spray for cleaning old cushions??

[cruisingmom]

Greetings! We have a new old boat and are busy with major restorations. At the bottom of the list is cleaning the cushions ( even further down is replacing them).

My daughter and I seem to have some allergy when sleeping aboard. ( probably mold)WE will extensively clean before heading out to cruise. Some of the cushions have been replaced within the last 5 years, others look older and are stained but serviceable. We have a cover for them, which IS washable.
I thought about a bleach/ water spray and lots of airing and sun, but then I thought I would be smelling bleach for years to come. ( another bother).

Any thoughts??
Thanks all

[celenoglu]

If mold was present, it is very likely to have it from on. Cleaning and disinfecting with bleech will take care of it in the short term but you will have mold and bleech odor very soon.

I hope you have "take care of water ingress inside the boat" well ahead of your list.

[quahaugger]

Nothing like sunshine to help clean that mold. After that, proper ventilation and maybe a small heater to keep humidity levels low in the boat. Good luck!

[fordo]

Empty the boat of everything. Clean all the stowage areas with beach and detergent. Rinse well. Clean the interior surfaces with spray cleaner (Spray 9 works well). Air it out well, the bleach smell will dissipate quickly. Clean the stuff before it gets back into the boat. Then as Quahauger says: keep the boat dry.

[stevemac00]

Take the cloth off the foam and wash in the washer. Soak the cushions in a vinegar solution then dry. For us they were as good as new and all odors were gone. (If you have those little buttons, they can be removed by unlatching the string connecting.)

[thekeip]

Acquire an Ozone Generator...borrow, rent, or buy it. Open all your cabinets, closets, and expose cushions and bedding. Start the generator, close the boat, find some other things to do for a few hours. Ozone is detrimental to your health if you breathe it for any length of time so don't be tempted to linger in your boat while the generator is operating. Ozone kills ALL mold and odor...your boat will smell like a fresh Spring day. Hotels use ozone to reclaim musty, smoky smelling rooms.

[Cruisingdad]

We have used the "carpet cleaning machine" like you rent at the grocery store with teh upholstery attachment. They make a special allergen cleaning formula. I would try that. Be cautious about removing and throwing in the washer as they may shring and/or getting them back in the covers like was original can be a chore! Also, I would be surprised if the allergens/mold is not also in the foam pad, which makes the upholstry cleaner a potentially better product. Plus, it is designed not to fade the fabric or discolor it (but try in a inconspicuous spot first).

Brian

[T37Chef]

Every other year I steam clean all out interior cushions (I use a small portable one) using the proper cleaner with a little bleach added (check the MSDS to be sure). Then I spray them with 303 Fabric Guard. Maybe thats a little overkill, but with two kids, a moving dining room, and drinks...it sure does a fine job of keeping the cushions clean Better than Scotch Guard of whatever. To dry there nothing much better than the sun

Also, you probably know this but you could replace the foam using the old as the "template", although the stuff is $$$


High Tech Fabric Guard

[kwaltersmi]

Try a mild solution of bleach, water and laundry detergent sprayed on the foam, and then allow to thoroughly dry in the sun. You can also use Febreeze after they are dry to help eliminate any remaining odor. We did this on our first boat and it seemed to work well with cushions that were extremely moldy.

[sailingdog]

Take the cushions out of the boat and spray them liberally with KO. This will kill and destroy all the mold/mildew/spores on the cushions.

From Peggie Hall on this subject:

Buy some Raritan K.O. (it's a bio-active holding tank treatment that also "eats" mold and mildew. Saturate the cushions with it--not dripping wet, but enough to make sure it gets all way into the middle of the cushion--and leave 'em out the sun all day. The combination of sunlight and K.O. will leave 'em smelling fresh as daisies. While you're at it, do the same thing to all your musty life jackets and foulies.

BTW, don't use an ozone generator. It contributes to pollution and really won't work unless it is strong enough to cause damage to the plastic and rubber parts on your boat. The "ozone generators" most people use are good enough to cover up odors but do little to eliminate the sources of the odors and the odors return as soon as they're turned off.