Marine-grade vinyl is wonderfully durable and is designed to withstand harsh marine environments. However, it does need regular and proper care for a long life. We will first talk about both regular marine vinyl cleaning jobs as well as situations where maybe the task was procrastinated a bit too long. Then, we will talk about a couple of things not to do. Finally, we’ll share some of the most popular vinyl care products among the PartsVu community.
But first, why is it so important to care for your boat’s vinyl? Of course, you want your boat to be as attractive and stain free for as long as possible – seats and other vinyl blacked from mold and mildew aren't pretty. Also, over time, UV rays cause vinyl to fade, crack, and peel.
Regular Marine Vinyl Cleaning
We always advise regular cleaning and protection of your boat’s vinyl. Your seating and other vinyl surfaces will last longer and look nice, much longer. While it is sometimes tempting to procrastinate these jobs, don’t. Always follow the steps on the vinyl cleaning product you are using, but the following is the basic procedure:
- Apply cleaner one seat or section at a time to keep cleaning products from drying on the vinyl surface.
- Spray your cleaner onto the seat and allow it to sit for about one minute.
- Gently brush the seat in a circular motion. The cleaner should be doing most of the work for you.
- Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away the grime as it loosens from the surface.
- If you have trouble getting down into the creases, use an old toothbrush.
- Wet and wring out another cloth and wipe the surface again to remove any remaining traces of cleaner.
- Wipe the surface dry with a clean towel.
Stains – Mold, Mildew, & Other Stains
A Magic Eraser type of product is often very effective for stains that have developed over time. Wet one of the pads and gently scrub your seat surface. When you’re finished, wipe the area with a clean, damp cloth.
You will likely need something a bit more powerful for mold and mildew, but don’t use bleach. The safest way to clean your boat’s vinyl is with a product designed for marine vinyl. We have recommended some products below, and each product will have its own set of instructions, but the following is the general approach:
- Tackle one seat or section at a time to keep the cleaning product from drying on the vinyl surface.
- Spray the mildew stain remover onto the stain and allow it to sit for about one minute.
- Gently brush the stain with circular motions.
- Wipe the surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove cleaner.
- Dry the surface with a clean towel.
While not every stain will come out, you should see a considerable improvement
Apply UV Protection to Marine Vinyl
As mentioned above, UV rays cause vinyl to fade, crack, and peel over time–you, of course, want to avoid this. Covering your boat when it's not in use helps a lot, but your boat's vinyl is exposed to UV rays for many hours when the boat is in use. Follow the instructions for the specific vinyl protectant you will be using, but the following are the basic steps:
- Make sure the vinyl surface you are protecting is clean and dry.
- Spray the product onto a clean cloth.
- Using gentle, circular motions, rub the product into the vinyl.
- With another clean cloth, wipe off excess product.
What to Do If Your Boat’s Vinyl Is Damaged
While marine vinyl is very strong, holes, rips, cracks, and tears can happen. To keep water and salt out of the inside of your upholstery, replace damaged vinyl as soon as possible. A vinyl repair kit may be in order if the damage is relatively small. Or, you might have to consider investing in a professional to repair the damage.
What Should You Avoid?
Tree Sap
Tree sap is especially notorious for causing damage to boat seats when the boat is parked. Once the sap gets on the seats, the sun bakes the sap in, making it extremely difficult to remove. The first step for avoiding sap-stained seats is to avoid docking your boat under a “sappy” tree. But, if any sap gets on your seats, clean them immediately. Covering your boat when it’s not in use goes a long way toward preventing tree sap damage.
Bleach
It is tempting to use bleach to clean your boat’s vinyl, especially if you have delayed the job too long, and you are contending with mold and mildew stains.Unfortunately, bleach deteriorates the stitching on marine vinyl. The detrimental effects are even more noticeable when you combine bleach and UV rays. Mixing bleach and sunlight will cause the threads that bind vinyl seat cushions to weaken and eventually disintegrate. Therefore, we recommend using a mixture of bleach and water exclusively for smaller mold jobs or as a last-ditch effort before reupholstering.
Our Recommended Marine Vinyl Cleaning & Protecting Products
The following are favorite products of both the PartsVu team and the PartsVu community.
