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Even if you do not have or use canvas covers, read the previous material about canvas care as there
is information that is applicable to upholstery use as well.
NOTE: Topical cleaners must be wiped off with clean water and dried with a clean cloth after application.
If not rinsed after direct contact, the cleaner residue on the surface can cause a slight color change.
The performance results shown in this information are not
guaranteed for all upholstery products. The evaluations are
indicators after laboratory tests and may not be indicative of
field performance.
Mold and Mildew: As noted in the Canvas information above, mold and mildew problems in the
marine upholstery industry have been well-documented. The objective of this overview is to review the
causes and cures of the unsightly and odoriferous problems, and to suggest actions to reduce their impact
on the quality of goods as perceived by the consumers.
The Cause–Micro-organisms: The two principal causes of offensive odors and unsightly stains and
growths are bacteria and fungi, commonly called micro-organisms. Bacteria are simple, single-celled
organisms. Fungi, referred to as mold and mildew, are significantly more complex.
A subset of fungal organisms is a type that produces colored by-products as part of its digestive
process. These by-products are recognized as stains and are typically pink, yellow, purple or black.
All micro-organisms require a source of energy, carbon for cell structure, nitrogen for amino acid
synthesis, essential minerals and water.
Organisms causing problems in the marine, industrial, health care, hospitality and home environments are
frequently very self-sufficient in synthesizing required bio-chemicals from the most basic molecules. Micro-organisms
are ubiquitous. They are everywhere, and thus, microbial contamination is the rule. The total absence of microbes–
sterility–is the exception.
Current Reality: To have a mildew problem, four elements are required. In order for mildew to
proliferate, spores, food, warmth and moisture are necessary. Elimination of one of these elements would
break the cycle, and the mildew problem would be eliminated.
The most likely element to control is moisture. Keep surfaces dry and the ambient air dry, and you can
break the link. In actuality, this is very difficult. Marine upholstery may be dry when one sits on it, but it is
constantly exposed to rain, splashes and wet bathing suits.
Dirt carried by the wind or sudden shower will carry the spores or seeds to begin the process,
inoculating the surface. Surface debris can easily be washed off, but what happens to the contamination
that gets into a seam or stitch holes?
A closer examination reveals that a marine seat is a very complex construction. The vinyl that you look
at or sit on is a minute part of the total construction. The vinyl is usually attached to a fabric to give it
dimensional stability and physical strength. Urethane foam of various thicknesses provides a cushion, and
the whole seat is usually built on a piece of plastic.
If contaminated dirt carried by rain water gets inside the cushion, the biological growth cycle can
begin. It is quite common for soil organisms growing in the foam cushion to produce colored by-products,
the most notable of which is a pink compound.
This dye is soluble in plasticizer (an ingredient in flexible PVC) and will diffuse and migrate to the vinyl
surface. Even though the vinyl compound is adequately protected against mildew growth, pink staining
can occur if contact is made with components of a seat which support mildew growth. This stain cannot be
removed by washing. In any case, the owner’s perception of the boat’s quality has been seriously affected.
The Solutions: As in most complex problems, there are a variety of actions once can take to prevent
microbial problems. These actions must be directed to the components of the product and the total
construction. Working together, they will assure the highest probability of success in eliminating quality
problems associated with mildew contamination.
The solution consists of four components:
1. Keep seats clean.
2. Remove or kill any surface growth.
3. Use materials that are treated to inhibit fungal growths.
4. Keep surfaces covered, if possible, when not in use.
UPHOLSTERY
2016 Axis Wake Research Owner’s Manual . . . Page 4-5