Wakeboarding - April 01, 2018

40 | BOATINGMAG.COM | APRIL 2018

BOAT DOCTOR ///BOATINGLAB

BL

BOATINGLAB

PHOTOS: COURTESY STAR BRITE, COURTESY MEGUIAR’S (2), COURTESY LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS

Further, there’s more than a

little mystery to the manufac-

turing of the vinyl itself. Some

are made with protective

coatings that seal the pores

and stop stains on the surface,

making them relatively easy

to wipe of. Some vinyl fabrics

have more porous surfaces,

nodding, perhaps, to comfort

on a hot, sticky day.

OUR GUINEA PIGS

We used three seafaring bean-

bag chairs that had seen much

duty as stowaway seating for

of shore fi shing trips, outdoor

seating on summer nights and

as dog beds for our TV-watch-

ing canines. These sported

ground-in dog tracks, blue

stains from wet denim jeans,

ballpoint pen ink and label

print transferred from a bot-

tle of cleaner. (We never got

that out.)

HOW WE TESTED

The fi rst products we test-

ed were in the category of

detailers or cleaner/protectant

sprays. And, to be blunt, on

our heavily soiled beanbag

chairs they didn’t fare as

well as fi rst-line cleaners.

So, we made a couple of calls,

the fi rst to Star brite, one of

the world’s largest brands

and bottlers of marine main-

tenance chemicals. They

guided us toward a series of

products ranging from an

all-purpose marine cleaner

to vinyl protectant. Next, we

called Meguiar’s, a promi-

nent manufacturer of car,

RV and marine maintenance

products, for its advice about

cleaning vinyl.

We were doing it wrong.

Vinyl care is a combina-

tion of process and prod-

ucts. The theory is to use the

mildest product that works.

Detailers and cleaner/re-

storers are usually best on

well-maintained vinyl. If

your boat’s vinyl has been

weathering for weeks or

months, you’ll need more-

aggressive vinyl cleaners or

all-purpose marine cleaners.

According to one company,

Simple Green, 409 or similar

spray cleaners are OK for the

initial cleaning because they

don’t have ammonia or bleach,

chemicals that are destruc-

tive to vinyl. Use bleach or

ammonia only as a last-ditch

ef ort before reupholstering.

Marine-cleaner manufactur-

ers label products for specifi c

purposes like cleaning or pro-

tecting vinyl so you can choose

with confi dence.

So, our test became a prov-

ing ground for both process

and products. Here’s what

we did:

1. Using a medium-bristle
   brush and the vinyl
   cleaner and restorers, we
   washed each beanbag and
   noted the results.


2. Using the same brush,
   we used the vinyl clean-
   ers and noted the results.
   Stubborn stains received
   more attention.


3. We marked the vinyl with
   a ballpoint pen, usually
   the most di cult stain to
   remove. Then we tried to
   clean it of.


4. We sprayed vinyl pro-
   tectants and rubbed them
   in with bare hands, so as
   not to absorb the pro-
   tectant with a cloth. After
   drying overnight (not re-
   quired on the label), we
   buf ed the protectant of.
   Then we returned to the
   evil ballpoint pen to mark
   the bags and see if we
   could clean it of.

Like most maintenance formulas for marine

applications, there’s a great deal of mystery

to the chemistry inside the bot le. What are

the distinctions between a vinyl cleaner, a

cleaner/restorer and a vinyl protectant?

VINYL

DETAILING

Keeping your boat’s upholstery sparkling is as

much process as product.

CLEAN

Vinyl and all-

purpose marine

cleaners are

needed on

neglected vinyl.

PROTECT

UV-protective

vinyl treatments

are essential to

the long, supple

life of vinyl.

CLEAN,

PROTECT,

DETAIL

Less-soiled vinyl

can be cleaned

gently with clean-

er/protectants,

enhancing pro-

tective coatings.

MEGUIAR’S

MARINE APC

CLEANER

This all-purpose marine clean-

er is safe for fi berglass and

vinyl. It’s more robust than

cleaners specifi cally designed

for vinyl, yet it includes no

chemicals harmful to vinyl. We

sprayed it on, lightly brushed it

in with a medium-bristle brush,

then waited a few minutes be-

fore wiping it off.

RESULTS: It removed all

grease spots and dirt but

would not remove black spots

left by spiders at the docks.

(Star brite’s Spider and Bird

Stain Remover is ideal for that

job — we’ve tested it.) It nearly,

but not completely, removed

the ink streak.

PRECAUTIONS: Use this

product only after a milder

vinyl-specifi c cleaner or inte-

rior detailer fails. If a detailer

gets the job done, that’s best

because it doesn’t affect

fabric protectants and adds a

little more dirt, stain and UV

protection.

AFTER USE: Rinse, dry and

always follow up this cleaner

with a protectant to rejuvenate

the vinyl’s inherent coatings

and to help prevent future

stains and sun damage.

COST: $15 per pint;

meguiarsonline.com

By Randy Vance

All-purpose

cleaners like

Meguiar’s Marine

APC are effective

and safe on badly

soiled vinyl.