How to Remove Mildew from Boat Seats
Having a boat is incredible because you can enjoy numerous fun adventures on the open sea. However, having a boat also requires constant maintenance and care because they are constantly exposed to harsh natural elements like salt water, sun rays, rain, hot weather, cold weather, wind, and so on. For the boat to be in the best condition possible, you need to clean and maintain it regularly. One of the things you absolutely need to know is how to remove mildew from boat seats.
Our boat seats are very susceptible to mildew and mold which can build up over time and become an issue. You can take some measures to prevent mildew from forming like wiping down our seats after you use them to take the moisture out or cover our seats with a mildew-resistant material but water can escape our sight and penetrate even the most resistant material over time.
Depending on the material of your boat seats you may need different products and materials but most seat cushions and boat seats are made with vinyl. Vinyl is a material that can withstand a lot of exposure to sun and water and it won’t get damaged easily as other materials, which is why most boat manufacturers use it for the interior. However, it is still susceptible to mildew and as a boat owner, you will need to get the right equipment and products to get rid of the mildew from your vinyl seats. The products we recommend are affordable and won’t cost you a fortune. The things you’ll need to remove mildew stains are:
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.
When enough time has passed you can take the soft brush and start scrubbing the seats. You need to use a soft brush to avoid any unwanted damage when cleaning your boat seats. You should also not use a significant amount of force when you scrub because you may scratch or damage the vinyl. If the stain remover you picked is high quality and efficient in eliminating molds and mildew you won’t have to put too much effort into scrubbing the surface to get the job done. Make sure you mostly focus on the more important areas where the stains are more visible and don’t forget to scrub in between the gaps too.
While you scrub with the soft brush, some debris will form on the seats and it needs to be taken care of. When you are done scrubbing off the significant areas of your boat seats, you must wipe off the debris that formed on them. The best cloth to use is a microfiber cloth because it’s made of a special material that is much gentler than most and is less likely to tear up your seats or damage them in any other way. Wipe the debris off the seats using circular motions and try to get inside each gap in the seat so they are perfectly clean. You may need a few cloths to cover your entire vinyl area so make sure you have a few microfiber cloths prepared.
To get your boats clean and completely remove stubborn mildew stains from your seats you may need to repeat the entire process a couple of times before you get the best results. Repeat the steps more than a few times to get everything out of your seats. Even after repeating the process a few times some stains may remain on the material. At this point, you need to head over to the next step and utilize magic erasers.
You need to get magic eraser sponges to be able to get rid of the more persistent stains. These sponges have a specifically formulated chemical inside that can take care of those very stubborn stains that just won’t give. The sponges are easy to use and you won’t have to scrub too hard on the surface to see the stain go away. Their size offers an advantage as well. They are small so you can fit them in most gaps of your seat and take care of any stains that remain there. Make sure that you don’t apply too much pressure when you are scrubbing with this sponge. Even though it’s gentle, applying too much force may cause damage to your seats.
At this point, the cleaning process is done but you can add some vinyl protectors on your seats to make sure you prevent any mold and mildew from forming in the future. Using a vinyl protectant will give your seats extra protection from the sun's UV rays and make your seats look brand new. It’s a great preventive measure so you don’t have to deal with mold and mildew every month or so.
Using preventive measures to keep mold and mildew away is the best way to approach your boat maintenance. This includes applying vinyl protectants often and wiping down moist surfaces after using them. However, once mildew forms you will need to know how to remove mildew from boat seats to deal with that issue. Removing mildew from boat seats will make your boat look as good as new and significantly increase the price of your boat.
Our boat seats are very susceptible to mildew and mold which can build up over time and become an issue. You can take some measures to prevent mildew from forming like wiping down our seats after you use them to take the moisture out or cover our seats with a mildew-resistant material but water can escape our sight and penetrate even the most resistant material over time.
Needed Equipment and Products To Remove Mildew From Boat Seats
Depending on the material of your boat seats you may need different products and materials but most seat cushions and boat seats are made with vinyl. Vinyl is a material that can withstand a lot of exposure to sun and water and it won’t get damaged easily as other materials, which is why most boat manufacturers use it for the interior. However, it is still susceptible to mildew and as a boat owner, you will need to get the right equipment and products to get rid of the mildew from your vinyl seats. The products we recommend are affordable and won’t cost you a fortune. The things you’ll need to remove mildew stains are:
- Soft brush
- Bleach-free mold and mildew stain remover
- Magic eraser sponge
- UV and Marine protective spray
- Microfiber cloth
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.
Scrub The Seats
When enough time has passed you can take the soft brush and start scrubbing the seats. You need to use a soft brush to avoid any unwanted damage when cleaning your boat seats. You should also not use a significant amount of force when you scrub because you may scratch or damage the vinyl. If the stain remover you picked is high quality and efficient in eliminating molds and mildew you won’t have to put too much effort into scrubbing the surface to get the job done. Make sure you mostly focus on the more important areas where the stains are more visible and don’t forget to scrub in between the gaps too.
Remove Debris
While you scrub with the soft brush, some debris will form on the seats and it needs to be taken care of. When you are done scrubbing off the significant areas of your boat seats, you must wipe off the debris that formed on them. The best cloth to use is a microfiber cloth because it’s made of a special material that is much gentler than most and is less likely to tear up your seats or damage them in any other way. Wipe the debris off the seats using circular motions and try to get inside each gap in the seat so they are perfectly clean. You may need a few cloths to cover your entire vinyl area so make sure you have a few microfiber cloths prepared.
Repeat The Process
To get your boats clean and completely remove stubborn mildew stains from your seats you may need to repeat the entire process a couple of times before you get the best results. Repeat the steps more than a few times to get everything out of your seats. Even after repeating the process a few times some stains may remain on the material. At this point, you need to head over to the next step and utilize magic erasers.
Utilize Magic Erasers
You need to get magic eraser sponges to be able to get rid of the more persistent stains. These sponges have a specifically formulated chemical inside that can take care of those very stubborn stains that just won’t give. The sponges are easy to use and you won’t have to scrub too hard on the surface to see the stain go away. Their size offers an advantage as well. They are small so you can fit them in most gaps of your seat and take care of any stains that remain there. Make sure that you don’t apply too much pressure when you are scrubbing with this sponge. Even though it’s gentle, applying too much force may cause damage to your seats.
Apply Vinyl Protector
At this point, the cleaning process is done but you can add some vinyl protectors on your seats to make sure you prevent any mold and mildew from forming in the future. Using a vinyl protectant will give your seats extra protection from the sun's UV rays and make your seats look brand new. It’s a great preventive measure so you don’t have to deal with mold and mildew every month or so.
Using preventive measures to keep mold and mildew away is the best way to approach your boat maintenance. This includes applying vinyl protectants often and wiping down moist surfaces after using them. However, once mildew forms you will need to know how to remove mildew from boat seats to deal with that issue. Removing mildew from boat seats will make your boat look as good as new and significantly increase the price of your boat.
