Performing regular boat maintenance will keep your pride and joy looking and running like new, and learning how to clean boat seats is an important part of your regular maintenance regime. It’s probably the single most important thing you can do to keep those seats in good shape.

Boat seats can be among the most challenging boat accessories to maintain. Boat seats take a lot of abuse because people sit on them and tend to place wet stuff on them frequently.

Your boat cushions are made to withstand a lot of abuse and still come out looking clean. However, good maintenance and cleaning are important for your vinyl or leather seats to last as long as they should.

Try these simple dos and don’ts on how to clean boat seats:

Do Wash Vinyl Seats Regularly: After you come in from a long day on the water, we know how tempting it is to leave your boat as is and go home after a long exhausting trip but it’s best to wash your vinyl seats with dish soap and water right away to prevent dirt, sweat, and debris from accumulating and making your seats smell funky and look shabby. Don’t forget to use a cloth to carefully scrub and clean each seat. Don’t use a brush with hard bristles as this could ruin the vinyl.

Don’t Let Your Vinyl Seats Air Dry: After you’ve washed your boat seats, remember to always wipe them down with a dry towel until they are completely dry and they don’t feel damp anymore. Remember, when moisture is left on a surface that’s susceptible to high humidity, it creates the perfect breeding ground for mildew.

Do Use a Protective Sealant: Many top-rated brands on the market can help you prevent mildew or mould from forming on your cushion’s surface. Remember to do your research to find out which product is best for your fabric and follow all directions carefully. You can find them in hardware stores or marine shops.

Don’t Skip on Cleaning: If your instructions recommend that you apply a sealant monthly, remember to never skip a single session. Be diligent with your cleaning routine. It’s much easier to prevent the onset of mildew than it is to remove it.

Preventing Boat Seats From Getting Dirty

Whatever kind of boat you have, whether Stacer boats or Arvor boats, maintaining the seats is likely going to be an important part of upkeep. After all, you can’t expect anyone to be excited to go out on your boat if they are reluctant to sit on the seats. Preventing seats from getting dirty in the first place is well worth the effort to reduce the amount of time you’ll spend cleaning up your boat seats later.

Use Marine-Grade Vinyl: If your boat seats are made of the run-of-the-mill vinyl that is commonly used for any other outdoor vinyl purpose, you are likely to notice that it is harder to maintain its quality. It’s best to use marine-grade vinyl for your boat seats. It is treated to prevent mould and reduce the negative effects of UV rays from the sun. Although it is more expensive than other types of vinyl and will cost more initially, it will last much longer and take less effort to clean, significantly increasing its value to you over time.

Cover Your Seats: Even if you are using marine-grade vinyl, if you constantly expose it to the sun, over time it will fade, just as with the rest of any vinyl type. Covers are a good idea when the boat is not in use. Be sure that the covers that you use are resistant to UV rays. It is also important to make sure that the covers will not scratch or damage the vinyl in any way, whether people are sitting on them or when you place a heavy object on top of it. If it’s easy for you to find one, it’s worth buying or making covers that are adjusted specifically to the shape of your seats so that you don’t miss a single spot or the boat covers don’t look weird.

Don’t Leave Moisture on the Seats

Marine vinyl is treated to resist mildew, but it is still a porous material that can easily be damaged if items that are wet. Be sure you take the seat covers off when your wet guests or equipment is going to perch on the seat. Leaving damp material on the seat for even a few hours may damage the seats.

Wipe Downs and Ventilation

Your seats are bound to get damp now and then. It is simply not realistic to expect boat seats to stay dry. However, if you want those seats to stay in good shape while continuing to serve their purpose of being able to resist moisture, you’ll need to take good care of them during and between use.

Wipe down damp seats when you are finished using them. Be especially careful to look for any kinds of stains from spilled food or anything else. If you are concerned that seats are still moist when you are done using the boat, it may be best to run your AC (if your boat has one) to dry it out further. You can use an electric fan to dry them out faster while you’re wiping your seats dry.