Maintaining Your Boat’s Vinyl Interior
How To Maintain Your Boat’s Vinyl Interior
A big part of the boat ownership ‘experience’ is maintenance. Yes, proper boat maintenance, in all aspects, can add many years to not only the life of your boat but to the overall experience as well.
Not to mention, if and when you do go to sell your boat, a properly cared for boat shines above those that were abused and neglected along the way.
Not even taking in to consideration all the various forms of ‘usages’, as well as the differences between boats that have been primarily used in ‘fresh water’ compared to those that have been subjected to salt water.
All of these ‘situations’ can detract from a boats appearance. And the more ‘elbow grease’ that is applied throughout a boats life, the better off the boat owner will be.
The following are a few tips and tricks to help keep your boat looking it’s best and in tip top shape.
What You’ll Need
- Castile soap
- Water
- Washing soda
- Tea tree oil
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Bucket
- Scrub brush
- Spray bottle
- Clean rags
- 303 Aerospace Vinyl Protectant
Maintaining boat upholstery requires a deep cleaning once or twice a year and somewhat frequent surface cleanings. How often you use your boat and how much sun it gets will help determine the life of its upholstery. Marine upholstery is built to withstand constant water contact and to take direct sunlight.
However, if it is not properly maintained, the sun can dry it out and ruin it before its time. There are excellent marine vinyl protectants on the market, but in terms of regular cleaning, the best materials are common household cleaning agents.
Step 1: Keep Mildew and Mold Off
The step in boat vinyl upholstery maintaining is to ensure that the growth of mold and mildew is kept to an absolute minimum. Without resorting to harsh chemical agents, there is a very simple solution for this. Combine hydrogen peroxide and warm water in either a bucket or a spray bottle. Use the ratio of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 1 part water. Spray the solution onto the vinyl and let it sit for a minute. Scrub it all over the vinyl, on the seats, behind the seats and in the seams. Be sure to use fresh hydrogen peroxide. It should bubble and fizz when you add it to water.
Step 2: Clean Down with Soap and Soda Mixture
To wash the vinyl off after scrubbing off the mold, mix together the following in a spray bottle:
- ½ teaspoon Castile soap
- ½ teaspoon washing soda
- 2 cups water
- 15 to 20 drops tea tree essential oil