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Malubu Sunbrella Cover


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I have an '01 BU and use the Sunbrella factory cover that straps to the trailer. It has been fantastic and very waterproof over the years, but it is starting to get some water leakage in very heavy rains. The underside is starting to show dirt, although the top looks great. Not sure how the BOTTOM side gets dirty. :unsure:

Any thoughts on how to clean the underside? I used a mild soap and brush as suggested by the manufacture, but it did nothing. Also worried about loosing the waterproof factor of the Sunbrella.

Is there something to treat the material to regain it's original waterproof ability. They recommend APCO, UNISEAL, SUNSEAL. Any experience with these?

Edited by summerfun
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There was a discussion on this a while ago - you could try searching WSR for our notes..

I believe the concensus was to wash the thing in a comercial washer, let it air dry, then use 303 fabric guard.. would probably take a couple bottles (and some suggested pouring them into a garden sprayer for the application)

Edited by SacRiverRat
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I am currently working on my cover right now. I bought a gallon of WaterProofer with PTEF from West Marine for $34 inc. tax. The stuff works great but makes a mess if you spray it into the lake. I didnt use the entire gallon yet and I have over 1 coat on already. I had to stop beause it was gettiong dark so I plan to finish the second coat today. It works so well with one coat already. Starbrite makes waterproofing in the gallon also. The stuff at West Marine is name brand, but I cannot remember the name. I dont know how this compares to 303's prices for two bottles, but I should be able to get two full coats out of one gallon @ $34.

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its probably some sort of mold or fungus on the bottom, not dirt.

That could very well be. My boat stays outside all summer. Both the 303 web site and Sunbrella web site recommend a diluted bleach mix for the cleaning of mold.

The 303 fabric cleaner seems to be a little hard to find. All the stores are selling the 303 areospace cleaner, not the fabric cleaner.

The 303 high tech fabric guard can only be found in the 16oz bottle around here as well. I think I need the 32oz bottle. And yes, I know I can buy two 16oz bottles, but they are charging as much for the 16oz as a 32oz on line. I guess I might just order direclty from 303.

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take it to a laundromat that has commercial size washers and put it in there.

I think I would like to take it to a laundry mat. Would you just pour in the 303 cleaner (and some bleach) because of the mold?

Have you or anyone here done it this way?

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I seond the mold vs. dirty on the underside.

I take mine to a laundra mat every spring and wash it using woolite and then spray it down with 32 oz. of 303 Fabric Guard.

Mike

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I seond the mold vs. dirty on the underside. 

I take mine to a laundra mat every spring and wash it using woolite and then spray it down with 32 oz. of 303 Fabric Guard.

Mike

Do you go to just a regular laundry mat and use the largest washer, or does it have to be a very special large washer? Our laundry mat has the regular washers like at home, then the large upright with a door in the front, then one very large upright, but it seems too small for a cover. I may be wrong.

Does your have mold? If so, does the woolite get the mold off, or do I need bleach?

Do you put the cover on the boat to spray the 303? Do you hand spray with the bottle or put into a garden sprayer?

Edited by summerfun
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You should treat the cover off the boat, in the morning, on a sunny day. There was some discussion about spraying it while on the boat, but I think you don't want it soaking through and getting to the vinyl, IIRC.

Be sure to report back how things work out for you. I've got a couple little specs of mold on the underside of mine as well on the reinforcing pieces.

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I have mold on the underside of my cover as will. Last spring I cleaned mine at the local laundry mat and re-treated it with 303. It took many 32oz bottles. It never had the water repellentcy that it had when new. This fall I took it to a well know local cover place and had some work done on it. They said the best thing they use on Sunbrella is Aqua-tite. It cost $30/ gallon. I used a $10 garden spayer and it works great. So far it has held up very well.

Kelly

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I haven't had any mold issues, so I unfortunately can't say whether or not the woolite would do the trick there.

I do use the largest washer they have. The cover takes up pretty much the whole washer when you first put it in, but after getting wet and tossed around a bit it's fine.

Mike

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