The fabric berth cushions on my CD27 look like they are original and they are in pretty good shape. They do need a real good cleaning however. Something that can certainly be done over the winter. I suppose I could use fabric cleaner just like on a household couch but I was wondering if anyone had any "special techniques" that they felt worked very well. I sail in salt water. Has anyone ever managed to get a dry cleaner to take on the job? After you've gotten the cushions cleaned, one way or another, do you treat them with something like "Scotchguard"? We will probably get them recovered one day but probably not this year. Speaking about recovering berth cushions, would you stick with fabric or use something else? Would it be better just to get new ones made of something like closed cell foam? Thanks for your input!
Warren
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27 #166 (1980)
Setsail728@aol.com
Cleaning Fabric Berth Cushions
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Larry DeMers
Re: Cleaning Fabric Berth Cushions
Original fabric would probably be gettin' pretty thin by now..and your eyes may be ready for a change too. We were at this point about 3 years ago, so over winter, we took one cushion at a time, and removed the cover, then carefully cut the stitches, and separated the bottom naughahide from the material. Now we had two patterns to follow for the new cover. We then went to several fabric stores, and found a good quality woven faric that had some interesting patterns, all in bone white. Jan cut out the new material using the old as a pattern, then sewed the new material to the old naughahide (it was still like new), and reassembled the pad with the old foam (which was marginally good then). It looks porfessional..cost all of $85 in material.
Well, then this spring, I was filling the kerosene lantern that hangs on our port side near the stove...and had a bit of a problem with the 1 qt. bottle slipping out of my hands and emptying itself all over the 3 yr. old cushions that Jan had made. It doesn't come out! So this year, we are going to do it all over again..same procedure as before, but this time, we got a neat woven print of a harbor scene in the mediterranean, which will look great (we tried a 3 ft. swatch of this print for the last 2mn. this past fall, and found it fit the interior nicely). This time we are replacing the cushions also, with a combo of 2 in. medium-density closed cell foam, glued to the top layer of 3in. low density-closed cell foam. We have a foam mattress factory that will do this for $100 for 2 cushions. Our seat back foam are fine as is..just need recovering.
In my experience, Scotchgard is useless unless continuously reapplied. New material seems to last maybe a summer with the scotchgard that it was soaked in. There has to be a better way to do this..any ideas out there?
Lastly, washing cushions..They shrink and you will not get them back on. Open cell foam absorbs water, so wet washing is out..although the guy down the dock washed his on the dock with a high-pressure washer, and wet/dry vac. Another brought up a huge carpet cleaner, and made all sorts of racket with it..hee. Most just take them to the dry cleaners, minus the foam of course.
To reassemble, use this trick. Take some very thin plastic sheet like a drycleaners plastic bag, and wrap it around the end of the cushion foam before inserting into the cover. It will slide much easier.
Good Luck..write if you have questions!
Cheers,
Larry & Jan DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~Snowbound on Lake Superior..but spring is coming!~~
demers@sgi.com
Well, then this spring, I was filling the kerosene lantern that hangs on our port side near the stove...and had a bit of a problem with the 1 qt. bottle slipping out of my hands and emptying itself all over the 3 yr. old cushions that Jan had made. It doesn't come out! So this year, we are going to do it all over again..same procedure as before, but this time, we got a neat woven print of a harbor scene in the mediterranean, which will look great (we tried a 3 ft. swatch of this print for the last 2mn. this past fall, and found it fit the interior nicely). This time we are replacing the cushions also, with a combo of 2 in. medium-density closed cell foam, glued to the top layer of 3in. low density-closed cell foam. We have a foam mattress factory that will do this for $100 for 2 cushions. Our seat back foam are fine as is..just need recovering.
In my experience, Scotchgard is useless unless continuously reapplied. New material seems to last maybe a summer with the scotchgard that it was soaked in. There has to be a better way to do this..any ideas out there?
