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SimTex Fabric Issue

I wish I new what the previous owner spilled on the fabric, unfortunately I don’t. My 1st impression was that it looked like spilled grease. I envisioned someone holding a juicy hamburger on a paper plate and juice/grease spilled out. No one ever cleaned it and the boat was stored for the winter. Just my theory.
In any event, I am learning from the posts what to avoid to create future stains and I appreciate the info. What I really need is the magic formula to make the existing stains go away. Lestoil was mentioned as a great grease cutter, its not on the approved cleaner list but I am tempted to try it. I reached out to Spralding again today with the hopes they will respond.
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Is it just in these 1 or 2 places, or do you have spots like this all over your furniture? You could try something like the Lestoil in an area one cannot see, where fabric wraps onto the underside of a seat for instance. If it doesn’t cause a problem, then maybe chance using it one of the spots to see if it works?

Spitballing here, maybe not the best idea, but…. If very isolated to 1 or 2 sections of furniture, could you take the chance on using something more rigorous and not fabric approved? If it doesn’t work OR makes the problem worse, perhaps just have that 1 or 2 areas re-upholstered with matching Simtex fabric?

If it is all over the place on multiple pieces of interior seating, then that is another issue and maybe too big of a risk in regards to the extent of potential reupholstery.

Regardless, I am sorry you are struggling with this sort of issue. I am hopeful something works for you sooner rather than later. I also hope that you are otherwise enjoying your new to you Bennington.
 
What if its a stain from the underside bleeding through?
 
Fantastik and Formula 409 are on the new approved list of cleaners .
You mentioned you have reached out to Spradling . Have you called or emailed ?
If you haven't called ,here is their number 800 247 9901
 
My Simtex seats get covered with suntan lotion all the time, despite my efforts to sit/lay on towels. When it dries, it looks like light, white cloudiness. 303 Muti Surface Cleaner and a microfiber towel takes it right off. It also cleans squished spider guts, food stains, etc. I’ve never had a stain like your picture shows; have no idea what that is. I never worry about stains... it’s the possibility of rips that keeps me up at night.88ECED40-40F6-46E4-8E91-FD6F18676987.jpeg
 
Only issue Ive ever had with my seating was some battery terminal grease got on it two places and looked very similar to what you have. I used a 4/1 mix of APC and microfiber cloth repeatedly and I did it when we were out so the sun could bake it each time. So far you can’t tell where it was. Never worry about suntan lotions but never allow spray suntan crap on my boat and always have a towel on the seats bc they get hot as crap.

If all else fails, just enjoy the rest of the boat while the season lasts.

Good Luck
 
I like Vikingstaff’s suggestion. Go at it hard and if that doesn’t work, have those two areas recovered. Those stains would bother the heck out of me, too. Looking at your pictures a bit more closely, my guess is that they’re permanent. Are you sure your Bennington wasn’t used in a slasher movie before you bought it?
 
lp20th said:
1st year, with a new to me, 2021 Bennington SX22. Love the boat but the biggest disappointment is with the SimTex covered seats. I was hoping someone has a solution, opinions or advice on what can be done. This fabric just seems to stain so easy and permanently at that. The color of the fabric is a light grey with darker grey accents. When stains appear on the light grey portions of the seats they come through as darker In color, almost matching the darker grey accents. I have followed the manufactors procedures step by step, to a tee, to remove the stains and nothing works. It actually seems to spread the stain and make it look worse.
I don’t know what caused the stains, food, drink suntan lotion etc. and unfortunately I am not catching them while they are fresh stains.

i am wondering if the stain has bonded to the fabric, if the fabric has actually become discolored or even if the color has come off the fabric and under it is a darker color? I am at a loss.

I reached out to Spralding, the manufacture of the material , and they have not responded. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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I am so happy to see your post. I’m having a real hard time with my Simtex vinyl seats! Can’t get them clean no matter what. Anything at all becomes permanent. My boat is only one year old and I’m very disappointed. Not sure what direction to turn. I’m shut down when I call Bennington. No one wants to help. I thought this would be under warranty
 
I’ve been nothing less than impressed with simtex. Great blue heron dropped and it dried for 2 days. It came right out using their procedures. Mustard on seat for 4-5 days, out too!
 
stovercrna said:
I am so happy to see your post. I’m having a real hard time with my Simtex vinyl seats! Can’t get them clean no matter what. Anything at all becomes permanent. My boat is only one year old and I’m very disappointed. Not sure what direction to turn. I’m shut down when I call Bennington. No one wants to help. I thought this would be under warranty
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So what are you trying to clean and how long has it been on the seats. The fabric isn’t bulletproof. Just because something has a warranty, it does not mean everything is covered. Please list items that have stained your seats, how long it had the stain before trying to clean it, etc.
 
I went to my dealer today with photos. I’ll share a couple here. It is white spotting like polka dots.
 

