How to use 303 Aerospace Protectant to Restore Vinyl Seats by Mike Phillips

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How to use 303 Aerospace Protectant to Restore Vinyl Seats by Mike Phillips




303 Multi-Surface Cleaner & 303 Aerospace Protectant

What is it?

2-step system to clean and protect vinyl.


What does it do?

The vinyl cleaner safely lifts and removes built-up dirt in the weave of the vinyl and the protectant restores a rich vibrant appearance with protection.


When do I use it?

Anytime you need to clean and protect your car's vinyl interior or any vinyl surface in cars, boats, suvs, trucks, boats and even around the house.


Why should I use it?

To preserve your car's vinyl interior for both appearance reasons and resale reasons.




From the manufacturer


303 Multi-Surface Cleaner

303 Multi-Surface Cleaner uses surfactant cleaning technology to lift the most stubborn outdoor stains from patio furniture and cushions. 303’s revolutionary cleaner is safe and effective on teak, resin, plastic, vinyl, stainless, and any water-safe surface. Preserve your outdoor investments with 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner.

Remarkably, 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner removes things like leaf stains, tree sap, wine, and oil without removing the color from dyed outdoor fabrics. Use it on patio cushions and umbrellas with confidence.

303 Multi-Surface Cleaner works equally well on teak, wicker, plastic, and stainless steel. Outdoor grilling stations complete with stainless steel cabinets are popular in many new homes – 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner makes it possible to keep stainless steel looking as good as the day it was installed.

303 Multi-Surface Cleaner, like all 303 cleaners, uses a blend of surfactants, sequester agents and hyper-wetting agents to clean surfaces. Surfactants surround and lift soil – even grease and oil – from any surface.

303 cleaners do not strip color or finishes, they are not acidic or alkaline, and they are environmentally friendly. 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner is nontoxic and biodegradable. Plus, 303’s cleaning ability is simply amazing!

Use 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner full strength or diluted. Warm water and mild agitation will enhance the cleaning ability. A green Tire & Wheel Brush will work to loosen stubborn grime and its feathered bristles are gentle on most surfaces. Stubborn spots will require some soaking time to get the best results.

Follow with 303 Patio Furniture Protectant on vinyl, fiberglass, resins, powder-coated stainless steel, and plastics. For textiles and fabrics, use 303 Aerospace Protectant.

303 Multi-Surface Cleaner removes stains that you never thought would come out: leaf stains, pine needle stains, barbecue smoke, and grease from food. You won’t be embarrassed by stained patio furniture again – clean it up with 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner.




303 Aerospace Protectant


Here are features of 303 Aerospace Protectant that will surely benefit your life:

Unbeatable UV protection. 303 Aerospace Protectant has a SPF of 40, the most UV protection offered by any surface protectant. It will prevent drying, cracking, and fading caused by overexposure to the sun. It was originally formulated for aerospace and aviation applications, machines that come much closer to the sun than your vehicle. 303 Aerospace Protectant is the single most effective protectant on the market.

Stain resistant. 303 Aerospace Protectant repels water and dirt, and resists stains. Treated surfaces require less cleaning and will remain in like-new condition. It restores the original finish to vinyl, rubber, plastic, acrylic, finished leather, and fiberglass. 303 is never oily or greasy.

Multipurpose. Use 303 Aerospace Protectant on vinyl convertible tops, vinyl seats, tonneau covers, car bras, vinyl awnings, dashboard, trim pieces, and all over your boat. It is safe on vinyl, rubber, plastic, acrylic, finished leather, and fiberglass. 303 Aerospace Protectant provides the best protection you can provide for a multitude of materials. Nothing works better on clear plastic to prevent yellowing, hardening, and clouding.

Most recommended by manufacturers. 303 Aerospace Protectant is recommended by name by more manufacturers of awnings, RVs, tonneau covers, vinyl convertible tops, and spa covers than any other protectant in the world.




My comments....

I've seen first hand the 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner remove stains that other products didn't touch. This product is GOOD. Take my word for it and get a bottle and thank me later. The 303 Aerospace Protectant is also one of my favorite products for protecting pretty much any kind and type of vinyl surface inside or outside.



