Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

[rli'lboat]

I left my 2 boats out uncovered during last week's midwest storms. Now all the seats and vinyl are embedded with dirt that does not want to come out. Does anyone out there have any secrets that work for them? How about gettign the black scuff marks out of the fiberglass floor?

 

[MikDee]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Vaseline may work on both without doing any hard scrubbing, or damage, just dissolving it.

 

[Monkaroo]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Yeah I know how you can get it out . I bought a boat that had some seats that needed some real help too . I tried everything -Bleach and water - comet - formula 409 - simple green . Nothing would faze it . Then I happened to think about some little sponges that my wife and daughters use around the house . They are called magic erasers and are made by Mr. Clean , you can pick em up at Walmart . All you do is dip it in water and rub the vinyl with it . Beleive me , if they don't work you can give it up . Don't squeeze all of the water out of it after you dip it , you want to keep it wet . It turned my black seats blue again . You'll need several boxes of them and some elbo grease , but I would almost betcha they will do it . Let me know if it works . They don't loose strength as you use them , they just wear away and you have to get another .

 

[thunderroad]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

I have good luck with Soft Scrub and a plastic bristle brush on vinyl, rubber, etc. I wouldn't recommend the kind with bleach because it splatters so bad when you use the brush. I ruined a few shirts before I realized what was happening. It could be bad news for any carpeting or fabric in the area.

 

[rndn]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

I used a product call greased lightning and it worked great. I needed to use it on an old yellow john deere lawn tractor seat that had years of imbedded dirt in the textured finish of the seat. Sprayed it on, waited a few minutes and wiped it off with very little scrubbing needed. The seat came out like new.

 

[salty87]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

sounds like mildew. i agree with the magic erasers and then i'd take it out and let the sun get rid of the rest. harsh cleansers are tough on vinyl. they can stip protective finishes leaving the vinyl more prone to getting dirty or dried out.

even better, rinse your magin erasers in 303 uv protectant and wipe down a small area then immediately wipe with a clean towel. use white if you want to see what kind of grime you've been sitting in.

 

[pwiseman]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Might try Tri Sodium Phosphate. Labeled TSP and it no longer has phospate. Good general cleaner. It is not abrasive, but it gets things clean.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Ditto MDM, Greased Lightning $3.00 @ Dollar General...it's the bomb!! For damn near anything. Magic Erasers are great too and maybe better for more fragile surfaces. i.e. vinyl.

 

[burroak]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Body shops use a dirt and grease remover as a wipe down before priming. Around here it's called "precleano". It lifts dirt and grease into a suspension with the initial wetting and must be wiped off before it dries. It leaves a surface ready to paint and eliminates "fisheye"; that's pretty clean. It may do the trick.

 

[moterboat]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

I use straight bleach on mine,spray it on,wait 5 min. then hose it off,takes care of any mildew at the same time.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Getting embedded dirt out of vinyl?

Sounds to me like everyone here likes to strip their vinyl, and not just clean it.

I use Meguiar's Vinyl and Rubber cleaner. IT cleans the vinyl and adds a sort of 'wax' to it without the waxy feel. It also screens out UV rays that can fade or discolor vinyl. It sprays on and wipes right off without any residue. http://www.meguiars.com/?boat-vinyl-rubber-care/Vinyl-Rubber-Cleaner-Conditioner-57

I never use any harsh chemicals like 409, Grease Lightning or Simple Green on my vinyl unless it's a lawn chair. Some of those chemicals out there contain Ether, lye (sodium hydroxide) , and/or ethanol. Always look at the ingredients. I want to protect and preserve the vinyl, and not have to re-upholster it in 5 years because I used a chemical that stripped away it's elasticity. Sun and chemicals are the 2 major culprits in deteriorated vinyl.