. These tips should make it easy for you to maintain the quality of your vinyl.
Removing Stains From Boat Seats
Some boat seat stains are tough to come out no matter which vinyl cleaner you use. Scuff marks and grime stains are hard to clean off the vinyl and require stronger cleaning methods.
An easy and effective product to use is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I’ve used this on many hard to remove stains, and it never lets me down. After cleaning your seats, wet the magic eraser and scrub directly on the stains. The stains should disappear like “magic.” Wipe down the area after you’ve finished; the eraser could leave soap residue on your seats.
Removing mildew
Mildew stains won’t come out as easily as other stains. You will need to use a different agent other than a magic eraser.
There is a marine vinyl cleaner, especially for mildew. You will need to spray and repeatedly scrub until the mildew comes out.
To prevent mildew from building up on your seats, rinse them with water after every fishing trip and wipe them dry. Also, as mentioned above, vinyl guard is great for your seats. It can protect against mildew build up as well as other molds.
Can I Use Vinegar to Clean Vinyl Seats?
Vinegar is a cleaning solution used most commonly to get rid of mold. If you’re wondering if you can clean mold stains with vinegar, then the answer is yes, you can!
You will need vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, a sponge, and a few towels to do this. Below is a set of instructions on how to properly get this done.
Follow these steps to get mold out of your vinyl effectively:
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 1 cup of white vinegar. (You may need to make more of the solution if you have a lot of mold.) Mix them together.
- With gloves, spread the mixture directly on the mold stains. Allow the mixture to seep into the seats for at least 5 hours. Leaving it on longer will allow it to work better.
- Once you’ve allowed it to set in, scrub the seat using a sponge with a mixture of ¼ dish soap to a gallon of water.
- Rinse the seat with clean water and a rag. Make sure to wipe the vinegar mixture entirely off.
- With a large towel, completely dry your seat. Make sure there is no moisture anywhere on the seat. Any moisture will allow the mold to grow back.
Some people will advise you to use bleach or ammonia on your molded vinyl. Harsh chemicals such as these will damage your seats. They can cause the stitching on your seats to deteriorate over time. Bleach can also discolor your vinyl and make them look old and worn out.
What to do if Stains and Mold Won’t Come Out?
Not all boat seat stains come out. There are some stubborn stains that are impossible to remove; permanent marker and/or pen ink are some of those things.
If you have stains that won’t come out of your vinyl boat seats, I would suggest replacing or reupholstering them. This can be very expensive, but unfortunately, there is no other option.
For mold that has sunk deep into your seats, replacing them would be the only option. Mold that’s grown onto the inside of your seats can make you sick. Also, if left untreated, it can spread to other conjoining seats on your boat. It’s best to treat mold when first sighted because if it spreads, your seats are garbage.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep your seats clean by following the advice and tips in this article so you won’t have to replace or reupholster them.