River Custom Canvas, LLC

Cleaning & Maintenance for AquaMats

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How do I care for and clean my new AquaMats?

AquaMat® Marine carpet is designed to withstand the tough marine environment without fading or degrading. It is produced from solution dyed fibers enhanced with UV stabilizers that protect it from extreme sun, salt and moisture.

Your new AquaMat® marine carpeting is very easy to maintain and basic upkeep is the best defense to keep your AquaMat® looking new. Maintain the carpet face by hosing or vacuuming off regularly. When necessary you can use any standard high quality carpet cleaner to remove stubborn stains, always being careful to remove all cleaner residues with water. An AquaMat® should dry completely before storing. When storing, always roll your AquaMat carpet face out.

 

Cleaning Ultralite & Regalite Windows

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CLEANING ULTRALITE® OR REGALITE® PLASTIC WINDOWS

Plastic windows should be cleaned regularly. Be sure to hose or blow off loose dirt particles from surface and then use either plain water or mild soap and water solution. Apply with a soft cloth or tissue to gently clean window. Never use harsh brushes or abrasives when cleaning plastic windows.

The effect of sunlight combined with environmental pollution will actually alter the chemical structure of your plastic window, resulting in permanent discoloration and brittleness.

To maintain the clarity and extend the life of your plastic window, it is recommended that you regularly wash dirt and salt off the surfaces.

Do not use harsh detergents when washing your plastic window, a mild detergent in water applied with a soft cloth may be used.

Do not use products containing silicones or alcohol on your plastic rear window, such as typical commercial vinyl care products and glass cleaners.

Do not rub the plastic window when dry – this will scratch the window. Always flood the window with water before gently wiping it with a damp, soft cotton cloth.

For more information, contact:

O’SULLIVAN FILMS, INC.

1944 Valley Avenue, Winchester, Virginia 22601 Phone: 800-336-9882, extension 567 • 540-667-6666 extension 567

Fax: 540-665-2573

Caring for O’Sea Vinyl Windows

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OSeaCARE AND HANDLING OF O’SEA PLASTIC WINDOWS

O’ Sullivan manufactures press polished sheets by laminating two sheets of coated vinyl plastic with high heat and pressure. In this process the vinyl melts and flows slightly as it welds the two sheets together into one permanent glass clear unit. The edges are not trimmed to allow maximum cutting; because of expansion and contraction the sizes are approximate and dimensions vary plus or minus one inch.

Though the scratch resistant coating does provide protection, the flexible plastic windows are sensitive and can be scratched and marred if they are mishandled during unpacking, handling or cleaning.

Containers should be unpacked by carefully laying all the sheets onto a smooth flat surface where they will relax and/or acclimatize. At no time, should more than 10 sheets be stacked on top of one another. Stacking greater numbers could induce paper mark off.

Sheets should never be maintained in a horizontal stack more than one hour before being processed or repackaged.

Never pull individual sheets from a drum as this may cause scratches across the narrow width of the sheet.

When handling the sheets do not wear rings or jewelry which might mark the window.

Throughout the manufacturing process, do not throw away interleaf paper as it should remain with window to protect the surface and prevent blocking.

Do not roll and stow when dirty – this may damage the plastic window.

Do not stow the enclosure panels when wet – mildew may form.

CLEANING O’SEA PLASTIC WINDOWS

Plastic windows should be cleaned regularly. Be sure to hose or blow off loose dirt particles from surface and then use either plain water or a mild soap and water solution. Apply with a soft cloth or tissue to gently clean window. Never use harsh brushes or abrasives when cleaning plastic windows.

The effect of sunlight combined with environmental pollution may alter the chemical structure of your plastic window, resulting in permanent discoloration and brittleness.

To maintain the clarity and extend the life of your plastic window, it is recommended that you regularly wash dirt and salt off sheet surfaces, and clean regularly.

Do not use harsh detergents when washing your plastic window, O’Sullivan recommends using mild detergent in water applied with a soft cloth or micro-fiber towel.

Do not use cleaning products containing silicones or alcohol on press polished plastic windows. Some commercial vinyl care products and glass cleansers may contain these harmful ingredients.

O’Sullivan does not endorse a specific cleaner. We have successfully evaluated numerous cleaners. IMAR and Novus Cleaner 1 have been evaluated and found to have no short-term detrimental effects.

Do not rub the plastic window when dry – this may scratch the window. Always flood the window with water before gently wiping it with a damp, soft cotton cloth.

For more information, contact: O’Sullivan Films Inc, 1944 Valley Avenue, Winchester, Virginia 22601

Caring for Strataglass

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StrataglassIt is extremely important fabricators and vessel & car owners read and understand this information. We request fabricators provide owners a copy of this sheet.

