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Suntan lotion on upholstery


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Hi

Just returned from our annual break

Noticed a discolouration starting to appear on the front points of the upholstery & upper section of the rear lounge.

I have a light cream panel & this is where the discolouration is most obvious

Not the infamous purple mould discolouration that disappears with sun bleaching.

Looks to be from the rear of legs from what I believe to be sunscreen on the front edge observer’s cushion & under forearms on the top of the rear lounge.

Looking over other parts of the boat where legs & arms rest & while not as bad as the above cushions, starting to show on the raised seams mainly in the bow area.

Tried Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce with no obvious results.

Any ideas what to try next?

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Hi

Just returned from our annual break

Noticed a discolouration starting to appear on the front points of the upholstery & upper section of the rear lounge.

I have a light cream panel & this is where the discolouration is most obvious

Not the infamous purple mould discolouration that disappears with sun bleaching.

Looks to be from the rear of legs from what I believe to be sunscreen on the front edge observer’s cushion & under forearms on the top of the rear lounge.

Looking over other parts of the boat where legs & arms rest & while not as bad as the above cushions, starting to show on the raised seams mainly in the bow area.

Tried Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce with no obvious results.

Any ideas what to try next?

Seat Covers? Towels? Anything between the person and the seat will help. I had custom seat covers made for my boat to avoid this exact problem. I realize that doesn't help get the discoloration/stain removed.

Before someone else suggests it, whatever you do, DO NOT use a "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser"! They are abrasive and will wear through the vinyl, but it will be very difficult to see at first.

Many others have suggestions of mixes using bleach and other chemicals, just use them in a very diluted mixture and just use enough to get the surface clean. Any more than is necessary can/will start to degrade the vinyl. Once you have the seats clean, keep them clean and treated with Aerospace 303; it's sunblock for your vinyl.

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If it is the same thing that happened to the inlaws lxi then it is too late to do anything but stop it from getting worse. They have brown marks on the glove box and where people rest their arms on the spotter aeat. Keeping a good coating of 303 protectant on the seats and washing them off anywhere that sunscreen could get on them after each use is what we do.

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Anyone got any pics of this phenomenon? I've never seen it on either of my bu's and we certainly wear sunscreen, maybe I'm not paying close enough attention or my monthly liberal 303 treatments are working. I cringe when my wife hoses all 3 kids down with spray sunscreen at the beginning of the day but never seen evidence of it staining anything. This seems to follow the same lines as surfboards that can't be in the sun and boats that can't be left in the water.

  • Like 2
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Anything with a bronzing agent is grounds for an a_ _ whipping on my boat. Ban de Sole seems to be the worst, but that is the only one I have experienced so far! Oh, and why is the boat the only place you can do your nails?

Edited by wdr
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Andrew, Sorry to hear, I haven't had an issue to date and

I'm a firm believer as Ndawg, constant liberal coats of 303 protectant every few weeks is the answer.

I swear by this stuff,

Try some 303 cleaner to see if it may remove the stain. Posibably it's only surface crud and not

embedded into the vinyl. Then put multiple cotes of 303 protectent on, over a couple of days for the first

application, then every few weeks.

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Anyone got any pics of this phenomenon? I've never seen it on either of my bu's and we certainly wear sunscreen, maybe I'm not paying close enough attention or my monthly liberal 303 treatments are working. I cringe when my wife hoses all 3 kids down with spray sunscreen at the beginning of the day but never seen evidence of it staining anything. This seems to follow the same lines as surfboards that can't be in the sun and boats that can't be left in the water.

I had the issue on my Susetter with the seats turning pink.... I have banned spray on lotion on the LSV and have not seen an issue as of yet....

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I'll 2nd the sunscreen ban other than on the swim platform. I've been lucky with not having discoloration, but mostly I hate the slim everywhere.

I also hate the hairspray residue all over my bathroom, but the wife didn't take kindly to me trying to make her do hairspray outside. ;)

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No sunscreen allowed on the boat?! What's next? No beer?!

To the op....sorry, never noticed it. I use 303 in moderation, throw towels on the seats, clean with a soft brush, etc. 10 yr old white interior, still white.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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No sunscreen allowed on the boat?! What's next? No beer?!

