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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Washing cushion covers?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/21/2008 : 15:10:21

Can we just toss the covers (aft berth, V-berth, settee, etc.) into the washer, or do they need to be hand washed (IE stomped in the bathtub)? I didn't see any obvious tags when we pulled the covers off of everything just now. I'd imagine they should be air dried, not put into the dryer?

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - delliottg on 06/21/2008 15:11:14

Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2008 : 17:01:55

I wash mine when they get dirty. I put them in the washing machine on the delicate cycle, the reason being that they have a polymer coating on the inside to make them waterproof and I don't want them to collect water somewhere on the inside and so balloon up and stretch out. I air dry them, again because of the polymer coating and also because I wouldn't want them to shrink. I dry the outside first, for a day, then turn them inside out and let them dry for another day.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2008 : 17:14:38

There're also Scotchguard and a few other spray-on waterproofers available for after washing. I'd expect a degergent in a washing machine to reduce the effectiveness of most existing treatments.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2008 : 18:01:29

Thanks for the advice guys, especially the Scotchgard, I hadn't thought of that. Hopefully we'll have some sun to dry them in tomorrow.

Is it better to wash them inside out, or right side out?

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scubasailor
Deckhand

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5 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 08:30:02

How much trouble is it to get the cushion back in the cover? Any tips need for this?

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 10:25:21

I broke off most of my fingernails getting mine back over the foam until I figured out that if I covered the foam with a plastic bag it would easily slide into the cover. I then just pulled the bag out in pieces.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 10:45:34

If the covers are very old, 20 years or more, I would suggest the bathtub method. A washing machine agitator might destroy the fabric.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 10:46:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 Is it better to wash them inside out, or right side out?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It's better to wash them inside out. It helps to prevent the fabric from snagging or pilling.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 12:47:11

I think we ended up washing ours inside out. The plastic bag trick is a good one for getting them back on, I remember my parents using that when they reupholstered our couch when I was a kid. Rita's very good at getting the covers exactly in the right place (mom was a seamstress), so I just assisted in that part of the project (read: did what I was told).

We did two full treatments of Scotchgard, but I'm not sure how well that worked. We have a nagging leak from one of our pieces of deck hardware and it seems to soak right into that cushion's cover. It's on my list for this winter to fix.

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glen
Captain

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359 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2008 : 15:59:07

The above advice is good, especially being gentle if the covers are old. on the plastic bag trick try this. After placing the foam in a bag, close the open end as well as you can. Then stick the nozzle of a shop vac into the bag, and turn it on. Be careful not to let the bag get sucked into the vac. The foam will shrink down to less then half of it's original size. While you hold the cushion have someone slip the cover over it. After you remove the vac the foam will expand back to its original size, and you can rip the plastic bag out.
To restore fullness to your cushion first wrap them with a Dacron padding (find this at a fabric store)use 3M700 foam glue adhesive to tack the padding in place.

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scubasailor
Deckhand

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5 Posts

Response Posted - 11/06/2008 : 20:42:28

Thanks for all the tips.

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