Whether you’re gearing up your boat for the new season or you simply want to give it a gleaming rejuvenation, we’re sure that you’ll agree with us when we say that – just like a car – a boat is a prized possession and often comes at a hefty cost.
So, alongside regularly cleaning its exterior, what better way to show your boat off than to ensure that its seating area is clean and sparkling?
If you currently have some white vinyl boat seats that are in desperate need of a deep clean, then rest assured that it’s very common for boat seats to become dirty after some time.
Whether from days spent out on the water with friends and family, or adverse weather causing dirt and debris to find themselves swept onto your boat – vinyl seats often take the brunt of it. So, what can be done to restore them back to their original glory?
If you’re currently wanting to give your vinyl boat seats a clean but you’re not too sure of where to start, then rest assured that you have clicked on the right article.
To ensure that you are able to effectively clean your vinyl seats and restore them back to gleaming white, we’re going to be providing you with simple, easy-to-follow instructions below, as well as some helpful tips along the way to ensure they stay pristine for longer.
Let’s jump right in.
Why Should You Keep Your Vinyl Boat Seats Clean?
No matter what type of boat you have, it’s very important to make sure that you are regularly maintaining your vinyl boat seats – especially if you want them to stay in pristine condition for longer without the need for any costly replacements.
Not only will this ensure your boat stays presentable and uniform, but it will also help to elevate the overall experience of taking your boat out on the water.
In addition to all of that, it’s also important to make sure that you are regularly checking your vinyl seats in order to ensure that your boat’s seating area is clean and hygienic, while also maintaining the overall quality of your boat, too.
If you’re anything like us, we’re sure that you’ll agree with us when we say that the last thing you’ll want is to invite guests onto your boat, only to find that your vinyl seats are covered in mold or discolored from the elements.
Not to mention, seeing as the seating area is a focal point of the boat, it only makes sense that you should want to keep your seats in immaculate condition to ensure that your boat appears clean and presentable.
Sure, even though having to make sure that you are regularly cleaning your boat’s vinyl seats can seem like a bit of a tedious task to have to carry out, the good news is that there’s plenty of ways that you can make the process more enjoyable – which brings us to our next section.
How To Clean White Vinyl Boat Seats (Preparatory Steps)
Before you begin to give your white vinyl boat seats a thorough clean, we first recommend that you take the time to carry out a few preparatory steps to ensure that you get the very best results.
First things first, we recommend that you first take a few moments to temporarily remove all items that you don’t wish to get exposed to warm water and detergent.
After you have safely removed any nearby items and decorations that you do not wish to get wet away from your boat’s seating area, you should then take a few moments to inspect the quality of your vinyl seating. Are there any tears or places in your vinyl seats that need to be repaired?
If so, we strongly recommend that you make the necessary repairs before going ahead with the cleaning process, otherwise, the water and detergent might get into the deeper layers of your vinyl seats and cause them to become damaged and in need of replacement.
Once you have done that, you will then need to make sure that you have all the proper cleaning equipment needed to ensure that your vinyl seats are properly cleaned.
For the best results, we recommend that you make sure to use a vinyl-friendly cleaning detergent that will be able to effectively clean the surface of your vinyl without damaging it in any way.
In addition to that, we also recommend that you take a bucket of warm water aboard your boat with you, as this will ensure that all of the water needed to clean your vinyl seats will be right next to you.
As a side note, even though vinyl is a relatively hardy and durable seating material, that does not mean that it can’t become damaged if exposed to certain substances.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that you do not use any bleach-based cleaning products (or cleaning products that contain similarly harsh and abrasive ingredients, such as ammonia) but instead stick with mild fabric-detergent and warm water.
In need of a recommendation? No problem.
If you’re currently wanting to give your vinyl seats a clean but you’re not sure what type of detergent to use, then we recommend checking out the STAR BRITE Ultimate Vinyl Clean, which has been specially designed in order for use on vinyl and will be able to get rid of stubborn stains, grime, grease, dirt, debris and much more.
What’s more, as it has been carefully designed to be suitable for use on vinyl fabric, it means that you will be able to use this cleaner with the peace of mind that it has been specifically engineered for vinyl, so you won’t have to worry about your boat seats becoming damaged when exposed to it.
How To Clean White Vinyl Boat Seats (Step-by-Step Instructions)
So, now that you know all about the various preparatory steps you can take to prepare your vinyl seating area ready for a thorough clean, we’re now going to be talking you through how to go about actually doing it!
Without a doubt, one of the biggest benefits of vinyl seating is that thanks to the non-porous surface that vinyl fabric is infamous for, it means that you’re only going to need to make sure that you’re cleaning the surface of your vinyl seats.
Nevertheless, check out the following steps below to make sure that you clean your seats without a hitch:
1. Ensuring that you have all of your cleaning supplies ready to go and you have moved all of your personal belongings out of the way, you will be ready to begin cleaning your vinyl seats.
As a side note, if you do not have a boat cover or shelter, then we recommend that you refrain from cleaning your boat if the weather is rainy, and instead wait for a sunnier day.
2. Taking your vinyl cleaner, begin spritzing the surface of your vinyl seats, ensuring that you are evenly distributing the cleaning product across all of your vinyl seats.
Once you have finished doing this, take a scrubbing brush or sponge and begin to thoroughly clean your vinyl seats, massaging your brush or sponge in a circular motion to ensure that all of the dirt and debris has been effectively removed from the surface of your vinyl seats.
3. Once you are satisfied that you have spent enough time scrubbing and cleaning your vinyl seats, the next step will be to carefully rinse your vinyl seats with warm water.
Like we mentioned a little earlier on, for convenience, we recommend that you take a bucket of warm water onto the boat with you, so that you do not have to get off your boat to fetch warm water while in the middle of cleaning.
4. After you have thoroughly rinsed your boat’s vinyl seats with warm water, we then recommend that you take a few moments to inspect the surface of your vinyl seats.
Are there any remaining spots of dirt or stains that didn’t come off during the first round? If there are, then all you will need to do is take some more of your chosen vinyl cleaner and spot clean all of the areas that still have dirt or debris on them.
After you have done this, simply repeat the rinsing process to ensure that all of the dirt has been washed away.
5. Once you are completely happy that your vinyl seats are completely cleaned, all you will then need to do is wipe your vinyl seats down with a clean cloth or wipe.
If you have followed our advice and opted to clean your boat’s vinyl seats on a sunny day, you could also opt to leave your seats out in direct sunlight for an hour or so to allow them to dry that way.
