Scrub-A-Dub: Your Ultimate Guide To Deep Cleaning A Boat

Owning a boat gives you the opportunity to enjoy many wonderful experiences out on the water. It comes with adventures, family gatherings, and many other great things to enjoy, but it also involves routine maintenance. Without proper care, your boat could begin to have issues that affect its performance and appearance.

One easy way to keep your boat in great shape is to clean it on a regular basis. Cleaning a boat entails more work than you might expect. You'll need to focus on cleaning both the exterior and interior and other aspects of the boat as well.

Although a quick clean is needed after each use, a deep cleaning is needed frequently also. Below is our guide on everything you need to know about deep cleaning a boat. 

Continue reading below to learn more!

The Exterior

There are several parts of a boat that make up its exterior. It's important that you tackle each section to ensure a flawless boat exterior. The canvas and clear canvas, the hull and hull bottom should all be addressed.

Rinse

You'll want to begin by rinsing off your boat from top to bottom. A good rinse will help break free any loose dirt or debris that may be stuck on your boat's exterior. A regular hose will get the job done, but if you have access to a pressure washer, then this will help even more.

Keep in mind that using a pressure washer is a skill and must be done with care and safety in mind.

Soap

Your next step is to apply soap to remove all of the leftover debris that didn't come loose with the rinse. Be sure to use special soap made specifically to clean your boat with. A good quality boat soap can make all the difference. 

When cleaning, you should clean one section at a time. Rinse when you're done, and move on to the next step. If you try to clean the entire boat at once, you might not be able to wash the soap off in time before it dries. 

If you allow the soap to dry, then it could cause damage to the exterior of your boat.

Buff

The more you wash your boat, the less new and shiny it'll appear. Unfortunately, you'll need to wash your boat on a consistent basis. To avoid a dull-looking exterior, you should buff your boat after washing. 

You can buff the exterior by hand or you can buff it with the use of a rotary buffer. This step is how you'll prepare your boat for a good wax.

Wax

Now it's time to give your boat's exterior a good wax. Waxing the exterior will help with your boat's appearance, but it'll also help protect it from dirt and debris build-up. Do be sure to use a wax made specifically for boats. 

The wax you use on your car isn't made to withstand an extended amount of time in the water. Boat wax is made for this. You should wax section by section as well, just like when using the soap. 

The Interior

The interior of your boat will need a good cleaning as well. In some cases, it might even need a better cleaning than the exterior. Some important sections of the interior of your boat include fiberglass, carpet, cushions, and more. 

Fiberglass

If your boat has fiberglass on its interior, then you'll need a tough scrub brush and some soap and warm water. Give it a good scrub with your brush and soap solution, and rinse it off. If there are stains, you can use a cleaning product with bleach in it, but something without a high amount of bleach.

You won't want to use a wax on your fiberglass. You do want to make sure you rinse it off thoroughly, though. 

Marine Carpet

Many boats have sections on the interior with marine carpet. To clean the carpet, you should first vacuum it. If the carpet is damp, be sure to use a wet/dry vacuum to not damage your house vacuum. 

You can then use the same brush and soap and water solution you used on your fiberglass to clean the carpet, just be sure it's a fresh batch. 

Vinyl

Vinyl sections on your boat should be treated with care. Wipe them down each time after use with a soft cloth, soap, and warm water. If there are stubborn stains, then you can use a cleaning product made specifically for vinyl. 

The Engine

Your outboard engine should be washed down using soap and water after each use. Use a gentle cloth on it and avoid using a brush. For inboard engines, you can wipe it down with a soft cloth to help prevent dirt and debris from accumulating.

You don't, however, want to use certain cleaning products or chemicals on it. When in doubt, you should bring your boat to have the engine cleaned professionally.

When Cleaning a Boat, Follow This Guide!

Owning a boat is a great investment. Not many people get to say that they can pack up and head out for a day on the water as they please. This doesn't come easy, however. 

It takes a lot of hard work to maintain a boat. Cleaning a boat can become second-hand nature once you get into a regular routine, though. Use this guide to help you create your own boat cleaning checklist. 

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