Sunbrella Canvas Maintenance

[mwleckey]

My Sunbrella canvas boat cover has much mildew & staining on the under side. i believe that i over scrubbed it in the past & removed the 303 coating. How aggressively can i scrub it without harming the canvas before i put 303 back on it?

Any suggestions in applying the 0303? Thanks,

[Spindrift NH]

I don’t believe sunbrella has a 303
coating on it. You may add one after a good cleaning. Wash with mild dish soap and up to 1 cup bleach/gallon water. Agitate in the solution and scrub with a deck brush.

[JPA Cate]

There are products for cleaning outdoor furniture fabrics, key ingredient is benzalkonium (sp?) that you spray on, and the mildew stains go away. The stuff I bought here in Oz is called "Wet & Forget" Moss and Mould Remover. Be sure to read the instructions first, you have to dilute the heck out of it. But it works very well. I was surprised.

I would not scrub Sunbrella with anything stiff, as Sunbrella is extremely prone to chafe.

Ann

[dougweibel]

Sunbrella's recommendation from their website is pasted below. We have followed those directions with good results.

Mold and Mildew Stains
Sunbrella fabrics do not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances if not removed from the fabric. To remove mold or mildew:

Prepare a solution of 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of water.
Spray on entire area and allow to soak into the fabric for 15 minutes.
Clean entire surface area with a sponge, clean towel or very soft bristle brush.
Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
Air dry.
For severe mold/mildew growth, bleach quantities may be increased.

It is best to clean the entire surface area of the fabric to avoid water rings and stains.

For other stains, products such as Dawn®, Resolve® or 303® Spot Cleaner are applicable. For specific information on stain cleaning see our Stain Chart.