To the op....sorry, never noticed it. I use 303 in moderation, throw towels on the seats, clean with a soft brush, etc. 10 yr old white interior, still white.

LOL - only ban I have is on spray suntan lotion. Not only does it get all over the boat, but in the lungs of anywhere standing nearby. My wife typically sits on a towel because she is Scandinavian and requires a whole lot of sunblock. I've just gotten used to a quick cleaning of all the vinyl after each trip and 303 protectant applied frequently (but not thickly).

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8 years ago, a friend stood on my plastic resin surface dock while his wife sprayed suntan lotion on the top of his feet. For seven years, and despite powerwashing the dock every year, I could still make out the outline of his feet and toes. Spray suntan lotion ban on the boat has been in effect for 7 plus years now. Coincidence? I think not.

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Thanks for the replies.

Have used the 303 Protectant but only every 6 months so this may be my downfall.

None of our crew or kids use the tanning lotions only the regular sun blocks

Searched a bit more & found some other suggestions for the infamous Mould.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/288496-strange-stains-upholstery.html?referrerid=101361

Another left field suffestion at post# 9 of the link below. Copper Fungacide used in the garden!!!

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/294126-suntan-lotion-stains-vinyl.html

Soime images of my situation.

Not as obvious in the pics as real life, but I am picky

Suntan%20Lotion%20Stain%20%202_zps2w5lpe

Suntan%20Lotion%20Stain%20%201_zpsiqb0r8

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That actually looks like mold, why is your seat so wet?

Just washed down the boat & seats from being away for 10 days with kids etc. in the boat each day.

Some sand, weed from the river, general grass from feet etc. The usual dirt stuff from a long week away.

I have had the infamous mould appear on the top of the ski licker lids & tops of the rear lounge but this bleached itself out when left in the sun.

I have a few spots in the bow where there is raised stitching showing the same suntan marks so I know it is not the usual mould from withing the seats.

Hard keeping the boat dry with kids for a week.

The seats are noticable heavier towards the end of the week with the water absorbed through the seams, but you expect that.

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That actually looks like mold, why is your seat so wet?

I'm not sure I agree that the pink color is mold or sunblock, that looks like the infamous upholstery glue issue to me. I really don't think it's sunblock, it's too "pink" and the sunblock issues I've seen leave a yellow or orange (bronze) color on white vinyl.

While you may not get anywhere, I would contact Malibu and ask them what they think it is. Lead the answer to the question with "Does this look like a upholstery glue issue to you?" and see what they say. If nothing else, you should get some detailed instructions from Malibu on how they suggest you clean the vinyl.

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I'm not sure I agree that the pink color is mold or sunblock, that looks like the infamous upholstery glue issue to me. I really don't think it's sunblock, it's too "pink" and the sunblock issues I've seen leave a yellow or orange (bronze) color on white vinyl.

While you may not get anywhere, I would contact Malibu and ask them what they think it is. Lead the answer to the question with "Does this look like a upholstery glue issue to you?" and see what they say. If nothing else, you should get some detailed instructions from Malibu on how they suggest you clean the vinyl.

I like the approach but guarantee they say no before he finishes the sentence. I wouldn't lead in with it anyways. Remember they blamed black covers for their sunpads. All the while finally fixing the issue after many years of ignorance and then covering their butts and banning black covers. JMHO and all. I do agree that looks more mold-ish than lotion-ish.

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I used spray sunscreen for a bit and it ate the coating off of the lenses of my sunglasses. Never again. Spray sunscreen is good stuff but keep it off the boat and watch where you spray it because it will drip and coat everything.

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You can check out online, but there is a fair amount of sunscreens that contain avobenzone or similar. Moreso the sprays. This reacts with iron and leaves a pink or orange stain if left in fabric. With the well water in our house, we start to see swim suits turn splotchy orange and pink if I've forgot to keep up with iron removing softener. Anyways, I wonder if its a similar iron reaction concurring with lake water and long term residue left on boat vinly from body contact? Just a guess. We've switched to sun screens without that particular chemical and no longer get the iron staining after washes. Unfortunately, that eliminates sprays and reduces you to like baby sun screens that don't spread real well and feel greasy.

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