Sealing and protecting vinyl seats

MiamiAG

Hi all,

Unfortunately, my boat sat out at a mechanic’s dock for over 6 months. In spite of my asking them to cover the boat when they weren’t working on it, the seats somehow got mold, mildew and became very faded... I’m in the tedious process of trying to get the mildew stains out and bringing them back as best I can.

Once I’m done, I want to protect them well from the intense Florida sun. We do cover the boat during the work week but it sits uncovered during the weekend when we use it. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good vinyl seat sealant/protector for the UV rays and salt?

Thanks,


Art

LaRea

Standard answer you'll get from a lot of people here:  303 Aerospace Protectant.  They also make a cleaner.  Both are quite good.  

https://www.amazon.com/303-Aerospace-Protectant-Trigger-Sprayer/dp/B00C7K57CW

aero3113

Use Home Armor to take the mildew and stains off then protect with a good vinyl protectant. You will be shocked with how well Home Armor works. Home Depot carries it.

http://www.homearmor.com/product/instant-mold-mildew-stain-remover

TonyG13

We had a stubborn mold issue and finely figured out we were helping the mold grow instead of eliminating it due to using bleach. Bleach can actually promote mold growth on porous surfaces (aged leather/vinyl). It should only be used on truly non-porous surfaces.

Long story short: Bleach will kill surface mold on any surface. On non-porous surfaces it kills the top layer, but then forces active mold spores to burrow deeper into the fabric thereby making it come back worse than before.

Here's a fairly good explanation of the science: https://www.servicemasterrestore.com/blog/mold-damage/mold-myths-will-vinegar-kill-mold/ 

"The chemical structure of bleach makes it unable to penetrate porous surfaces like drywall or wood, which means that mold membranes will simply retreat deeper into whatever surface they're on to avoid the chemical. Once first exposed to bleach, the mold recognizes it as a threat and can actually use it as a fungal food to grow more rapidly...[U]sing bleach to kill mold can actually feed the problem! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not recommend using bleach to kill or remove mold, except under special conditions when supervised by a professional. If you want to effectively eradicate mold in your home, bleach simply won't cut it."

When we switched to a vinegar (acetic acid) type treatment, that goes deep into the spore cavities to kill mold it worked.

rasbury

So what is the brand of stuff then?

TonyG13

rasbury said:

So what is the brand of stuff then?

If you're asking what I used, it was a homemade concoction that I found works fairly well.

It's 1/4 cup vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Spray it on the area. Let it sit for a few minutes and wipe off. If it's really bad I've gone to a 1:1 ratio (1 cup vinegar/1 cup water).

Simple, cheap, and effective.  Though it does stink :-)

If there is no mold/mildew involved - or after it's under control - I use Chemical Guys brand leather cleaner and conditioners.