Getting rid of salt

[poiu]

I had a small salt water leak into the boat. I rinsed the upholstery, now four times. Each time it dries and I give it a lick as you do, but it still tastes salty.


Maybe there is a better way?

[Sailmonkey]

Lots of fresh water

I’ve added a little white vinegar to the water before thinking it may improve the rate at which the water dissolved the salt. Only downside is the smell of salad.

[JPA Cate]

Poiu,

Soak them overnight in fresh water, with a little fabric softener added. I don't know this for a fact, but I was told the fabric softener acts as a flocculating agent, that will help separate the salt from the fabric. Then rinse well with more fresh water. it is possible that the fabric softener does nothing in this application, sorry, but I do not know the chemistry of it.

Remember to close the ports and hatches when you leave the anchorage or marina.

Ann

[a64pilot]

You really need to flood it if you will, get a cheap kiddie pool to put them in and walk on the cushions frequently to flush the water in and out.
A little salt is all it takes to make it so that fabric will never dry completely and maybe pick up an odor.

[puffcard]

Lots of water, and suck water out with shop vac. Works the water in by hand it will break the salt down.

[JPA Cate]

A64pilot has the right of it. I was only thinking about the upholstery, but if the cushions themselves have salt in them, take off the covers, and either borrow a bathtub from a land based friend or use a kiddie wading pool. Soak overnight, stomp on the cushions and circulate the water through, then rinse well,try to squish as much water out of them as you can, then hang vertically to drip dry in the sun and a breeze. It takes a long time for that sponge to dry. Had to do this after a passage, one time. It takes a lot of water, you want to dissolve the salt, then rinse, till the cushion itself does not taste salty to you.

Ann

[s/v Jedi]

I would use an upholstery cleaner, which is like a small carpet cleaner.

[poiu]

Thanks. I didn’t think to suck the water off. I have a shop vac. Will give it a go. I will flocculate the salt to death.

[GordMay]

It also helps, if you can get to it before the salt water dries, and the salt crystallizes. Same for rinsing your body, after a salt-water bath/swim, etc.

[ShellBack89]

What about Salt Away?

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You really need to flood it if you will, get a cheap kiddie pool to put them in and walk on the cushions frequently to flush the water in and out.
A little salt is all it takes to make it so that fabric will never dry completely and maybe pick up an odor.

I think this is the best solution. After stomping on the cushions in the pool, you can speed up the drying a little by putting them between two pieces of plywood and standing it it to squeeze most of the water out. It will take weeks (at least) to fully dry in the sun.

Unfortunately, this has to be done, otherwise you'll have damp, musty cushions forever (especially on rainy days).

[poiu]

Originally Posted by ShellBack89

What about Salt Away?

I had to Google that.



Salt-Away's Product Family ...


It seems there is a product designed to remove salt. I wonder how it works? There is nothing I could find on their website. If I can't understand it, I can't be persuaded that it actually does anything. Maybe there is a chemical way to do this other than by dissolving salt?

[JasonS]

Try Salt-X

Salt-X = The best salt and salt corrosion fighter!

It's pretty much a standard in getting rid of salt.

Good luck.

Jason

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by poiu

I had to Google that.



Salt-Away's Product Family ...


It seems there is a product designed to remove salt. I wonder how it works? There is nothing I could find on their website. If I can't understand it, I can't be persuaded that it actually does anything. Maybe there is a chemical way to do this other than by dissolving salt?

FYI Salt Away contains sulfamic acid and is very mild (about the same corrosiveness as white vinegar), and is used industrially to remove scale and corrosion from metals of cooling systems.

To remove salt from upholstery and foam just use lots of fresh water, with lots of squeezing to provide for deep mass transfer and flushing action. If the upholstery cover can be removed I suggest washing it separately, using a mild soap / detergent if it is soiled. Do not use soap or detergent on the foam, it will be very difficult to get all the soap out of the foam.

Let dry very thoroughly else it will be prone to mildewing. This can take days of sun and breeze, hang vertically so as to allow moisture to drip and to allow for all sides to dry. Don't leave out at night as it may form dew on to the foam and moisten anew. If you are in a wet, foggy or highly humid ambient environment, completely drying upholstery before it mildews is very challenging.

Good luck.

[dw1979]

I use salt away to rinse the dark blue hull of my boat after a cruise. Also use it to flush salt out of the dingy outboard. Never tried it on fabric or foam but don’t see why it wouldn’t help. Seems to work well in my applications