When you’re a new boat owner, it’s tough to admit just how
confusing things are. And why not? You want to head out on the water; you don’t
want to spend your time reading manuals, labels, and instructions.
But there’s more to owning a boat than simply heading out on
the water and enjoying a peaceful day—you’ve also got to clean, maintain, and
take care of your boat. And yes, sometimes that does mean reading manuals,
labels, and instructions. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you follow
these tips, you’ll learn what you need to know when reading boat cleaner and
boating supply labels so you never have to make any mistakes when you buy your
first boat supplies:
Know Your Basic
Boating Products
First, you have to know what exactly it is you’re reading.
Boat supplies generally fall into the following categories:
- Caulks and Sealants
- Solvents and Removers
- Cleaning
Supplies - Wax, Polish, and
Compounds - Wood and Metal Restorers
- Basic
Boating Accessories
When you know for sure that you’re reading a cleaner, then
you’re going to be able to narrow down exactly what it is on the label you
should be looking for.
Categories of
Cleaners
A “boat” may just be one object, but it’s comprised of lots
of little systems and materials—each of which have their own cleaning needs.
You’ll need:
- Aluminum Cleaner
- Bilge Cleaner
- General Boat Cleaner
- Fiberglass
Cleaner - Test Tank Cleaner
- Mildew Remover
- Live/Bait
Well Cleaner - Vinyl
Cleaner
Stock yourself with these cleaners and you should be ready
to handle just about anything that might pop up on your boat. But what about
the individual cleaners themselves? What kind of features should you look
for—or should you simply pop over to the hardware store and pick up the first
thing you see? Let’s zoom in.
Reading the Boat
Cleaner Labels
Labels for cleaning products aren’t quite like the nutrition
information you see on the side of a cereal box; they’re a little bit more
unpredictable. But you should seek
out the following:
- Biodegradability
when applicable. You don’t just want your boat cleaner to be effective, but you
want it to be safe to use and easy on the environment. - Multi-purpose
use isn’t a requirement for some dedicated cleaners, but it will help you stretch out your boating
budget a little bit. - Deodorizing
effects, if mentioned, are another way to ensure that you won’t have to buy
more products just to get rid of a smell—at the very least, you should wait to
see how well the deodorizer performs. - Cleaning
performance, such as “cleans without removing wax from fiberglass,” is
important to keep in mind—you don’t want to spend an afternoon waxing your boat
only for all of your efforts to be in vain.
Cleaning your boat won’t be very difficult—not if you’ve
read this guide. And if it sounds
complicated, remember that you can read up on our boat cleaning
products from the comfort of your own home to make life much simpler.
