When cleaning a boat, there are a lot of marine-specific issues that you’ll have to deal with—hard water spots, the aftermath of fishing, and other elements common to lakes, streams, and saltwater. It can be a lot to keep up with for a first-time boater! But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Explore these essential boat cleaning hacks that will help you keep your boat in great condition without excessive work.
In order to clean your boat, you’re first going to need to gather some supplies! Browse our selection of top-quality boat cleaning products to ensure every inch of your craft is spotless.
Tackling Hard Water Spots on the Windshield
One of the most frustrating things for a boat owner who puts in a lot of work to ensure their boat always looks good is dealing with hard water spots. After all, you clean, you scrub, you wipe, and as soon as you hit the water, it seems like these spots instantly develop.
Since hard water spots can also make the windshield less transparent, you’ll want to keep a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar in a spray bottle on hand. The combination provides an easy wipe-on / wipe-off process that should eliminate the hard water spots as soon as they appear.
Although we typically recommend using boat-specific cleaning products on your boat, it never hurts to keep an extra bottle like this laying around. It only costs a few dollars and you can keep it with all of your other boat cleaning products.
Dealing with a Dirty Bilge
Not only is a dirty bilge unsightly, but it can cause strong odors if left unattended. Unfortunately, your bilge usually gets pushed to the bottom of your to-do list because it can feel like a hassle to deal with. However, we have a hack for making sure your bilge is as clean as possible, as painlessly as possible. Consider taking the following steps:
- Deactivate your bilge pump
- Use a wet/dry vac to get rid of lingering water
- Pour in a Bilge Cleaner
- Add hot water (a couple of buckets will do), making sure not to go overboard depending on the size of your specific boat bilge
- Use a brush to clean off the various surfaces of your bilge with the cleaner / water
- Suck away the remaining dirty water with the wet/dry vac
- Dump out the water.
Hard-to-Remove Stains
The best way to tackle even the toughest of stains on your boat is to keep our fast-acting, environmentally friendly Boat Cleaner on hand. However, there’s still a particular technique you should keep in mind. Rather than applying then immediately wiping, give your boat cleaning product time to soak in. You may even consider a pre-soak with fresh water to help remove debris and lubricate the boat surfaces for deeper scrubbing.
Clean with BoatLIFE Products
Want even more essential boat cleaning hacks? The best way to maintain your boat is to keep a variety of our boat cleaners on hand. They’re specifically designed to deal with issues like aluminum stains, dirty bilges, and more. Shop now!
