Your boat is likely one of the most valuable assets you own. To maintain its value and seaworthiness, boat cleaning should be one of your highest priorities. Left unaddressed, your boat can become an eyesore, and may even suffer performance and structural issues (such as not being able to traverse the water smoothly or gradual rotting of the hull). Fortunately, we’ve made cleaning boats easy.
Let’s take a look at twelve boat cleaning tips and tricks that keep your boat looking ship shape and performing its best for years to come.
#1 – Thorough Boat Cleaning
As a checklist for a thorough boat cleaning, the following are the parts of your craft that you’ll need to clean and detail:
- Hull
- Decks
- Superstructure
- Flybridge
- Swim platform
- Interior (ie. cabin, engine room, bathroom)
- Stainless steel/chrome elements
- Seating/upholstery
- Windows
- Fenders
- Carpeting
- Outboard motor(s)
It’s often easier to tackle a DIY job in one block of time. Some products, as a wax and color restorers, take time to set, but you can busy yourself with other tasks in the meantime.
#2 – Frequent Boat Cleaning
You should clean your boat every 4 – 12 weeks to protect your boat’s surfaces. Buildup of salt and dirt interferes with a metal’s ability to resist corrosion. Additionally, Gelcoat and marine vinyl are porous surfaces, thus have characteristics that allow them to absorb water, dirt, and grime from their surroundings. Unprotected vinyl seats are more likely to develop mold and more likely to fade and crack with frequent sun exposure. Lastly, fiberglass that is uncared for will stain and discolor more easily over time, notwithstanding simply degrade through oxidation and literally chalk away.
However, you may need to clean more often due to a number of factors:
- Geographical location
- Water temperature
- Water salinity
- Usage (frequency and duration)
- Boat speed
Boats that are used heavily at high speeds will experience less fouling of the hull, whereas boats that sit in the dock will accumulate more than a boat that is used frequently.
#3 – Regular Hull Cleaning
The hull of your boat is under constant exposure to the elements. Given enough time, water and sunlight can degrade the gel coat of your hull and other exposed material, leading to corrosion and browning.
Luckily, regular cleaning can protect and restore your hull. While many boating enthusiasts recommend a mixture of dish soap with warm water for regular boat cleaning, there are a number of drawbacks to this method (see tip #9 below). Also, avoid using any abrasive cleaners, such as bleach or ammonia, which can weaken the hull or cause dangerous chemical reactions.
For the best results, use boat products specific to your hull material and coat – including cleaners, protectants, and degreasers. By following the directions of each product to clean according to mixture recommendations, you can make sure your hull gleams out on the water.
#4 – Clean Your Chrome with Apple Cider Vinegar & Baby Oil
Apple cider vinegar isn’t just good for your health – it can also restore the chrome elements of your boat, making them shiny and like-new!
Simply use a healthy amount of apple cider vinegar on a microfiber cloth to polish any smudges or debris on the chrome. Once fully evaporated, use baby oil to further polish it for a high shine and protection against corrosion.
#5 – Avoid Scratches by Using Microfiber Towels
When it comes to preserving the value of your boat, any scratches or excessive dulling of the exterior can dramatically drop its resale value. And if you’re regularly cleaning your boat after each use, tiny scratches can accumulate into deep gouges. Avoid using any abrasive cloths (such as fishing rags, torn shirts, or dish sponges) and use microfiber cloths instead.
Microfiber towels are a gentle and effective way to clean your boat, enabling you to clean surfaces over and over without degrading the surfaces. Microfiber towels can be used in a variety of ways:
- Buff surfaces to a uniform appearance without scratches
- Remove excess cleaner and wax
- Taking off accumulated grime of your boat
- Getting rid of spills and stains
- Wipes windows streak-free
- And many other uses
#6 – Use a Magic Eraser to Clean Your Vinyl Seats and Upholstery
When you think about it, it’s amazing how much the seats in your boats can withstand. Because most boat seats are made of marine-grade vinyl, which is designed to withstand damp and grimy environments (such as out on the water or when in storage). Nevertheless, through usage and continual exposure to moisture, keeping your seats and upholstery like new can be a challenge.
One of the best-kept boat detailing secrets is to use a Magic Eraser (or equivalent brands) for regular care of your boat seats/upholstery. Simply wet the magic eraser and gently scrub the surface of your seats to watch stains disappear. Follow up by wiping the areas with a damp microfiber cloth to pick up any loosened debris.
#7 – Keep Mold Away from Your Fabrics with Vinegar
While the magic eraser trick is great for removing stains in boat seats, sometimes mold and mildew can be absorbed deep in the surfaces of the fabric. Luckily, there’s an easy fix: white vinegar.
Simply spritz areas with a spray bottle when you detect any odors, see dark blotches, or when you choose to put your boat in storage. Spritzing with white vinegar is especially important for winterization, where mold and mildew can grow and spread throughout your boat while it’s tucked away in storage.
#8 – Should You Hire a Professional?