We recommend using only IMAR Products. IMAR Strataglass Protective Polish, IMAR Strataglass Protective Cleaner, and mild soap (preferably) IMAR Yacht Soap Concentrate) on Strataglass. (We no longer recommend the use of any other products, regardless of the manufacturer’s claims.) Use of harsh cleaners like “Simple Green and Orpine” will dull the curtains quickly. Using any other product(s) void the factory warranty.
NEVER use a wash-and-wax product on Strataglass.
WARNING – Use of Rain-X, Pledge, or Plexus on Strataglass appears to work for a short time but then dulls the surface and presents an “Orange Peel” effect. Do not use any of these products.
Use of cleaners, polishes, scratch removers, or any other product made for regular, uncoated vinyl will damage STRATAGLASS. Do not use these products.
DO NOT HANDLE STRATAGLASS (OR ANY VINYL) WITH SUNSCREEN ON YOUR HANDS! This will permanently cloud the vinyl where handled.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE

When New: 3M Adhesive Remover may be used to remove glue left from fabrication. Final clean with IMAR Strataglass Protective Cleaner. We recommend using IMAR Strataglass Protective Polish as the final step in installation to provide a base of protection and good watershed.

For the customer: We recommend using IMAR Strataglass protective Polish every 1 to 2 months. In the interim, use IMAR Strataglass Protective Cleaner frequently.

Note: All new vinyl can easily get impressions in itself. We recommend new enclosures be left in place to the extent possible. If completely removed, enclosures must be interleaved with either acid-free paper (available from framing shops) or old sheets (the best choice) to prevent “pooling” in the glass, vinyl “seasons” over time and becomes less impressionable. Roll all curtains down and fasten in place nightly to keep perfect appearance. (Review at www.strataglass.com).

Cleaning: Flush thoroughly to cool the surface and rinse away environmental abrasives. Wash with IMAR Yacht Soap Concentrate, or other equally gentle and high quality soap. Do not use Simple Green, Orpine or any other harsh cleaner – no detergents – they will dull the surface. Apply the soapy water to the clear vinyl section of the curtain with special purpose washing mitt or soft cotton cloths. Thoroughly rinse the soapy solution with fresh water and completely dry the curtains with a high quality chamois. (Swobbit.com makes several tools to make these tasks easier.) Your clear vinyl curtains should be washed whenever your boat is washed. After washing the curtains, apply IMAR Strataglass Protective Polish sparingly with small, light circular motions using a soft cotton cloth. Allow the polish to dry and then remove with a clean soft cotton cloth. Finally, lightly buff to a sparkling shine. Done. For routine maintenance between polishing, use IMAR Strataglass Protective Cleaner. Insure the clear vinyl panels are free of abrasives. Very lightly mist a soft cotton cloth. Lightly and briskly rub a manageable sized area and then lightly buff dry with another clean cloth. Done. We recommend using IMAR Strataglass Cleaner at least weekly but it’s so fast and easy you may want to do it daily. You’ll love the shine.

Restoring: We once recommended a restoration process but extensive experience shows actual damage cannot truly be repaired. If IMAR Strataglass Protective Polish cannot restore the clarity and shine, it may be time to consider replacing the enclosures. Please… Please…use our recommended procedures and products from the beginning.

Snap & Zipper Maintenance

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This is a brief post related to the proper maintenance of zippers and snaps on marine canvas.   Many of the repair work that we do involves broken zippers or missing or damaged snaps.   Many of these repairs could be avoided, and much stress could be avoided if the owners simply maintained the zippers and snaps properly.

In the photos below you will see a few examples of studs that were not maintained and the resulting condition…

IMG_6824

IMG_6822 IMG_6850

Frustration aside, these boats and covers needed extensive repair or replacement due to lack of maintenance.

Maintaining your snaps and zippers is easy.  Start by keeping things clean.   The hardware on the boat can be washed and polished just like everything else and a toothbrush can be used to clean the crud around them.   You can also use some metal polish to clean and brighten them up.   If they are rusty or just wore out, get them replaced.   Most are snap on or screw in and are available at most marine retailers or in our shop for the do it yourselfers.

Once they are cleaned, a small amount of zipper and snap lubricant will make them easy to put on and off. This should be applied once per year as a general maintenance item.   I have heard of many snake oil remedies people use to lube the snaps, but for about $10 you can buy a good proven commercial product.   We stock and recommend IOSSO Ez-Snap Lubricant pictured below.  This can be bought online through many marine retailers or in our shop for about $10.

