Since your boat hangs out in the water, it’s no surprise
that you’ll have to work extra hard to avoid moisture-friendly problems like
mildew. Mildew can be stinky, gross, and lead to a boat that smells musty.
That’s hardly what you want out of your boating experience, so if you want to
keep your boat as fresh as possible, you’re going to have to study this enemy
that goes by the name of mildew.
There are two approaches you can take: one is the preventative approach where you stop
mildew before it starts to grow. The other approach is to destroy mildew once
it develops. Here, we’ll tell you how to handle both.
Preventing Mildew
Before it Starts
You might think that preventing mildew on a boat is just
about impossible. After all, you prevent mildew around your home by keeping a
clean and dry environment—how are you supposed to maintain a dry environment when your boat literally
lives in the water?
Think about your boat as a self-contained system, most of
which is not exposed to water. Your
boat, for many intents and purposes, is like a car that happens to work on
water. Once you realize this, you’ll realize there are plenty of opportunities
for preventing mildew and keeping (most of) your boat dry:
- Keep your
drainage clear. A clean bilge is a good place to start. Sure, your boat is exposed to water, but
you have some degree of control about the quality and quantity of that water.
By keeping your drainage systems clear, you’ll stand a much better chance at
preventing long-term mildew buildup.
Eliminating Mildew
and Keeping a Clean Boat
No matter how staunchly you fight off mildew, some of it
will inevitably appear. That’s when it’s time to clean the mildew off directly
with an effective Mildew Remover. Look for a chlorine-free, acid-free formula like this one and make
sure it’s safe for fabrics as well, as many people ignore the fabrics in their
boat as if they still don’t need the kind of mildew repair and prevention that
any fabric around the home might.
After cleaning, make sure to keep your boat thoroughly dry,
no matter how vain it seems. You’d be surprised at what a difference it can
make simply to dry out fabrics and carpeting in your boat. Remember: your boat
might be in contact with a lot of water, but that doesn’t mean that the
interior of the boat needs any less care when it comes to mildew. In fact, it
will likely need more. Keep some Mildew Remover and the appropriate cleaners on
hand and you’ll have no problem keeping your boat fresh.
