Refreshing Cushions ?

[SPCarroll]

I just began living aboar my Birstol 24 this month. So far so good, but it's been a depressingly cold and wet spring here in Wisconsin. I sleep well enough aboard, but my throat always gets scratchy after sleeping on the boat. I'm assuming it's from a bit of mildew or general dampness in the matresses. Is there a good way to refresh them, or clean them out that is quick, easy, and cheap?
Other than that, loving living aboard, looking to take the maiden voyage this week. Thanks!

[sv Winterlude]

We had the same issue when we first bought Winterlude. We tried drying them out in the sunshine which seemed to have the best result, but nothing completely solved the problem. A year later, we got a new mattress for the pullman berth.

If you're talking about the cushions, we remove the covers and launder them in cold water, then hang to dry and put the foam out in the sunshine while the covers are washing and drying. Be sure to check one of your cushion covers first before you try this to make sure it holds up to laundering. Ours are supposed to be dry cleaned, but we found out when we were out cruising and there were no dry cleaners that laundering on a delicate cycle with cold water and hanging to dry worked just fine. I wouldn't try this with faux suede or some of the other fancier fabrics though.

Good luck!

[wingNwing]

While the foam is out, spray it liberally with "Amazon's Amazing Mildew Stain Remover" (sorry, I don't have a link but you can get it from your local ship's store) to kill existing mold and stop it from regrowing. Ideally you'd thoroughly wash the foam too, but that's hard to do without a bathtub.

[FrankZ]

You may also need to go on a mold kill. It might be cushions, and that isn't a bad place to start, but check lockers, under the berth, everywhere.

[SPCarroll]

Thanks, I'll try it out.

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by sv Winterlude

I wouldn't try this with faux suede or some of the other fancier fabrics though.

It would be a pretty unusual baot cushion cover that could not take a warm water wash by hand or in a delicate cycle. and and Ultra suede or ultra leather will take it better than most anything else. Thses fabrics are made of polyester and pretty much impervious to water. Do a test cover to see how it goes, but washing the covers and wiping the cushions down with vinegar and letting them get a good long sunny airing should help. If that fails wash the covers and get foam and cut it to the correct size and ditch the old cushions.