vinyl seat cleaner recommendations? non-FJ

[markmartin]

Can anyone recommend a good method or product for cleaning grime off a vinyl motorcycle seat.  I picked up a 03 Honda XR 100 for my daughter (1st bike) and it's in decent condition but the red seat is grimy. I used dawn dish soap and water and a scrungy pad to remove the worst of it, but would like to get it really clean (as possible) but of course don't want to damage it.

Also, does anyone know of a good website link for a free owner's manual download for the same bike? Tried a few but no luck.

Thanks

Mark

[Travis398]

if it were me i would try WD40

[Arnie]

I'd use a waterless hand cleaner to try and get it clean.  Don't use the kind with "grit" or pumice in them.  Also, don't use "Armour All" after you have it cleaned - your daughter will slide right off :-)
DAMHIKIJDOK

Cheers,
Arnie

[racerman_27410]

maybe try some goof off (the liquid kind they sell at Lowe's )    i've seen it clean some serious things....

check it on a non visable section first though.
KOokaloo!

Frank

[DailyDriver]

I've used Simple Green and a soft brush to clean grime off my seat. It works well. 

[andyb]

Soap and water, power steering fluid, soap and water.

You may be able to find the GYSM for that thing if you google for a torrent of it, but that's unethical so I wouldn't know anything about it...

[Travis398]

Pink stuff 

[Dan Filetti]

+1 on the Simple Green -that stuff is pretty amazing.

Dan

[paulfj03]

+1 on the simple green. We have used it every where for years. Good stuff!

[FJmonkey]

Go easy with that green stuff on exposed aluminum. Short contact time and rinse very well. It is quite acidic and eats aluminum. Unless you use Extreme Simple Green® Aircraft & Precision Cleaner. Not selling or endorsing, just trying to help keep these old bikes looking good. 

[Travis398]

Mark, how about some before and after pictures, assuming you still have a seat left when you are done applying all these chemicals.

[markmartin]

Mark, how about some before and after pictures, assuming you still have a seat left when you are done applying all these chemicals.

That thought ran through my mind...

Thanks for all the input:  'Goo gone' looks to be the winner, followed closely by GOJO waterless hand cleaner.  These with a little elbow grease got the seat back to about 90% clean ,which about matches the rest of the little bike. 

I was out of simple green and didn't have any pink stuff, so not a true cleaner shootout.  I was out of power steering fluid also.

Andy, I wasn't above going the torrent route for the manual, but my 'Norton Safe Search" wouldn't allow it.  Honda should make these available online anyway, but that's another topic.

Thanks all.

Mark

[the fan]

Too late now but I have had great results with armor all interior cleaner  http://www.armorall.com/products/view_product.php?product_id=6&main_group=1&category_index=cleaners

[markmartin]

Too late now but I have had great results with armor all interior cleaner  http://www.armorall.com/products/view_product.php?product_id=6&main_group=1&category_index=cleaners

Funny you mention that, I used an old bottle of Armour All 'Ultimate Clean'  to clean up the 3 white plastic number plates and it worked very well.