Upholstery and cushions - general funkiness??

[DCatSea]

In preparation for winter lay-up, I have removed the cushions etc prior to putting them into storage (read attic). They are in very good condition, and original, but definitely funky, and I'm trying to avoid the expense of getting new ones made.
I am looking for a safe way of defunking them, preferably before putting them up, but possibly in the Spring when the weather will allow airing outside. I have tried carpet cleaner powder, vacuuming the heck out them and just airing in sunlight, but they really need more.

I thought of renting an upholstery cleaner, or calling in "Stanley Steamer" for a cleaning, or maybe sending them out for cleaning, but will try anything (relatively) legal.

Does anyone have tried and tested ideas?

[Norseman]

Post a picture first of all.
Quite a few of us have been there, done that with mold, mildew and upolstery.

[Sprig1]

I have used a portable ozone machine. I haven't tried it on the boat yet. They say it's hard on rubber though. One of the ways we survived when we had 5 dogs in the house. I didn't notice the chairs disintegrating. So maybe it not to hard on foam rubber. Only used it once every couple of months.

[DCatSea]

Norseman - I don't think there's anything to take pix of - it's just that distinctive older vessel aroma (diesel, sweat, closed off air, head fumes and all the good stuff accumulated over decades. (a bit like me, I suppose). I will of course send pix of us both breathing good clean cabin air once the funk has gone.

I am reminded of the Seinfeld episode about the stinky car. "We spray it with Ozium-B, and then do a really deep cleaning".

Ozone machine - there's a good idea. Thanks Chris

[DesertAlbin736]

- it's just that distinctive older vessel aroma (diesel, sweat, closed off air, head fumes and all the good stuff accumulated over decades. (a bit like me, I suppose)

Funkadelic? A few years ago we bought a used oak dining table set with upholstered chairs off CL. It had belonged to smokers. The cloth upholstery on the chair seats had absorbed enough tobacco smell to just about knock us over, being that we're long time non-smokers & sensitive to tobacco smell. So if you're talking about odors and not actual stains, you might try lots of baking soda on them, let them sit & air out in your garage or basement, or outside on a patio weather permitting. Then after a few days vacuum the baking soda off. Repeat as necessary. Some Febreze (TM) might also be worth a try.

Otherwise if the foam is in good shape & not smelly (remove the covers if possible & air out the foam too) and the fabric covers are loss it might be worth investing in a heavy duty walking foot sewing machine and make your own replacements. Last year I made a pair of cockpit bench seat cushions from scratch for less than $200 in materials, of which $56 was for the foam. Shop around Ebay & CL and you may be able to find a used walking foot machine for under $300. They're a good investment for doing all sorts of canvas & upholstery repairs/replacements.

The machine we have is a Thompson Mini Walker exactly like the one in this video, which is also what Sailrite machines are upgraded clones of. But there are other brands out there that would work just as well. The Sailrite website has a whole library of how-to videos for just about any project you could think of.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r78J7Dt0yQ

Here's an example of one of Sailrite's how-to videos:

https://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Make-a- ... oard-Video

Bonus: It's fun & satisfying to be able to do winter projects like this. We have a big open kitchen to work in, adding a 3x6 folding table next to our dining table which makes a good working "loft". This was my first big project in 2015 making a new custom canvas cockpit enclosure using a borrowed Sailrite machine before I got my own machine. Imagine how much that would cost to have this job done professionally!

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[coolchange]

along with the above consider: going to a pet store and getting the best enzyme odor eater they sell...or...burn a bunch of sage and smoke the cushions ...or...spray with a little tea tree oil mixed with water..more or less spray enough to get the cushions wet through and then let dry (repeat) (full disclosure: I do the last one each year..tip them all on edge and leave on the boat with a dryer running and have had no mold or odors on the cushions or any of the smooth surfaces in the cabins)

[Rabiss]

I was a smoker, and my truck would stink.. I read on the line that if you used vinegar it would take the smell out. So every week or so I’ve put a plastic cup of vinegar in my truck and I would illuminate a lot of the odor. I would try that method with the upholstery .

[WillieC]

Peggie Hall has plenty to say about general funkiness. "Getting Rid of Boat Odors." I recall her recommendation about Pure Ayre enzyme magic. I have not tried it so can't comment personally, but I highly recommend The Head Mistress.

[jms02050]

Put them in a washing machine with Woolite, cold wash. Hang to dry. Did wonders for mine covers.

[tego]

I can recommend "Pure Ayre" for odor elimination. I had a bad diesel leak on my boat and it soaked into the bulkhead wood. I sprayed a Pure Ayre solution on it twice, a week apart, and it completely eliminated the odor. It's good stuff! Ben

[Emcunningham]

If the covers come off, take the covers to the dry cleaners. You can also have them treat the fabric with a anti-mold chemical.

Spray the foam with Natures Miracle (tractor supply)

[DCatSea]

I'd love to get the covers off, but getting them back on might be a real problem, so I think I'm going to try Sprig's idea of putting an ozone generator in the general vicinity, after good airing in our attic (which has excellent through draft) and a thorough going-over with an upholstery cleaner and/or Pure Ayre in the Spring.

I also had a really outrageous crop of Sage this year, so the idea of using sage as a natural deodorizer is very appealing - thanks Coolchange (I have very fond memories of some unusually good brownies in Eugene).

Thanks for all the great ideas.

[WillieC]

Eugene, Oregon? That wernt sage in them there brownies.

[Tom Un]

When I bought my Albin first thing I did was to wash all the interior including spraying the foam inside of the cushions with FRESH sodium percarbonate. It safely kills mold. I even removed roof panel to check for mold - if I saw any I sprayed with a hudson sprayer.
Sodium percarbonate has to be fresh and stored in a foil bag to keep it fresh I bought it from Amazon.

[DougSea]

Lots of great info here! I'd forgotten about "The Head Mistress" and will have to check that out again.

I've been using Tea Tree oil in the cabins and head for a few years now and find that the boat has a distinct LACK of "boat smell". I like the product because it eliminates odors and mold but doesn't have much of a smell itself.