6 Boat Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Vessel in Top Condition
Your boat loves a lovely shower too, you know! So, the next time you’re out on the lake, don’t neglect your vessel when you get home. We’re sure that your boat is your pride and joy, but failing to give it a good clean frequently is a recipe for deterioration. But, there’s a lot of people out there that simply don’t know how to clean their vessel.
Here are some tips to help you out:
1. Start by wetting the boat
Before you even get into the cleaning part of the process, you need to get the hose out and make sure it’s completely drenched. That’s because if you get your sponge out and start scrubbing away while the boat is dry, you can seriously damage the paintwork. The whole point of cleaning your boat is to enhance the appearance, not make it worse!
2. Think twice about what cleaning agent you use
A huge decision that you need to make – and one that should be taken carefully – is what cleaning agent to use. Experts in the industry, such as the likes of the American Boating Association suggests steering clear of those cheap, concentrated detergents as they’ll do more harm than good to the finish. So, your best bet is environmentally-friendly cleaning products.
3. Don’t miss anywhere
It may sound very obvious, but when you’re cleaning your boat, try not to cut any corners. Yes, it can be an extremely tedious and tiring task, but you’ll notice the difference if you’re diligent and don’t miss any spots. That involves getting underneath the boat, washing the whole exterior, and then finishing with the interior. Oh, and keep a wipe with you if your boat is aluminium, because as soon it’s extracted you’ll want to clean the lake/ocean water off.
4. Rinse thoroughly
Once you’re happy that you’ve covered every nook and cranny of your vessel, you’ll then want to begin taking all that dirty soap off it. The simplest way to do that is to grab your hose again, and start rinsing down the boat from top to bottom. It’s important not to leave any smudges or dirty soap on the boat, because that will ruin the finish you’re after.
5. Dry thoroughly
Next, it’s crucial that you dry your boat thoroughly, for two reasons. The first being you don’t want any streaks from the water you used to rinse the boat with, as it may still appear dirty. The second is that you want to set it up for the next stage, which is waxing. Tip – use a soft cloth!
6. Use wax to give it a wonderful finish
The finishing touch on the cleaning procedure is to give it a fantastic wax. As you’ve probably heard a million of times before, the best technique is, ‘wax on, wax off’, as that ensures you’re waxing in a circular motion. Waxing your vessel will guarantee a stunning shine and will make your boat look brand-new.