Project car: 1967 Chevy Camaro Convertible

This Camaro originally came in for paint correction and while the interior was nice, it wasn't what I would call detailed and it was going to be shame to send the car out of the garage with a full exterior detail but leave the inside hurting. So I spoke with the owner and he agreed the interior could use a sprucing over so I jumped on this before doing the paint correction.


Here's how the Camaro looked when it first arrived.

How to Detail a car interior

First things first, I removed the floor mats and any personal items.

Next I moved the seats all the way forward and then blew everything under the seats forward using the Tornador Air Blow Out Gun Black.

Then I used the Tornador Velocity Vac to deep clean the back carpets.

After vacuuming the rear carpets I moved the seats all the way to the rear of the car and vacuumed the front. Then I blew under the seats a second time, this time blowing everything to the back. Moved the seats forward again and then re- acummued the rear again.

To do all this, I also wore the SCANGRIP I-Match II - if you do a lot of interior detailing, this is a must-have tool. And take my word for it, after you use all these tools to vacuum carpet - ITS CLEAN!

Blowing all the dirt and debris forward....

Vacuuming the rear....

Here's my tools of choice for getting interior carpet clean....

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....



Cleaning vinyl with 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner

Once I was happy with the carpets, I moved onto the vinyl interior. For this I sprayed everything down with the 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner and then agitated with a Wheel Woolies Boar's Hair Wheel Face Brush. This is a brush I only use for interiors, so it's never seen brake dust or wheel cleaners. It is in my opinion a MUST-HAVE brush for not only cleaning wheels but also doing interior detailers because it works so good.

This is da BOMB!

The Wheel Woolies Boar's Hair Wheel Brush

What makes this brush so effective at all types of cleaning jobs are the bristles. They are 2" long and here's what's makes them so great, they are not so soft they are limp and they are not so stiff they don't flex and worse scratch. They are the perfect blend of just right.

Might as well hit the stainless door sill and paint - it is MULTI-SURFACE cleaner.

As Dennis Gage would say,

That's a beautiful thing....

The interior vinyl came out ####-n-span clean. It looks kind of dull but that's normal. The next step will breathe life back into this interior.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....




Protecting and conditioning vinyl using 303 Aerospace Protectant

Now that the seats are totally clean, next I'm going to massage in a heavy or wet application of the 303 Aerospace Protectant.

My technique
I don't want to fill-up a microfiber towel with my precious 303 Aerospace protectant so I cut our a square of microfiber about 8" x 8". Then I drench this with product and also spray the product directly onto each surface to be treated.

The goodness of 303 Aerospace Protectant is easy to see.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....



And BOOM! There it is!


This is how you want your car's interior to look. Clean and crisp, like you want to sit down in this car and take it for a cruise!

Review

303 really makes great products. They are an established brand with a reputation you can trust. These two products in particular excel in their perspective categories, vinyl cleaners and vinyl protectants. Using them is as simple as you see in the pictures and you can't help to get professional results the first time and every time. Just follow the basics like I show above, have a few microfiber towels on hand a a great interior brush.

There's no harsh or foul scents to the products and they are as safe as you can get when it comes to both your car's interior and you. If you've never used any product from the 303 company, I whole heartedly recommend all their products but consider starting with these two products, I guarantee you - they won't let you down and more than that - they will impress the heck out of you.





On Autogeek.com


303 Aerospace Protectant 16 oz.

303 Multi-Surface Cleaner 16 oz.


And here's the brush I used...

Wheel Woolies Boar’s Hair Wheel Brush

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....

And yes, I did clean and detail the trunk and the engine compartment....

The interior looks so inviting....

What a sweet car.... :dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....

You can see how I addressed the paint correction, including wet sanding here,


Review: Wolfgang Si02 Paint Sealant


The below is machine sanding....

Also, the tires we're addressed for this project....

Review and How-To: Tire Coatings - Pinnacle Black Label Tire Clear Coat No Sling No Mess

 

[Aaryn NZ]

Outstanding! rops:

Nice work Mike, you sure made this Camaro in to a jaw dropper!!

