Cleaning adhesive and mildew from sails.

[La Vie Dansante]

My wife and I putting our Sailrite machine to the test by replacing the sun shade on our FP Helia 44's genoa (woven Dacron polyester fabric - Incidence D1 sail, made in France).
When we removed the original factory sun shade, we found that a lot of the adhesive had mildewed and discolored. What's the best method of cleaning this stuff off without potentially damaging the sail itself?

[RGN]

The spray contact adhesive is likely 3M, so I would try some of the 3M adhesive remover. Try it on the sacrificial side first just to be sure it is safe.

[JPA Cate]

Turpentine and scrubbing should work, too, won't hurt Dacron.

Ann

[SailFastTri]

Distilled white vinegar is VERY effective (like a miracle) at dissolving mildew stains on any surface, and is less harmful to materials and people. Cheap too.



You might not be able to get it out if the mildew is encased between fabric layers and adhesive.