Best Vinyl boat seat cleaner

Lazy Daze said:
That's funny, but you know what? Maybe there's some truth to that and it caused the "pink" stuff to show up earlier than later? I dunno - I'm not an expert in microorganism gastrointestinal malnutritional disorders. :smt001
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I'll ask the First Mate....he's a biologist and leads a team that includes mold experts! I'm thinking it is indeed possible that mold reacting to bleach rather than dying from exposure could explain the timing of the pink stain appearing following vinyl cleaning.
 
I knew I had something about this pink mold on Morbern's website (a major vinyl supplier), but it has been a while. I seem to remember that whatever I saw had more info directly related to pink mold, but this is what I just now found: http://www.chemicalfabricsandfilm.com/pdfs_researchSection/techSupport/moldmarine.pdf

For what it's worth, in looking for that info on Morbern's site, I came across a care/cleaning section where they noted that bleach is fine to use.

"I'll ask the First Mate" That would be great! If it helps, from what I've learned on the subject (unless I'm mistaken), the bacteria actually live down in the foam. Sea Ray wraps the seat foam in thin plastic, before covering it with the vinyl. But, "expanded" back vinyl is often used as it gives a plusher feel. The "expanded back" is a thin layer of foam. Also, maybe the plastic has broken down? Another thing that may/could come into play are things like suntan lotion. I know that that can harden/discolor the vinyl, but I don't know if that can contribute to more bacterial growth - it sounds like it could, but I don't know.
 
Well I am someone who has literally shelves of cleaning products as I am always on the lookout for for that miracle product. As far as vinyl cleaners go, I have tried 3M, Meguiars, Spray Nine, Earthbrite, Krazy Clean and numerous other sprays cloths and creams.

I was cleaning out the garage last weekend and came across one I had bought on Amazon but had not had time to try yet or maybe just forgot about. I had cleaned all the cushions for my Whaler and brought them in to the garage to store for the winter. I had just opened a beer and had good tunes on the radio so I decided to grab a clean rag and give this stuff a whirl on the cushions. To my surprise it removed a layer of dirt that was still on after I had previously cleaned them with Spray 9 and treated with Meguiars protectant. Also took off several spots I thought were permanent marks. I highly recommend this stuff as it seems so far to have worked wonders for me. I can't wait to try it on the Sea Ray.

Star Brite 910 Vinyl Polish and Restorer. They also have a couple other products for Vinyl care. This is the 3rd Star Brite Product that has exceed my expectations.

http://www.starbrite.com/category/vinyl-care
 
I'll give it a try Jason. I'll try anything once.i tried this stuff that the detail dept.at work uses to clean auto interiors stuff was super potent . The seats are super clean bright and still feel soft to the touch and most people don't notice the spots. It drives me nuts though they are the only thing I see when I look at the seats
 
I was a huge fan of 303 Vinyl cleaner until I used Spray 9 with a small hand brush.





A friends boat I detailed a couple years ago. This thing was extremely dirty.
Before



After



 
I agree, Todd. I would call 303 a light-(maybe)medium duty cleaner. Whereas Spray 9 is one of the 'heavy duty' cleaners. The brush is a key ingredient to lifting dirt out of the grain. Keeping the area very wet and rinsing often is also very key. But I always follow up with 303 protectant - I do think that's the best protectant on the market.
 
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Sal A said:
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here is what bleach does to vinyl
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Are you sure that wasn't sunscreen? Sunscreen will leave pink stains on vinyl that is pretty much permanent.
 
Spray Nine is really good for cleaning non-skid too. But be aware, it's quite slippery if walked on without a thorough rinse.
 
Do you have a cover for the boat? I've had this before. My cover is navy blue and it will touch the rear seat and leave a pinkish stain if it sits there too long. Sunshine will remove it. Now I put a towel on top of the backrest so the cover doesn't sit on it.
 
Is there any difference between the regular Spray Nine and the "Marine" Spray Nine other than cost?
 
rdelie said:
Is there any difference between the regular Spray Nine and the "Marine" Spray Nine other than cost?
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No - based on internet analysis I have read. Buy the regular in gallon containers from the big hardware store.
 
Here's a new one. So, I pride myself in keeping my vinyl spotless. I permanently moved the boat to Florida in September. Last month, I noticed a large area on my aft facing seats that had brown staining. Some areas nearly solid and some just pixelations. I tried every chemical to no avail. I finally scrubbed it with a magic eraser and soft scrub with bleach and got it from a 9/10 bad to 3/10. Now, a month later, it's back. I couldn't figure out what it is and why it's centralized to these cushions. I lifted the seat cushion and there was my new (last year) teak table stored.
Now, I think the teak stain has outgassed and permeated the vinyl from the inside out. Has anyone ever heard of this? Any suggestions? I've tried Spray 9, soft scrub, pure bleach, Babes, 303 vinyl cleaner, 409, alcohol...
 
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