Fantastic review, you can really see the 303 Multi Surface Cleaner working in the photos lifting the dirt off the surface. Personally I like a more satin finish once protected but this may be variable & in the pictures at the end, they look less glossy, so possibly timing of photos taken.

I absolutely love the Scangrip I Match headlamp & not very often I carry out interior detailing without it.

Tornador Tools - Essentials no doubt!! Everyone should have a Tornador Blow Out Gun period. The time saved by this tool is priceless. The Velocity Vacuum Attachment is one of those pieces of equipment that may appear to be a gimmick but once you experience it capabilities it’s a no brainer. Another time saver ... actually. When you have some difficult carpet to deal with - this tool can save you loads of time, & I mean LOADS!!

Top notch write up Mike. rops:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

 

[57Rambler]

As usual, great write-up Mike.

You've got so many neat tools you would make even "Tim Taylor" of Tool Time jealous ! Im the MAN


I've been using the 303 Multi-surface Cleaner for a while now. While it is both safe and effective, I also like that it can be used on so many different types of surfaces ... I was especially pleased with how well it worked on the short-napped dense fabric (aka "cloth") that so many car OEMs are using for portions of door panels, etc., these days. Initially I was concerned that it might "stain" the fabric in the process of cleaning it, but that was not the case, it cleaned things up and left not a trace of evidence in doing so.

 

[Thomkirby]

That interior looks so nice, reminds me of my first 66 Impala. How well I remember sliding across on those vinyl seats. And those hot summer days burning the legs while wearing shorts. Yep, those were days and glad to have moved on to better cloth seats or nice leather.

As to 303, it is a wonderful product I use regularly on my tonneau. Years ago bought it just to protect my sit-on-top fishing kayak as works well on so many surfaces.

Thanks for showing us the detail, now just need that Tornador Black with the vac kit after I buy a bigger air compressor.

 

[PaulMys]

I'm a big fan of 303 protectant on interior surfaces.

Especially on my black WeatherTech floor liners.

They look great afterward, and zero "slippage" factor.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Outstanding! rops:

Nice work Mike, you sure made this Camaro in to a jaw dropper!!

Fantastic review, you can really see the 303 Multi Surface Cleaner working in the photos lifting the dirt off the surface.

Personally I like a more satin finish once protected but this may be variable & in the pictures at the end, they look less glossy, so possibly timing of photos taken.

In part the timing like you suspect.

The finish on the vinyl will tame down, I purposefully used the product very wet and then took my after pictures.

Why?

Because when it comes to vinyl, especially black vinyl, the masses have a perception of what it should look like and that's a deep, dark shine.

I absolutely love the Scangrip I Match headlamp & not very often I carry out interior detailing without it.

Once you clean an interior with the headlamps on, you never want to be with out them. As you see in the pictures, I dropped the top on the Camaro and of course this enabled the ceiling lights to light up the interior, but for most cars, with fixed roofs, and especially dark colored interiors, these lights are a real nifty way to really see where the dirt is.

Tornador Tools - Essentials no doubt!! Everyone should have a Tornador Blow Out Gun period. The time saved by this tool is priceless.

The Velocity Vacuum Attachment is one of those pieces of equipment that may appear to be a gimmick but once you experience it capabilities it’s a no brainer. Another time saver ... actually. When you have some difficult carpet to deal with - this tool can save you loads of time, & I mean LOADS!!

Agree. Both tools are so effective at enabling a person to really get a car interior clean and get it clean as fast as humanly possible.

The next best thing for these tools would be removing the seats and the carpet and that's not feasible for most people.

Top notch write up Mike. rops:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

Thanks bud...

I enjoy detailing cool cars and just as important, I don't want anyone that reads this forum whether they are forum members or one of the thousands and thousands of LURKERS that visit this site to ever think I'm a desk jockey when it comes to detailing.

I know I wouldn't want to take advice from someone that doesn't actually do the thing they talk and type about.

