Cleaning cushion upholstery

[Ryan]

What method(s) do you all use to clean old boat upholstery? My boat has cushions, that despite being quite dated in the style department, are in great shape. They could use a good cleaning though. I have been told not to remove the foam for cleaning as the covers could shrink while drying. The local dry cleaner can't clean them because the bottom is a vinyl material. I may be stuck with cleaning foam and a brush, but any ideas are welcome. Thanks.

Ryan

[bhartley]

Ryan,

Rent a carpet shampooer with an upholstery attachment (you can get them everywhere down here because of the students). It will make short order of your cushions.

We took the covers off of our cushions and ran them through the washing machine as there was no vinyl involved. I have upholstered for years so I wasn't worried about getting them back on the foam. The foam needed some "freshening" too with lots of air, sunshine and Febreeze.

Although our covers looked quite clean, the squallor that came out of them was amazing. The spray foam just pushes the dirt around and takes off a little. Use the shampooer and you'll have really clean cushions. We have a "home" model for carpets, but it doesn't heat the water the way the rental ones do. It would work if you had one you could borrow as long as it has the hose attachment.

How'd the tiller work out?

Bly

[Ryan]

Bly

Are these the same shampooers that you see for rent at grocery stores and such? Can I use this method with the foam out of the cushions? I think air, sunshine and Febreeze sounds lik the right prescription for my foam as well.

The tiller works perfectly, thanks again for waitning around on me!

Ryan

[Hirilondë]

If you end up trying some form of cleaning where you remove the covers first then you will have to wrestle them back on even if they didn't shrink. Maybe wash them in a machine on gentle in cold water and air dry. The lady who just made my new covers (I patterned and cut the foam) says the trick is to cover the foam with a large piece of plastic to make it slippery. Then after getting the cover on pull the plastic out. She uses lawn and leaf bags.

[bhartley]

Wax paper on the corners also works!

[Tim]

Those are great tips. Wrestling the covers over the sticky foam has always seemed way too hard and is generally a miserable experience.

I'd never heard the tip about using plastic or wax paper. Excellent ideas.