Lastly, washing cushions..They shrink and you will not get them back on. Open cell foam absorbs water, so wet washing is out..although the guy down the dock washed his on the dock with a high-pressure washer, and wet/dry vac. Another brought up a huge carpet cleaner, and made all sorts of racket with it..hee. Most just take them to the dry cleaners, minus the foam of course.
To reassemble, use this trick. Take some very thin plastic sheet like a drycleaners plastic bag, and wrap it around the end of the cushion foam before inserting into the cover. It will slide much easier.
Good Luck..write if you have questions!
Cheers,
Larry & Jan DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~Snowbound on Lake Superior..but spring is coming!~~
Warren Kaplan wrote: The fabric berth cushions on my CD27 look like they are original and they are in pretty good shape. They do need a real good cleaning however. Something that can certainly be done over the winter. I suppose I could use fabric cleaner just like on a household couch but I was wondering if anyone had any "special techniques" that they felt worked very well. I sail in salt water. Has anyone ever managed to get a dry cleaner to take on the job? After you've gotten the cushions cleaned, one way or another, do you treat them with something like "Scotchguard"? We will probably get them recovered one day but probably not this year. Speaking about recovering berth cushions, would you stick with fabric or use something else? Would it be better just to get new ones made of something like closed cell foam? Thanks for your input!
Warren
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27 #166 (1980)
demers@sgi.com
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Bob Miller
Re: Cleaning Fabric Berth Cushions
Warren, We have the original plaid cushions and they are in relatively decent shape. What we do every other year is to take them out and gently beat them with a tennis racket (with the foam still inside). You would not believe the amount of dust! Then, I use one of those cans of foaming upholstery cleaner on the plaid material and vinyl cleaner on the bottom side. Let it dry (the plaid) and beat it again. They look like new (almost). But, we are getting tired of the '70's plaid and plan to upgrade next year (hopefully). Scotchguard doesn't work. The material on mine is too porous. Hope this helps...Bob Miller
millerfam5050@worldnet.att.net
millerfam5050@worldnet.att.net
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Dan VanWinkle
Re: Cleaning Fabric Berth Cushions
Washed the original fabric covers on my 25D in the bath tub with Woolite two years ago. Boy was the water muddy! Found all metal zippers corroded and replaced them with new nylon ones from Sailrite. Did this on home sewing machine. Replaced foam with a med density open cell foam and foam shop did the "stuffing" but told me about the plastic bag trick. I'm happy with the work. "Bali Ha'i" CD25D #69
dwinvan@aol.com
Warren Kaplan wrote: The fabric berth cushions on my CD27 look like they are original and they are in pretty good shape. They do need a real good cleaning however. Something that can certainly be done over the winter. I suppose I could use fabric cleaner just like on a household couch but I was wondering if anyone had any "special techniques" that they felt worked very well. I sail in salt water. Has anyone ever managed to get a dry cleaner to take on the job? After you've gotten the cushions cleaned, one way or another, do you treat them with something like "Scotchguard"? We will probably get them recovered one day but probably not this year. Speaking about recovering berth cushions, would you stick with fabric or use something else? Would it be better just to get new ones made of something like closed cell foam? Thanks for your input!
Warren
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27 #166 (1980)
dwinvan@aol.com
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Rug Doctor !!!
Warren,
The first year we had Hanalei we used a Rug Doctor uphosltery attachment. It worked great! We thought the cushions were grey, they weren't, they were blue and gray. Don't know what went on in that cabin before we bought her, but the cushions were really dirty. The Rug Doctor fixed the problem for a total cost of about $30 including the cleaner. I would recommend the easiest and cheapest method first, if the fabric is in basically good shape, cleaning the cushions could be just what the Doctor ordered! Sorry, that hurt!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
The first year we had Hanalei we used a Rug Doctor uphosltery attachment. It worked great! We thought the cushions were grey, they weren't, they were blue and gray. Don't know what went on in that cabin before we bought her, but the cushions were really dirty. The Rug Doctor fixed the problem for a total cost of about $30 including the cleaner. I would recommend the easiest and cheapest method first, if the fabric is in basically good shape, cleaning the cushions could be just what the Doctor ordered! Sorry, that hurt!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei