How Do I Clean This? [pic]

[CruiserHopeful]

any ideas? Here's what I'm thinking:

For the cushion, i'll lightly mist a 50/50 bleach water solution over it and let soak, then air dry, then do a very light coat of 25/75 vinegar/water to counteract the base of the bleach.

For the cover, I have no clue whatsoever, I was going to throw it in an industrial washing machine at the laundromat in cold water and delicate setting - and then air dry it. But have no idea how that will affect the vinyl (shrink? fall apart?)


These cushions were made in 1975, and stink like heck.... but I am bound and determined to get them smelling nice again!

thoughts on how I should do this? is my planned method sound? or will it "take on water" so to speak?

[S/V Antares]

Dryclean or machine wash the cover. Buy new foam.

[CruiserHopeful]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Dryclean or machine wash the cover. Buy new foam.

sounds expensive, I'm trying to do this on a budget


Anyways: I got some of that arm&hammer carpet and pet odor eliminator powder stuff and have been pouring that on each 6 sides and pounding it into the foam so that the powder sinks into the center of the foam. I let that sit for awhile then pounded the foam some more to get the loose granules of carpet cleaner out. Now it actually smells about 80% good

and yea I machine washed the cover and it turned out pretty good - now I gotta do about 14 more of these things...

[S/V Antares]

I used the clorox on the foam. It appeared to work. I used a 6" PVC tube to roll out the water on the driveway. It took forever to dry compleatly. Had to put the cushions in a small room with a dehumidifier. We took the covers to the local laundry and put them in the big machine. Wash, repeat. Dry. Your covers look like the ones I had on my old O'day Much like an old Leisure suite from the 70's!

[Badsanta]

Someone told me he put his foam in a vacuum seal bag along with a pressurized spray can of fabrize then connected vacuum and sucked the air out. When flat he inflated the bag with the inside can of fabrize. He said it took the smell out, but I dont know how long it lasted.

[captain465]

Put it out in the sun for several days.................mother nature is great!!!

[Ex-Calif]

We threw our covers in the washing machine, tumbled them dry and they all shrank. We had banana cushions afterwards.

Then we spent $1,000 on new cushions.

I would recommend dry cleaning or some other method for the covers than machine wash tumble dry...

[Cheechako]

Washing the covers and air drying has been sucessful for me. Not sure you will ever get rid of the mildew smell though. If you do, and it stays gone, patent it! The foam seems to hold the smell also. Could you get some old sofa cushions and use the foam out of those? Sofa shouldnt be mildewed....

[cdennyb]

for all the money and time you'll spend trying to clean them and then still end up with old cushions, you could have a small "mom & pops" upholstery shop make new ones and they'd smell good to begin with.

And for Gods' sake, change the fabric...

[Talbot]

It is almost impossible to get the smell out of the foam. I tried a lot of the ways recommended here, and the best was a steam cleaner - but it didnt really work very well.

The covers are a different matter. wash in a large washing machine and use as low as possible a heat 30 deg C or less ad you will minimise the shrinkage.

I took the opportunity to put new zips in mine, but quickly bought new foam as well! - It really makes a big difference.

[SabreKai]

I did this job on the cushions of my old Grampion a number of years ago. Heres how I did it.

All the cushions were in good shape except for the quarterberth which was starting to disintigrate due to UV coming thru the open hatch. That cover I took to a repair shop and had them stitch a panel on the inside and zig-zag stitch it all over the place to keep the original fabric more or less intact.

Once that was done, I hand washed all the covers in a large tub, with detergent. Rinse n repeat. Hang to dry on a line.

The cushions were handled thus. I went to the local department store and bought a kiddie pool. Filled it full of water with bleach, and inserted the cushions one at a time. Did the grape stomp dance for about 15 minutes. Took the cushion out, wrung it out as much as possible. Then I placed it on a sheet of plywood protected with plastic and rolled it with a large garden roller full of water (about 250lbs). I rented the roller, and washed it before using on the foam. It helps if the ply wood is on a gentle slope. Then I hung the foam up to dry. It took about 3 days at 90 degree temperatures.

No smell afterwards.

Sabre

[Vasco]

Put it in a big plastic bag with a package of SunPac (Formaldehyde), fresh as a daisy after a day or two. Then wash the cover, chuck the foam but if you want to keep it, try and clean it with Barkeepers Friend (mostly oxalic acid).

[Martinini]

Had the same problem. DRY CLEAN the fabric covers, don't wash them! If you wash old covers two things are likely to happen #1 they shrink, #2 the stiching comes loose. thats what happened to mine. Check the Internet for Latex Foam Slabs, buy one at a time if you have to. They usually come in 4' x 8' slabs. The cost for Settee and V-Berth Fabric and new foam on my boat $1750.00 and I am told I got a bargain! Oh yeah, I washed the old covers, big mistake. And if you buy new cushion fabric make sure it is PRESHRUNK!!