Cleaning cloth cabin cushions.

[jbinbi]

See pic and zoom in. I think the little black dots are mold/mildew? This is new after the winter. Anyone have any good ideas on how to clean this? Thanks.

[JPA Cate]

jbinbi,

There may be some indication of what fabric is involved, on the cushion, itself. Some are machine washable, others, not.

Some people recommend clove oil drops in wash water for killing mold spores, but you really need to give some effort into finding out what kind of fabric it is.

Then you can do a CF Custom Google Search (about 6th down under the Search menu) on how to deal with mildew. It does look like mildew, but some of it may be just plain dirt. One of the reasons to avoid light colored upholstery on boats, it shows every stain.

Until you decide how you're going to handle the situation, spray it with white vinegar. The acetic acid in the vinegar will discourage further growth, while you decide, and is so mild it will do no harm.

Ann

[mikedefieslife]

Mold and mildew stains simply cannot be removed (without destroying the fabric). You can kill any spores, but the stains will remain after any attempt at washing. Fortunately they will hopefully be less prominent

[jbinbi]

My dealer says it is sunbrella.

[thinwater]

Actually, you can do a very impressive job. I've done multi-product testing and restored old boats with serious mildew problems.


First, you really need a carpet cleaner with an upholstery attachment if you want to tackle upholstery. This is a useful tool around the house as well, so buy one as a maintenance investment. On upholstery you generally spray the cleaner, soak a few minutes, scrub, vacuum, and repeat.



First, remove the bulk of the dirt with a cleaner that will not add mildew food (they feed on detergent residue) such as this:


https://www.practical-sailor.com/blo...s-11249-1.html


Then remove the stains using an oxygen bleach. Oxiclean is very good. There are also sail cleaners that are very good, which combine some other cleaners into a one-step cleaner (percarbonate should be in the ingredients). Do not use anything containing bleach. Also, oxygen bleach products are ALWAYS powders--percarbonate is not stable in water (liquid Oxiclean is just detergent--it does not contain percarbonate).


Because percarbonate works slowly, expect to soak for 3-6 hours. Additionally, the sun helps finish the bleaching process. Thus, after the stains are 80% gone, vacuum the best you can and leave them in the sun to dry.


https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...g_12353-1.html


It really works.

[Copacabana]

If you take the cushions to a place that cleans sofas, they can do a pretty impressive job of cleaning them. You should also get a decent discount as they don't have to lug the equipment to the place where the sofa is.

I've found Windex to be a great cleaner for stains on cushions. Spray it on and use a soft brush to scrub the area. Then you can remove the dirt with a damp cloth. Window cleaner doesn't leave a residue like some other cleaners, so you can use it as often as you need.

Mold and mildew spots may be harder to remove, but I think the suggestion above to use oxygen bleach sounds good.

[gulfcoastsailor]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

My dealer says it is sunbrella.

Their website has a “clean anything” page.

[Mithril Bham]

Can't tell from photo. I have had good luck with a local dry cleaner. Reasonable and even picks up and drops off free of charge since he is seeking yacht business.
Good luck

[JPA Cate]

Thinwater, that's very interesting. I bet it will work well. And, Sunbrella is acrylic, and pretty durable.

Thanks for that post.

Ann

[Markhunter1097]

Hi jbinbi,

As you are in New England, take the cushions to Jeff Andersen at Sail Support Systems in New Hampshire, Sunbrella has endorsed cleaning of their canvas products via his Vacuwash process.
Once cleaned he will re proof them with mclube sailkoteplus which will help keep them clean.
Or if you happened to have sailed to Australia, the. Bring them to me as I do the same process in Sydney.

[jbinbi]

Mark, a big thank you to you! This is why these forums are great. If you get to NE, I owe you a beer or 24.

[Markhunter1097]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Mark, a big thank you to you! This is why these forums are great. If you get to NE, I owe you a beer or 24.

I Love beer.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by Markhunter1097

I Love beer.

That's very Australian But with the taxes they put on beer it may be cheaper to pay for cushion cleaning than to hand over a flat

[jbinbi]

So Lagoon put me in touch with the cushion maker in France, who wrote back

The reference of this fabric is the LOOM SHARK 13 , but it’s not a product SUNBRELLA

Does anyone know what Loom Shark 13 is? Google shows nothing.

[Dsanduril]

Look here:

https://www.zepelfabrics.com/our-bra...2774/loom.html

A polyester/linen blend. The linen may give you a little trouble in cleaning, but then it's only 6%.

[Edit]

Care instructions:

UPHOLSTERY LABEL NO: 3U. NON PIL FABRIC - 3U
REGULAR CLEAN: Protect from direct sunlight. Vacuum regularly using low suction. Rotate reversible cushions regularly. CLEANING: Do not remove cushion covers for separate cleaning or washing. Even though they may have zippers. Shampoo clean using upholstery shampoo. Do not use dishwashing or laundry detergent. Do not wet filling. Do not scrub with stiff brush. Gently vacuum to restore pile. Dry in shade away fro direct heat. Allow to dry thoroughly before re-use. OR Clean using on-site dry cleaning machine (P). Professional cleaning recommended. Do not wet filling with solvent. Exhaust solvent outside building. Allow to dry before re-use. SPOT CLEANING: Treat spills and stains as soon as possible. Gently scrape any soil or mop any liquid from the surface of the fabric. Apply proprietary cleaning agents strictly according to instructions to remove the residue of the spill. Do not saturate the fabric or interior with water or other cleaning liquids. May be spot cleaned with dry cleaning solvent.