b1gredek

out boat was at the shop for the last two weeks with the cover on it,,, and for some reason,, the cover left some nasty black dirt stains on the white vinyl... soap and water is not doing it,,, so i need something stronger,,, any recommendations from all the detailing gurus.... taking it to havasu soon,,, need something fast...

Guitarman

Black stains?

That sure sounds like mold/mildew. It's not uncommon on canvas covers and vinyl that's been subjected to trapped moisture.

I suggest you try some X-14 or Tilex Mildew root killer. They're not the most benign products you can use on vinyl, but then, benign cleaners won't remove mold, period. One way to avoid the harshness of these cleaners is to dilute them a bit. It will take longer for them to work (and may not work as well) but it will be safer on the vinyl.

Diluted bleach (50/50 mix) would also be a good choice in place of the 2 aforementioned products. Comet also, but Comet is abrasive and you don't want that right now.

If you get it out, you MUST treat the vinyl with something like 303 Aerospace protectant to revive the pliancy of the vinyl, and protect it from the sun's effects.

Let us know what happens.