Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I just purchased a boat that's been sitting for quite a while and had a lot of mold and mildue on the white seats. I was able to get most of it off but not all. The seats are still in good shape and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with any of the vinyl paints and if so, how they worked for them.

I've used a product by the name of SEM on a car to spruce up the vinyl door panels and interior trim. It worked very well for those. I don't know how it would hold up on seats with all of the usage they would get though...

I would try fairly strong diluted bleach before using the vinyl paint. I start with about 20% bleach diluted with water and let the sun do some work on it. Just avoid the threads/seams as much as possible. Move up the strength if needed. My seats are on the 10th season doing this with no problem and they still look good. I use 303 after getting them clean to protect them from the sun. I used the vinyl paint before on an older boat and on a waverunner and it works ok but wears off and feels different.

jrolin1 wrote:I would try fairly strong diluted bleach before using the vinyl paint. I start with about 20% bleach diluted with water and let the sun do some work on it. Just avoid the threads/seams as much as possible. Move up the strength if needed. My seats are on the 10th season doing this with no problem and they still look good. I use 303 after getting them clean to protect them from the sun. I used the vinyl paint before on an older boat and on a waverunner and it works ok but wears off and feels different.

Thanks. I really wouldn't be using it on the seats but on the runners and side consoles around the seats so maybe I'll give it a shot but I'll try the bleach first.

Be EXTREMELY careful with bleach. Get ANY on the thread and your seams will be ripping apart in short order.

Upholsterers use vinyl stains all the time. You can completely change the color too.

If I was using it, it'd be a last resort--prior to having to get new upholstery.