Upholstery cleaning

[Weasel]

Well it looks like it will rain tomorrow so I want to do a job that has been on my mind for about a year. I figured I would go to the best experts on the water to to get some advice.
Has any one taken off the covers on the upholstery down below and washed them?
I don’t see any other way to clean them and I am afraid if I clean them while installed on the foam inner cushion it may degrade the foam.
Hopefully someone has an answer to this. The boat is a Beneteau 331, and the material is a robust material, not like velour or anything like that. I was thinking about taking them to the laundromat at the marina and washing them on gentle cycle in Woolite or something else gentle. Any help deeply appreciated.

Thanks,

Weasel

 

[BigEasy]

Weasel,
When I first got my new to me Beneteau 7 years ago, the cushions were absorbed with a horrible odor from sitting in a closed cabin with a half full holding tank over two months during the summer. After emptying and cleaning the holding tank and removing everything aboard, I took the cushions home and removed the covers from the foam and soaked the foam in a mixture of woolite and mild bleach in the bath tub. I vacuumed the foam and placed them in the hot sun for a few days to completely dry. After the foam was cleaned, I soaked the fabric covers in a woolite solution (NO bleach) and hung them to drip dry a bit and reinstalled them on the foam. I vacuumed them thoroughly with a shop vac to get most of the water out and let them air dry in the hot sun for a couple days. When the cushions were thoroughly dry, I sprayed them with scotch guard fabric treatment. The odor was completely gone as well as just about all of the stains. I replaced the covers (same foam) a few years later because my wife and I didn't like the lime green color. I was somewhat concerned about putting the covers in a washing machine and I didn't want to allow them to dry without being installed on the foam cushions for fear of shrinkage of the fabric.
I spent approximately 30 days/nights aboard a 331, over a few years, when I chartered in Pensacola. Great boat!

 

[Weasel]

Thanks Easy, I will proceed with caution.hope everything is good down in Louisiana! I will post before and after photos.

Thanks much!

 

[Bob S]

I used a hand held carpet cleaner on my cushions and they seem to come out well. But to be honest they never were in bad shape. I wanted to remove the covers and wash them but was afraid to. I saw a video on sailrite for some cushion wrap that I will try next season. https://www.sailrite.com/Cushion-Wrap-Silk-Film-Center-Fold-54
Check out the video

 

[Weasel]

Easy & Bob S

Your advice was superb. Along with Bob S advice I am sitting on nice clean cushions!
Thanks to both of you guys. If you guys ever get to Tennessee, the BBQ And beer are on me!

Weasel