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The white spotting looks like water spots that have not dried out completely. I get those on my seats. Do it change locations or is it a permanent spot?
 
Any chance those are areas where based on how it is covered, water is leaking or dripping onto the same areas? I only ask, as many of us see the same thing with Simtex when it gets some consistent water spotting. It can look very similar until the sun dries it back out over a couple days.

The fact they seem permanent may point to something else, but it looks similar to the water spot issues.

Along those line, and with them looking more permanent, they also look similar to sunscreen overspray spotting I’ve seen by some people. Any chance some guests maybe have hung out on the boat and used a oil spray based sunscreen without your awareness? Those are the two most common reasons I hear about those sort of white spotting… Or any chance you used an unapproved cleaner on those areas originally trying to spot clean white “water spots” or sunscreen spots off, and it semi-bleached those small areas?

Just spitballing with all of this obviously only because they look like these other things. Just trying to present some possibilities, but I may totally on the wrong track.
 
Vikingstaff said:
Any chance those are areas where based on how it is covered, water is leaking or dripping onto the same areas? I only ask, as many of us see the same thing with Simtex when it gets some consistent water spotting. It can look very similar until the sun dries it back out over a couple days.

The fact they seem permanent may point to something else, but it looks similar to the water spot issues.

Along those line, and with them looking more permanent, they also look similar to sunscreen overspray spotting I’ve seen by some people. Any chance some guests maybe have hung out on the boat and used a oil spray based sunscreen without your awareness? Those are the two most common reasons I hear about those sort of white spotting… Or any chance you used an unapproved cleaner on those areas originally trying to spot clean white “water spots” or sunscreen spots off, and it semi-bleached those small areas?

Just spitballing with all of this obviously only because they look like these other things. Just trying to present some possibilities, but I may totally on the wrong track.
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Well, if we are spitballing...
I have a terrible time with my hot tub when guest come over - their swim suites and/or hair don't get rinsed properly and everything in them ends up in the tub = foam and bubbles and water balance challenges. I surmise that possibly what seems to be a rare (based on the low volume of reports vs total Bennys) but constant flow of a variety of stains on the Simtex does in fact result from what is being worn: chemicals in clothes, on hair (including hair coloring and bleach), lotions, towels, all the other stuff we use on our boats, birds, etc. I am extremely careful to take everything off the Simtex at days end. So far my result = zero stains and we really throw everything at the Simtex when in use - we spill food, drink, we lather on coral safe non-colored lotion and then plop right down on the seats, we have bled on it, there is always bird poop - and that Simtex has been a rockstar. However, it would still be nice if they provided some guidance on long term care - I mean that stain repellent must have a limited life!?!?!?
 
lp20th said:
1st year, with a new to me, 2021 Bennington SX22. Love the boat but the biggest disappointment is with the SimTex covered seats. I was hoping someone has a solution, opinions or advice on what can be done. This fabric just seems to stain so easy and permanently at that. The color of the fabric is a light grey with darker grey accents. When stains appear on the light grey portions of the seats they come through as darker In color, almost matching the darker grey accents. I have followed the manufactors procedures step by step, to a tee, to remove the stains and nothing works. It actually seems to spread the stain and make it look worse.
I don’t know what caused the stains, food, drink suntan lotion etc. and unfortunately I am not catching them while they are fresh stains.

i am wondering if the stain has bonded to the fabric, if the fabric has actually become discolored or even if the color has come off the fabric and under it is a darker color? I am at a loss.

I reached out to Spralding, the manufacture of the material , and they have not responded. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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I just came upon this thread. Have you contacted the dealer and Bennington? You know another big selling point of Bennington is that they have a 10 year warranty on everything? They are great people and they want to help. You did buy one of the best pontoons out there. I know you said you contacted the upholstery manufacturer, but Bennington stands behind everything they put on their boats.
 
I have no idea if this will help or make it worse, caveat emptor/etc., but I do know that when all else fails, Brakleen will take out just about any oil stain. Shoot a bit on a rag and dab it to see if it helps.

The chlorine/bleach in it might make everything worse though... however, it might be worth a try if you're desperate and it's looking like there's no other option.
 
Well - I have two high school kids and they bring friends every trip. Our marina only serves bbq takeout with no seating / dining area, so messy food on the boat every weekend (including red snow cones). I have a terrible history of sun exposures induced skin cancer so reapply sun screen every 3-4 hours (and never use a towel). We have caught thousands of fish on this boat and immediately clean-up fish blood with lake water. Four full seasons and 420 hours on the Yamaha engine, not one single stain on the Simtex. My kids (and their friends) are as messy as they come. A boat is a pleasure toy, not an investment that will appreciate in value. Let your guest and family enjoy it with you to the fullest (and help cleanup the mess after the day on the water).
 
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