Advice on cleaning Suede/faux suede headlining

M

marine

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Hi all

I have a job to try to clean up a Sunseeker interior which has severe mold damage to some of the headlining.
At the moment I am not sure if this is Alcantara or faux/ real suede and before I go thorough my various products can anyone enlighten me on the best way to clean this material.

Help appreciated.

Steve
 
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You might ask Sunseeker for advice first. If they can't help, I'd try sponging the surface first with something like Boracol. If that doesn't work, HG Mould Spray is very effective but will bleach the colour from surfaces.

PS Have you looked at the link in your signature?
 
Ah Sunseeker! Yes i did contact them as i wanted to confirm the material used, but i guess i wasn't talking there language as the boat is a 1989 model and clearly beneath their interest!

I just need to know what material I am dealing with on the headlining and wall panels (Thunderhawk 43) and hope that someone may have dealt with something similar. I will probably go through the product routine I use on the cars and see what works.
The owner has been warned he may need to replace it, but I'm just trying to avoid that for him if possible.

Thanks for your advice and sorry about the sig, website is being updated this week and has taken longer than expected...I have taken the signature off until its ready to go.
 
Thanks Tammany for your reply, I agree steam cleaning works well on products like vinyl but steam cleaning can damage the fabric on product such as Alcantara, (assuming this is what Sunseeker used)

I am going to try out a few products as a general test over the next week to see what works the best, were talking heavily soiled/ mildewed headlining here, so hopefully it will help anyone else when it comes to the same issue.
 
Both Alcantara and suede (unlikely) can be cleaned using a good upholstery shampoo, preferably a crystallysing one that does not leave a sticky residue. Mould should clean off Alcantara fairly easily, more difficult with suede.
Do not use steam on Alcantara as this may reset the pile direction.
Best answer is to call a reliable professional eg Servicemaster or a member of NCCA. NB there are many cheap cowboys in the trade who have not received adequate training.
 
Thanks for your adice Blenkinsop, I agree on the steam cleaning issues with Alcantara and I have dealt with light mold on car seats for customers but the level of contamination on this boat requires me to max out the research before going any further.
 
Unfortunately Pro-chem don't do any mold cleaning product on Alcantara due to a licensing issue, they were very helpful though!
 
Hi Steve

Feeling your pain...

Cleaning Alacantara, suede etc on a normal basis is completely different to dealing with it when it has severe mold damage.

You are right to steer away from steam cleaning due to potential to damage, but again we are not talking normal cleaning here more a salvage operation.

Of course the normal path of ethyl alcohol will help clean but won't deal with any mold.

Perhaps try some benzalkonium chloride, should have a good effect on the growth.

It may well be that the fabric has gone a step too far, if that's the case you have nothing to lose by trying.

Perhaps see if there is a fold of material behind what can be seen and test any processes on this before trying on the main subject.

Always think Alacantara and suede on a boat is like carpet in a kitchen.

Best of luck, you're going to need it.
 
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