Snap Lube

To apply to studs on the boat simply place small mount on your index finger and rub it on the shoulder of the stud.   You can usually do 3-4 studs before needing to reapply the lubricant.   To apply to zippers the same principal applies, rub along one side of the zipper and then connect and work the zipper back and forth a few times.   The result will be zippers than work better than new!

Contact us for additional details or to purchase snaps, lubricant or to have repairs done to your boat or canvas.  Happy Boating!

Dave

Maintaining Sunbrella Fabrics

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sunbrellaOne of the best ways to keep Sunbrella® fabrics looking good and to delay the need for deep or vigorous cleaning is to hose fabrics off on a monthly basis with clear water. This helps prevent dirt from becoming deeply embedded in the fabric and eliminate the need for more frequent vigorous cleaning. In most environments, a thorough cleaning will be needed every two to three years.

When it’s time for a thorough cleaning, Sunbrella fabrics can be cleaned while still on a boat or, size permitting, they can be removed for cleaning in a washing machine or dock side.

General or light cleaning
To clean Sunbrella while still on a boat, follow these simple steps:

  • Brush off loose dirt.
  • Hose down.
  • Prepare a cleaning solution of water and mild soap such as Woolite or Dawn dishwashing liquid.
  • Use a soft bristle brush to clean.
  • Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
  • Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
  • Air dry.
  • May not require re-treatment depending on the age of the fabric.
  • If stubborn stains persist, you can use a diluted bleach/soap mixture for spot cleaning of mildew, roof run-off or other similar stains (see our
  • Stain chart for specific recommendations).

Heavy cleaning for stubborn stains and mildew
Sunbrella fabric does not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric. To clean stubborn stains:

  • Prepare a solution of 1 cup bleach and 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of clean water.
  • Soak affected area in solution for 15 minutes.
  • Remove stain with a sponge or clean towel.
  • Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
  • Air dry.
  • View the Sunbrella fabric Stain chart.

Remember to protect the area around your Sunbrella fabric if using a bleach solution. Carpet or other fabrics that are not Sunbrella may have an adverse reaction to the bleach.

If a boat cover is suitable in size for a washing machine, these steps should be followed:

  • Use mild soap.
  • For heavier stains add 1 cup of bleach to wash.
  • Wash and rinse in cold water.
  • Air dry. Never apply heat to Sunbrella.
  • Re-treatment for water and stain resistance will be necessary after machine washing.

Re-treating the fabric
As part of the finishing process, Sunbrella fabrics are treated with a fluorocarbon finish, which enhances water repellency. This finish is designed to last for several years, but must be replenished after a thorough cleaning. Based on test results,
Glen Raven recommends 303 Fabric Guard™ as the preferred re-treatment product for Sunbrella fabrics. Fabrics should be re-treated after thorough cleaning or after five years of use.

Applying 303 Fabric Guard
303 should be applied to Sunbrella fabrics after each thorough cleaning, which typically removes the original finish and reduces the fabric’s water repellency.

Clean Sunbrella fabric, using one of the cleaning methods.
Allow Sunbrella to completely air dry.
Apply 303 Fabric Guard in a well ventilated area following instructions on the container.
Apply 303 in a thin, even coat and allow fabric to dry completely.
Apply a second thin, even coating of 303. (Two light coatings are more effective in restoring fabric water resistance than a single heavy coating.)
Note: A 15-ounce bottle provides coverage of up to 50 square feet of fabric.
For more information, please visit www.303products.com.

Professional cleaners
You may have access to professional cleaning firms. In evaluating the services of a professional firm, you should inquire about a firm’s experience in working with Sunbrella fabrics and knowledge of cleaning and re-treatment requirements. DO NOT dry clean Sunbrella fabrics.

Helpful hints
Protect the area around the Sunbrella fabric when using a bleach solution – bleach may discolor non-Sunbrella fabrics. Always rinse Sunbrella thoroughly to completely remove bleach.

Please be aware of the environment when cleaning with bleach. Bleach can have harmful effects on the natural environment around you. We do not advise using bleach if you are surrounded by a body of water or other environment that could be affected.

Sunbrella air dries very quickly. Machine drying is not necessary for Sunbrella fabrics.

If fabric has some wrinkling, use an iron, if necessary, but only on the synthetic setting. As some irons exceed the recommended temperature on the synthetic setting, test a small inconspicuous area before ironing entire piece.

DO NOT use a steamer or iron set to steam setting.

Use of bleach and/or advanced age of the fabric application may impact the deterioration of the sewing thread and other non-Sunbrella components.

Download the Marine tops and covers cleaning (pdf)