And anyone that takes on the title of instructor for the craft of detailing and the art of polishing paint should be continually detailing cars. It's the only way to truly keep up with technology as well as keep your instruction fresh. For me, it keeps my instruction and my writing/talking both fresh and accurate.

 

[cyclops]

Beautiful job on the 67, jaw dropper now. Reminds me of the Vinyl in my 442. Would put 3 coats of Armor All on them, put someone in the back seat (before seat belt laws) then take a corner extra hard, yes it was cruel. Funny but cruel.

One question, what is the difference between 303 All Surface Interior Cleaner and 303 Multi Surface Cleaner? Do you recommended one over the other?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Beautiful job on the 67, jaw dropper now. Reminds me of the Vinyl in my 442. Would put 3 coats of Armor All on them, put someone in the back seat (before seat belt laws) then take a corner extra hard, yes it was cruel. Funny but cruel.

I remember those days too, I has a HUGE black vinyl bench seat in my 1948 Plymouth Coupe and it received a regular dousing with Armor-All.

One question, what is the difference between 303 All Surface Interior Cleaner and 303 Multi Surface Cleaner?

Do you recommended one over the other?

I have the most experience with the Multi-Surface cleaner and a story where it SAVED my brand new white NIKE tennis shoes last year the morning before Detail Fest at Barrett-Jackson.

The good news is 303 sent one of the head chemists to one of my detailing classes and I can contact him and find out. But the short answer would be - go with the Multi-Surface - it's truly a nice all-purpose-cleaner.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

As usual, great write-up Mike.

Takes a lot of time to do the work, stop doing the work and take pictures and then later process the pictures and write the words.

You've got so many neat tools you would make even "Tim Taylor" of Tool Time jealous ! Im the MAN

Agree. I'd say I'm lucky but I've actually put in a lifetime of hours acquiring all the Skill Sets'I possess to do the things I do, which landed me my position at Autogeek where I have access to all the coolest tools and products in the car and boat detailing world.

Same as you and your field. :xyxthumbs:

I've been using the 303 Multi-surface Cleaner for a while now. While it is both safe and effective, I also like that it can be used on so many different types of surfaces ... I was especially pleased with how well it worked on the short-napped dense fabric (aka "cloth") that so many car OEMs are using for portions of door panels, etc., these days.

Initially I was concerned that it might "stain" the fabric in the process of cleaning it, but that was not the case, it cleaned things up and left not a trace of evidence in doing so.

My experience too, it's really nice stuff.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the Chick-fil-A Zesty Buffalo Sauce stain I had in the white tongue of my brand new tennis shoes I put on for my 3-day stint as "Demo Boy" at the 2019 Detail Fest at Barrett-Jackson.

The stain was almost florescent orange on vibrant arctic white. I tried 2 other recognized cloth, carpet and upholstery cleaners and they removed "some" of the stain but not enough to stop drawing my eyes away from the new eyesore.

On a hope and chance, I tried the Multi-Surface Cleaner and BOOM - the orange stain was gone. Simply gone. Not a little bit gone but gone as in disappeared.

Since then, I use it to clean all my white tennis shoes. for the most part, that's all I wear. I want a comfortable shoe for both the real side of me and the machine side of me and I need the shoe color to look good with flesh and chrome. I always feel like "colored"' or mix-n-match colored tennis shoes look like crap so I for the most part only wear white tennis shoes. And everyone knows how hard it is to keep white tennis shoes clean.



303 Multi-Surface Cleaner = Hero Product

 

[Larry A]

Are the vinyl seats slippery after using 303 protecter

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

A

re the vinyl seats slippery after using 303 protecter

No.

After taking all my pictures I wiped every treated surface down per instructions to remove any excess product.


Also - in a car like this with bucket seats, a door on one side of you and a console on the other - there's no place to slide.


And I think I pointed this out, maybe not, but I took my after pictures right after application and before any final wipe - that's because that's when the seats and actually all the treated vinyl is going to look it's best. It's what the masses think dressed vinyl should look like. Of course after wiping off any excess product it toned down the shine to a matte appearance, that would not look as GREAT as the pictures I shared.

Perception is reality