How To Maintain Your Marine Vinyl Upholstery

Vinyl upholstery is one of the best ways to keep your boat looking clean and protect it from rapid mold and mildew growth. It’s also a great way to customize your boat and make it look even more luxurious. However, without the proper care and maintenance, even the highest quality vinyl can start to wear down. Learn how to maintain your marine vinyl upholstery.

Use the Right Cleaning Tools

Luckily, marine-grade vinyl upholstery is highly resistant to wear and tear, meaning you don’t have to clean it after every use. However, it’s crucial to maintain a cleaning schedule and remove stains as soon as possible. Gentle soap and water with a soft towel or rag do the trick for getting rid of most dirt and grime. To address tough stains, you should avoid using abrasive chemicals like bleach and stick to professional boat surface cleaners. Additionally, don’t use bristles on your vinyl unless you’re using soft bristles to clean up mildew. Hard bristles can scratch it, so you’ll just have to use some extra elbow grease with your sponge or towel.

Prevent Pinking

Managing pinking can be very frustrating, as it can appear for seemingly no reason. Additionally, the bacteria that causes it is the perfect size to go right through the vinyl material and embed itself within it. While most modern vinyl is regulated to protect pinking from occurring, it’s still a possibility. To prevent pinking, you should clean mold and mildew as it appears. Don’t let your boat cover rest on upholstery for extended periods, and don’t use sunscreens that contain PABA.

Protect Your Vinyl

While you don’t want your boat cover to rest directly on the vinyl, covering your boat when you’re not using it is one of the best ways to maintain the longevity of your vinyl upholstery. If you can’t prevent your cover from touching the fabric, put a clean and dry towel on top of it to separate them. However, while marine vinyl upholstery is already resistant to every weathering that boats experience, that doesn’t mean the sun can’t cause it to degrade over time. You want to ensure your boat cover has a tight seal, especially in inclement weather. Otherwise, you might end up with a moldy mess afterward.

Boats are expensive, and now that you know how to maintain your marine vinyl upholstery, you can keep your boat looking clean for the long haul.