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Tips for cleaning your boat seats

Aug. 29 2023 Tips & Tricks By Mandy Witt

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It’s late summer and you’ve put some wear and tear on your boat. The vinyl on your seats is looking less than clean lately, and it’s starting to put a damper on your lake days. So what is the best way to clean your boat seats? Here are a few tips from our team to keep your boat in tip-top shape:


Routine Cleaning

One of the best ways to prevent mold and mildew from appearing on your vinyl seats is to keep up with a regular boat cleaning schedule.


Here’s what we recommend for those regular cleanings:

  • Make a solution of 1 gallon of water and 1/4 cup of mild soap.
  • Use a soft cloth or sponge to wipe the vinyl in a circular motion, avoiding pooling water in the seams.
  • Rinse the seats with clean water and a clean cloth to remove excess soap.
  • It’s also a great idea to keep alcohol wipes on board for spot cleaning during trips.

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning should be done whenever you put your boat away for the winter, mid-season, and as you bring it back out in the spring.

  • After cleaning with a mild soap solution and clean cloth, dry seats completely and apply a vinyl cleaner with a soft-bristled brush or clean cloth.
  • To find the right mildew or mold remover, make sure of 3 things:
    1. Make sure your product is specially formulated for boat use—not home use.
    2. The product is safe to apply to vinyl material
    3. It doesn’t contain harmful chemicals like bleach
    4. We recommend the North Woods products line (pictured to the right) and have a number of different cleaning products for the exterior of your boat as well.
  • Once dry, you can apply a vinyl protectant as well. We recommend 303 Vinyl Protectant.
  • Avoid using harsh cleaners that contain ammonia, bleach, Windex or Simple Green. They can easily scrub off or erode the material.

Replacing Vinyl Seats

If you catch issues early, you may be able to remove surface stains but the mold and mildew may penetrate the cushions. If that is the case, you may need to invest in new cushions or seat skins.


Proper Care for Your Boat

Interested in more great tips for proper care and maintenance of your pontoon or fishing boat? Reach out to one of our marine experts at Erv’s Sales and Service or Power Pac today! Or, let us know what else you’d like to know in our next marine blog by emailing us at mandy@powerpacequipment.com.