Besides doing it yourself with a complete boat cleaning kit from PartsVu, the fastest way to clean your boat to a shipshape and seaworthy condition is by using professional services. However, this can be expensive, as professional boat detailing services tend to charge by the foot (expect $8 – 40+ per foot) – meaning that a 20-ft boat can cost up to $800 or more.
Unless the service is specifically included in the winterization of your boat, cleaning your boat prior to storage is a good idea – but many boat cleaners may be overbooked during their busy season. While it may be a labor- and time-intensive job, cleaning your boat yourself is significantly cheaper than professional services and can help you observe any developing issues before storing it.
#9 – Yes, You Can Use Dawn to Wash Your Boat (But Be Careful)
One of the most common boat cleaning tips you may have heard is using Dawn and other dishwashing liquids to clean your boat. Is it a good idea?
The answer is yes and no. Yes, if you’re planning on stripping the old wax from your boat, then Dawn and other dish soaps are an acceptable choice to clean your boat. However, Dawn shouldn’t be your go-to soap unless you plan to regularly wax your boat each time you clean (which should occur twice a year).
Part of this emphasis on Dawn comes from the fact that during the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, wildlife was able to be cleaned of oil and other contaminants using dish soap. Good enough for birds, but not entirely good for your boat.
Dishwashing liquids are best used to clean dishes and get oil out of duck feathers, but using specifically-designed boat soaps and degreaser takes out the guesswork of disturbing the wax.
#10 – Use a Boat Cleaning Kit for the Best Results
One of the most common questions boaters ask is: What is the best thing to clean a boat with?
The truth is that there are a number of surfaces and materials on your boat that all require their own cleaning products and tools. Regular washing with freshwater is always advised after you take it on the water, before and after winterization, and when it has been sitting for a while (especially if it’s been sitting under foliage).
To ensure that you have every cleaning product and tool on hand before cleaning your boat, purchase PartsVu’s Deluxe Boat Cleaning Supplies Kit. Designed for all of your deep boat cleaning needs, the kit includes items from top brands, such as Star-Brite, 3M, Buffalo Industries, Meguiar’s, and The Absorber Mini. Here’s what’s included:
- Star-Brite Boat Wash – 16oz
- Star-Brite Reggae Sponge
- Buffalo Microfiber Detail Towel – 20″x20″
- 3M – Perfect-It – Boat Wax – 16oz
- Buffalo Microfiber Wax Applicator Pads – 4 Pack
- Star-Brite – 2-Piece Wooden Handle Hnadle With 8″ Standard Brush
- The Absorber Mini – 13″x17″
- 3M Marine Finesse-it™ II Glaze – 16oz
- Star-Brite Vinyl Cleaner & Polish – 16oz
- Meguiar’s #59 Quik Wax – 16oz
- Star-Brite Mildew Stain Remover – 22oz
- Star-Brite Heavy Duty Bilge Cleaner – 32oz
#11 – Stay Safe When Cleaning Your Boat
Take the proper safety precautions while cleaning your boat. While many boat cleaning products are mild detergents, it’s a good idea to use rubber or vinyl gloves to protect your hands. Safety goggles are a smart decision to protect your eyes, and kneepads will help reduce fatigue.
As for the cleaning products, always read the labels to find out what it’s made of, which stains it’s designed to remove, and how to use it (ie. dilute with water).
Last, because there may be some breathing hazards, make sure to clean your boat in a well-ventilated area. Some polishes and rubbing compounds can be extremely harsh on the lungs, so use breathing protection if you’re working in a semi-enclosed space.
#12 – Carry a Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Onboard
Dirt and debris will invariably get on your boat from the wind, passengers, and other sources. Therefore, it’s a smart idea to carry a battery-operated cordless vacuum cleaner to pick up dirt and debris. By having this on hand, you can reduce damage to surfaces, prevent slips and falls, and drastically cut down on cleaning in the future.
By following the boat cleaning tips in this article, you will maintain the value of your boat, save some cash, and enjoy your time in the water for years to come.
If you’re ready to make your boat shipshape and shiny, regular boat cleaning is a cinch with PartsVu’s all-in-one boat cleaning kits and extensive line cleaning products.
4 comments
I appreciated the part about spritzing white vinegar over the fabrics before storing them for winter to avoid mildew and mold growth. My granddad used to have a boat too, and I remember him doing this before winter. Now I know what it was for. I’ll make sure to do this once my husband gets a boat for our family.
You will have to dispose of your boat and destroy it if it cannot be donated, sold, or reused. This often happens with ships that have been left to degrade for a long time. Or it is also possible to reach an agreement with boatmen, who can make use of outdated boat components. They can use them themselves or sell the parts to other yacht owners. Many of them will even buy non-functional products at a lower cost.
Great tips you have here. As a professional mobile boat detailer myself, the one I agree on strongly is tip #2 – wash often. This tip goes a long way. Sometimes, boat owners don’t realize that a clean/maintenance is already necessary just because the boat still looks clean from the outside. This for me, is more of a prevention rather than having to require repairs. Saves a lot of time and money in the long run.
Cleaning with water and detergent, sanding if necessary, polishing, and waxing are the steps I need to take. It simply shows that the procedure of how to polish a boat is easy. Thank you for your writing page. It helped me a lot