There’s an old saying when it comes to maintenance: an ounce
of prevention is as good as a pound of cure. It’s the same for cleaning. This
is especially true for boats, since boat owners have to deal with the dynamic
environment of bilges, engines, and interior pieces made from carpets and
vinyl.
How can you clean it all without making it seem like a major
chore? Don’t let problems grow. Stick to a short, regular boat cleaning routine
that prevents any trouble areas from growing out of control.
How to Shorten Your Boat
Cleaning Routine
Before we talk about specific products, let’s get the basics
handled first. There are a few ways to shorten your cleaning routine:
- Start
with the slowest-acting products. If you have a de-greaser or a bilge
cleaner that needs some time to emulsify and remove grease, then get those
started while you work on something else. This will shorten the overall routine
while making each other step a little bit easier. - Keep all
of your equipment handy. Trips to and from the car or the marina add more
time to your routine than you might think. It’s faster to have all of the
equipment handy from the get-go. - Use
multi-purpose tools when possible. A polish that cleans at the same time as
it protects will drastically cut down on the amount of time you spend to
maintain your boat.
Maintain a Fresh Boat
Interior
Inside your boat, you’ll have a wide range of different
areas to clean, so it’s better to invest in them all:
- VinyLIFE.
Because this is a dual-purpose spray that cleans and protects, you won’t have to add any additional layers to keep
your vinyl healthy. Simply spray on, wipe off, and move on to the next step. - Bilge Cleaner. Emulsifying
oil and scum with a proven bilge cleaner will make the bilge much looser and
easier to handle. This will shorten your cleaning routine significantly.
Keep up with Exterior
Maintenance
The outside of a boat can be even trickier than the inside,
especially when it comes to cleaning. Here are a few tips that can help you stay
sane:
- Use Release when dealing with adhesives and sealants. When it comes to
adhesives, willpower alone costs a lot of time and energy. Release is
specifically designed to, well, release
anything from the hold of adhesives or sealants on your boat with ease. - Buy in
spray form when you can. Products like Stainless Steel
Cleaner are easy to apply and remove in just a few quick motions. Spray
bottles can help to make your cleaning routine easy and efficient. - Invest in
wax that provides UV protection. Look for UV filters on items like Life Wax to ensure that you’re
also protecting your boat when you take the time to wax it—otherwise, you’re
simply treading water.
One final tip: repeat this routine regularly, every other
week until you find out the parts of your routine you absolutely need. The more
you clean, the easier this routine will get, ensuring that you get to spend
most of your boat time actually enjoying the boat instead of caring for it.
