How to Clean Moldy Boat Seats

You have everything ready for your weekend boat trip. You are ready to go, but one problem. You notice mold on your boat's seats. Not just one or two seats, but every seat. Boat seats are very susceptible to the formation of mold. Moisture in the air and ever-changing weather conditions make for the ideal environment for mold to grow. Removing mold from your boat's seats is easy to do with some baking soda and vinegar.

Things You'll Need

  • Baking soda
  • Rubber gloves
  • White vinegar
  • Bucket
  • Dishwashing soap
  • Warm water
  • Soft-bristled scrub brush
  • Cold water
  • Sponge
  • Water hose
  • Clean rags or towels
  • Sprinkle baking soda on the moldy areas of your boat's seats. Wear rubber gloves and make sure you cover every moldy area.

  • Pour white vinegar slowly on to the seats. Cover the entire seat with vinegar.

  • Let the baking soda/vinegar mixture set for four hours.

  • Fill a bucket with 2 tbsps. of dishwashing soap and 1 gallon of warm water. Stir the soap solution with a soft-bristled scrub brush.

  • Scrub the boat seats lightly with the soap solution-soaked scrub brush. Make sure you scrub the seat's stitching and underside.

  • Rinse the seats thoroughly with cold water from a water hose. Use a sponge to break up any baking soda accumulation. Rinse underneath the seats also.

  • Dry the seats with a clean rag or towel. Change rags or towels frequently to keep from re-wetting the seats with a wet rag or towel.

  • Dry the floor of the boat with a clean rag or towel.