Boat Interior Cleaning San Diego

In addition to providing upholstery cleaning services for for San Diego homes and San Diego offices, The Global Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning offers upholstery cleaning and restoration services for boats, including complete interior restoration, bimini tops and boat covers on any class of boat as well as Ccleaning of headliners (vinyl, wool broadcloth, or foam backed). Because boat upholstery is exposed to the elements and to moisture more than the furniture in your home or office, it's best to have it professionally cleaned more often--at least once per year, maybe even twice per year--depending on how much usage your boat gets.

Like the furniture in your home or office, boat and RV upholstery also need to be regularly maintained between professional cleanings. Thorough vacuuming helps keep dust down. Cleaning up spills as quickly as possible after they happen will help keep stains to a minimum between professional cleanings. Here are a couple of tips for cleaning boat upholstery:

Boat upholstery is typically made of various fabric blend, vinyl or leather. The type of material your boat upholstery is made of determines what methods you should use to clean it. To help with maintenance between professional cleanings, we prepared these cleaning tips for the materials of which boat upholstery is most commonly made. Spills should be cleaned up right away. Otherwise, cleaning your upholstery about once every three weeks will help extend the life of your upholstery by several years. Before cleaning the upholstery, be sure to vacuum it thoroughly to get the loose dirt up.

Cleaning Boat Upholstery

Boat upholstery, including vinyl, is porous and will absorb stains. That's why it's important to clean spills up as quickly as possible. Baby wipes are surprisingly effective for cleaning up small spills and for a quick wipe-down after sun bathers, so keep a supply of them around. But, you'll also need to keep a supply of white paper towels and white terrycloth towels to soak up bigger spills. Don't used colored ones because the color from the towel could bleed onto your upholstery, causing permanent color change you don't want. Once you dock, you can do a more thorough cleaning of your boat's upholstery. Follow these tips for the best results:

Vinyl
Vinyl surfaces such as seats, pads, sidewalls, fenders, rub rails, etc. are constantly exposed to moisture and the elements. If they are not properly cared for, they can deteriorate quickly. To clean vinyl upholstery, mix a gallon warm fresh water and a about 2 tablespoons of mild dishwashing soap with a pH of 7. A plastic bristle brush works well for scrubbing, and rinse with a hose or a wet towel. Because vinyl is strong and flexible, you can scrub vinyl without hurting it. Just make sure you don't use a cleaner that harms it. After cleaning your vinyl, be sure to dry it thoroughly to keep mildew from forming. If you decide to use a commercial cleaner on your vinyl, make sure it is a marine vinyl cleaner. Marine vinyl cleaners have ultra-violet resistant treatment, stain inhibitors and plasticizers (for flexibility). Automotive and household cleaners (other than mild dishwashing soap) remove the protective coatings, dissolve the plasticizers and weaken the thread that holds the vinyl seats together. If you aren't making any headway on the spots, stains or mildew, give The Global Carpet a call at (619) 366-6218 . We'll be happy to help.

If you see mildew forming on your vinyl, mix one tablespoon ammonia, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide and 3/4 cup water. Scrub the vinyl, rinse it and dry it thoroughly to prevent more mildew from forming.

After cleaning your vinyl, use a marine vinyl treatment like 303 Aerospace Protectant or Starbrite Marine vinyl Treatment to keep the vinyl soft. Vinyl treatment also provides added sun screening and an additional stain barrier. Spray a light mist on the seat and rub it on with a small cloth or paper towel. Let the treatment dry and soak into the pores of the vinyl before taking your boat out--it should be dry in about a 1/2 hour. Do not use an automotive vinyl treatment with silicone because you will end up ruining your boat vinyl.

Cleaning Boat Fabric Upholstery
Fabric boat upholstery is harder to clean than vinyl and leather. It soaks up water and spills like a sponge, allowing it to quickly soak into the foam. Blot up spills and water immediately to keep liquids from seeping into the foam. Clean the upholstery with a gentle fabric cleaner, like Woolite, at least once every two weeks. Then, spray the upholstery with a UV protectant to prevent sun damage.

Cleaning Boat Leather Upholstery
Very few boats have leather upholstery because leather becomes sun damaged very easily. If your boat has leather upholstery, use a neutral soap or one that has a pH balance of 7 to clean it. Spray the leather with the cleaner and wipe it with a dry cloth. Apply a leather conditioner that contains a UV protectant at least once a week to keep the leather soft and pliable. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight as much as possible.

Other Useful Tips
Have sun bathers lay a towel down on your vinyl before laying their lotioned bodies down on it. Then, do a more thorough cleanup when you get back to the dock or trailer. For drying, use soft drying cloths that are highly absorbent and will soak up water without stripping or scratching. Chamois cloths or drying mops made of chamois material are good choices.

Another way to help protect your boat's upholstery is to use a pontoon cover made of a heavy-duty fabric that has maximum water resistance and repellancy, won't shrink or stretch and is resistant to mildew and UV damage for when you store your boat in the off season. Be sure that your cover also has air vents or you could end up with mold and mildew that creates unpleasant mustiness and discolored seats. You should also invest in a high-strength marine canvas that is designed for extra durability and all-weather protection for when you are transporting your boat. A boat that is trailered without a cover will age very quickly.

Whether you use your boat in the ocean or even on peaceful lakes, and even if you cover it when you store it and trailer it, the upholstery will take a beating because of its constant exposure to moisture and the sun's heat while you have it out on the water. Regular cleaning will help maintain your boat's upholstery. But, having it professionally cleaned at least once per year will help your upholstery last longer, especially if you ask us to apply our DuPont Teflon Carpet Protector to cloth upholstery to protect it from dirt and stains and vinyl protectant to vinyl upholstery to help keep it from cracking and peeling under the sun's ultraviolet rays. Call The Global Carpet at (619) 366-6218 for all your boat and RV upholstery cleaning needs.

When vacuuming the carpet in your boat, start from the front of the cabin area and work toward the stern to keep from stepping on areas you have already cleaned. Snap-down carpets should be remove and the floor beneath should also be cleaned. To keep from tracking dirt or fish blood from the dock to your boat, get a mat and wipe your feet on it before getting on your boat. Because boat carpeting is made of the same materials as carpeting in your home and office, you can spot clean your boat carpeting in the same way you do any other carpeting. Also, like other carpeting, boat carpeting needs to be professionally cleaned. But, because boat carpeting is exposed to more elements, fish blood, oil and grimier outdoor dirt, it needs a professional cleaning more frequently. Call The Global Carpet at (619) 366-6218 to have your boat carpets cleaned just before you put your boat in storage and after you take it out of storage in the spring. We'll be happy to clean your upholstery at the same time.