Upholstery Cleaner?

[HBBurlington]

We have a new to us 1987 CS30.
The upholstery in the saloon, vee, and aft is worn and dirty.
Oh, and a bit stinky, too.
While an upgrade is on the wi$h li$t, I'd really like to just clean it up this year,
and investigate replacing it next season.

Can you use a steam cleaner on the seats and cushions?
I'd rather not try to remove the cushion covers and clean them, for fear that they won't go back on properly...

Any recommendations/suggestions are welcome!

[rockDAWG]

The only way is to take the cover off and hand wash them in cold water and hang dry. Try one first to see if you like the result.

If the foam is from 1987, it may be starting to disintegrate. If this is the case, don't take the cover off.

The other choice is to shower the cushions with baking soda powder and let it sit for a few days. Use high vacuum to suck all baking soda, and use Febreze to cover the residue smell.

Good luck.

[HBBurlington]

Thanks, Dawg...Baking Soda noted...Febreze already on board!
We bought the boat in February, and have just been told that our splash date is May 2-4.
We've been giving her a lot of TLC, because the previous owners moved, and they let family use it. With no skin in the game, she suffered some neglect, and was decommissioned bare bones...But...
Nothing that we can't bring back with some good hard elbow grease and a bunch of BOAT units (Bring Out Another Thousand....).
I think once we have her in the water, we will be able to get better results for some things, like trying to drain the yick on the head floor while she is in the cradle because that has been unsuccessful.
We can't get the grate off the floor, and we think it is swollen, or pinched due to the way she is sitting in the cradle.
Wish me luck, comrades...at 53, this sure is the biggest adventure of my life...I have a lot to learn!!

Woman On The Water

[poopdeckpappy]

Steam cleaners work really well, their have been several PB's down here that paid big bucks to have theirs steam cleaned, however, I ( and others ) have rented steam cleaners and got really good result

[HBBurlington]

Thank you!!
I'm going to wait til we're tied up at our home slip, and then run it using
shore power.
Hope the naybers don't mind...but once I torq that thing up, there will be no mercy.

I spent hours in the galley scrubbing down all of the surfaces and cupboards
and went into the saloon up to the doorway leading to the vee and the head...Oiled the wood right after, oh, and what a diff!!
We had a crew come and fluff and buff her hull, she was so dirty that we couldn't do near the job they could. (Scrubbed all day in the cold rain and it barely showed...doh!...).
Her Boat Spa paid for itself once I saw the After results.

I am positive I heard her sigh.....................

[travlineasy]

Stream cleaning really does a great job, kills the mildew in the foam beneath the upholstery, and leaves everything smelling fresh. However, be sure to air dry the cushions in direct sunlight for a couple days to remove ALL moisture or the mildew will quickly return. Additionally, be sure to wipe down all surfaces with bleachwater, rinse thoroughly, then dry them completely with a fan before putting the cushions back in place--it really makes a huge difference.

Good Luck,

Gary

[HBBurlington]

Excellent suggestions, Gary...thank you.

I have more work ahead of me this weekend.
It has been raining so much here that it has been impossible to air
anything out.
We took the dodger, bimini and sail covers home and soaked them in
our tub with some gentle detergent, and then hung them out on the line.
They came out great.
Once the mast is stepped and up, and we can move the sails out of the cabin, I'll be able to go to town....

[JimsCAL]

My annual spring ritual for the boat cushions is to clean them with our rug.upholstery machine and then spray with Scotch Guard. Really keeps them looking good.

[centaursailor]

My wife gave me some mold and mildew spray. Worked well on my badly stained cushion covers and locker seat backs. It did say not suitable for fabrics but I can,t see why. They are much cleaner and fresher now.
Safe sailing

[blt2ski]

You might also take the whole cushion to a dry cleaners or equal, I did that with our old cusions/covers and worked well too. If you have a larger lease oriented boat biz around, find out where they have their cushions cleaned at.

Marty