Scratches in Vinyl Dodger

[Terry]

Any ideas on how to remove (or lighten) scratches in vinyl?  Must be some "cleaner" out there...

[Mike Smith]

Terry -

There are several cleaners on the market, just check with West Marine/BoatUS, etc. Wash the vinyl gently with soap and water to get rid of dust and dirt and then apply the cleaner. Just never use paper towels on vinyl, it will scratch it and make it look like frosted glass. Use only soft cotton rags. To get rid of scratches you need a very mild abrasive. I use toothpaste (not gel).

Mike and Jan Smith
S/V Breezer WCX8545
www.mikejansmith.com

[Roc]

I've used NOVUS fine scratch remover (#2) and it did a fantastic job.  Novus has a cleaner, #2 fine scratch remover and #3 heavy scratch remover. I believe PS rated it best a few years ago.

Roc-

[sail4dale]

I've had good luck with a "mild" Teflon fiberglass polish.  Check the labels and try it on one corner.  West Marine Brand worked for me on my 17 year old dodger.

[Terry]

I bought the Novus products (all 3 bottles) for $17 in total.  Turns out the biggest use is for tanning beds - to remove scratches in the acrylic (from jewelry).  But since the boat is all put away for the season, I'll have to wait until next season to see how good it is.  Thanks...