This mildew is depressing me. Can I just lay it out in the driveway, dump 50/50 bleach water on it, and start scrubbing?
Has anyone deep-cleaned their poptop tent?
- Thread starter Gene Neill
- Start date
If it is made of Sunbrella, you would be wise to follow the manufacturer's website advice on How To clean the fabric. I've found Woolite and bleach in their recommended amounts worked very well; your ratios are too high of bleach, way too high.
If you use cleaner and bleach, there is a lot less scrubbing involved, regardless of how much mildew. Good luck.
I also waterproof my Sunbrella with this:
www.canadiantire.ca
If you use cleaner and bleach, there is a lot less scrubbing involved, regardless of how much mildew. Good luck.
I also waterproof my Sunbrella with this:
General PDP Template
www.canadiantire.ca
Considering that these covers are basically unobtainable, I would use as little bleach as possible and hand scrub with as soft a brush a little bit at a time. Heck, it might even be something you might want to give to a good seamstress or cushion repair shop and ask them to pattern and sew you a new poptop. Just a thought.
George
Spray Nine is hands down the best cleaner I've ever used. However, Sunbrella does have a stain chart
https://www.sunbrella.com/cleaning-guide
https://www.sunbrella.com/cleaning-guide
Try spot cleaning with hydrogen peroxide then warm water laundry detergent borax and a soft brush first. If there is not much success try the same thing adding some bleach. Be sure to rinse like crazy too, the mildew loves the residual detergent.
A plastic kiddie pool covered with a black Visqueen out in the sun makes for a convenient way to let it soak and stay warm.
I forgot to mention applying your solutions from a spray bottle or a garden sprayer helps to direct the potion right where you need it and minimize waste.
A plastic kiddie pool covered with a black Visqueen out in the sun makes for a convenient way to let it soak and stay warm.
I forgot to mention applying your solutions from a spray bottle or a garden sprayer helps to direct the potion right where you need it and minimize waste.
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50/50 is pretty strong and likely to cause damage. That Sunbrella chart says to start with 1 tsp bleach/cup of water. Long soaks in mild solutions is better for the fabric. I usually start with a long soak in Oxiclean plus detergent, but this will wreck the waterproofing.
I have had canvas dry cleaned many times so some solvents might be ok. I think it ultimately depends on what kind of dirt you're trying to clean.
For mold and mildew Wet n Forget is supposed to be good. Here's some testing from Practical Sailor. And some testing based off of the PS article
For mold and mildew Wet n Forget is supposed to be good. Here's some testing from Practical Sailor. And some testing based off of the PS article
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@Gene Neill mine is vinyl not canvas. I would start with some simple green and a soft scrubber or towel to see where that gets you. Then move up to other chemicals if needed.
Pledge furniture polish does wonders on the windows
Pledge furniture polish does wonders on the windows
I guess I should have made it clear from the beginning that these C22 poptop tents are not Sunbrella. 
The material is a sort of laminate, with what I would call "pleather" vinyl on the outside, and some sort of fabric on the inside. It is the fabric side that mildews.
I own two of them, because when my wife saw a second one for sale, she made me buy it for a spare. Emboldened by this, I threw caution to the wind and just sloshed 50/50 bleach (non-detergent swimming pool stuff, stronger than Clorox) all over it. Scrubbed it hard, rinsed it well, and threw it over a clothesline.
All the mildew came off pretty quickly. No visible harm done. There was one spot where my wife had experimented with peroxide on it a few minutes before (which was total fail) that turned a little yellowish. Guess I should have rinsed off the peroxide before bleaching it, but at least the stain is in a place where it can't be seen.
Next step: I'd love to replace the clear vinyl windows with smoked, to match the boat's windows.
The material is a sort of laminate, with what I would call "pleather" vinyl on the outside, and some sort of fabric on the inside. It is the fabric side that mildews.I own two of them, because when my wife saw a second one for sale, she made me buy it for a spare. Emboldened by this, I threw caution to the wind and just sloshed 50/50 bleach (non-detergent swimming pool stuff, stronger than Clorox) all over it. Scrubbed it hard, rinsed it well, and threw it over a clothesline.
All the mildew came off pretty quickly. No visible harm done. There was one spot where my wife had experimented with peroxide on it a few minutes before (which was total fail) that turned a little yellowish. Guess I should have rinsed off the peroxide before bleaching it, but at least the stain is in a place where it can't be seen.
Next step: I'd love to replace the clear vinyl windows with smoked, to match the boat's windows.