Best Products for Cleaning Boat Vinyl
Meguiars Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner
A tough cleaner that removes heavy dirt and grime. Great for cleaning and prepping all vinyl, plastic, rubber and urethane surfaces. Apply to vinyl tops, bumpers, plastic door panels, car and boat interiors, luggage and furniture.
StarBrite's Ultimate Vinyl Clean
StarBrite Ultimate Vinyl Clean is formulated to blast away the toughest dirt, grime and greasy stains from vinyl, plastic, rubber and leather surfaces. While you can use this product of a multitude of applications, it is particularly effective on marine vinyl.
Meguiar's Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner & Conditioner
Cleans and revitalizes vinyl and rubber surfaces. Restores color with a rich natural sheen, not the typical artificial shine produced with conventional protectants. Screens out damaging UV rays that can dry out and crack the surface.
3M Marine Vinyl Cleaner And Restorer
3M Cleans, shines, conditions and protects vinyl, rubber and plastic surfaces. Deep cleans dirt and grime, enhances appearance. Restores natural sheen, protects surfaces.
Best Products for Protecting Boat Vinyl
StarBrite's Ultimate Vinyl Guard
Designed to work hand-in-hand with Star Brite's Ultimate Vinyl Clean, Ultimate Vinyl Guard enhances appearance and UV protection for all vinyl, rubber, plastic and leather surfaces. Additionally, it is formulated to restore suppleness to vinyl exposed to the harsh marine environment and PTEF® polymers bond to treated surface to form a barrier that helps repel stains and damaging UV rays acting like a sunblock for vinyl surfaces.
303 Aerospace Protectant
Originally engineered for aerospace and aviation applications, 303 Aerospace Protectant is a premium surface treatment that instantly beautifies and provides superior protection against harmful UV rays that can cause discoloration, fading, embrittlement, cracking and/or chalking of surfaces. 303 Aerospace Protectant also repels dust, dirt, lint, soiling, staining, water spots, saltwater, and mildew. Safe and effective for vinyl, clear vinyl, gel-coat, fiberglass, carbon fiber, synthetic/natural rubber, plastics, and finished leather.
3M Marine Mildew Block
This product offers a unique solution in preventing unsightly mildew growth. It is safe to use on most marine surfaces and materials above the waterline. The product can be used both indoors and outdoors. It helps keep surfaces looking newer and cleaner longer.
Shop Top Vinyl & Carpet Cleaners & Protectants
Best Mold & Mildew Removers for Vinyl Boat Seats
Starbrite-Mildew Stain Remover Removes mildew stains on contact. Easy to use, no rubbing. Removes mildew stains on contact without heavy scrubbing. Simple to use; spray on, scrub lightly and rinse off stains. Safe for use on fiberglass, painted surfaces, rubber, plastic and vinyl headliners, bolsters and upholstery. Special buffered formula will not harm vinyl upholstery or thread. or scrubbing. Excellent for cushions, headliners, vinyl covers, etc. Simple spray-on application. 303 Mold & Mildew Cleaner + Blocker 303 Mold & Mildew Cleaner + Blocker quickly and safely cleans and removes tough mold and mildew stains from virtually any water-safe surface. Not only does this product clean mold and mildew stains that have already formed, it also helps prevent mold and mildew stains from reoccurring on the treated surface. This product does not contain bleach, and will leave behind a fresh scent, with no strong odors. Works safely on vinyl, plastic, painted surfaces and even safe enough for use on fabric! 3M Marine Mildew Stain Remover This product quickly removes mildew stains on vinyl, covers, cushions and other marine surfaces. It works well on light colored and white vinyl to remove dark mildew stains and soil. The formula works quickly and requires little, if any, scrubbing. Follow-up with 3M Marine Mildew Block for long-lasting protection and to help keep surfaces looking cleaner and newer longer.
Armada by Camco-Mighty Brite Mildew Stain Remover
A revolutionary dry powder formula developed to work chemically to remove all organic stains such as mildew, mold and other fungi as well as removing dirt and brightening all soiled material. Perfect for vinyl, cloth, Sunbrella®* and canvas materials (not suitable for silk, leather or wool). Non-toxic and biodegradable, will not cause damage from over-use and is safe on all colors.
