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How to Remove Stains from a Boat Deck

Boat on the water

The deck of your boat isn’t just an important thing to keep clean for maintenance purposes. It’s a mark of how well you take care of your boat. Guests will see it, you’ll have to use it, and it’s always going to be noticeable when you have staining. The problem is, stains can be stubborn. And in many cases, rubbing on some soap and water just isn’t going to be enough. So, if you’re looking for a better strategy than just using plain old elbow grease, here’s how to remove stains from a boat deck the right way.

Removing the Dirt and Debris First

With boats, one of the most important first steps in cleaning is to get rid of dirt and debris. This will help ensure that you’re not simply washing this dirt into the boat deck. You can use what’s known as a “deck brush” to help with this step. But the key here is understanding that you don’t necessarily need to work the stains out of the deck at this point. You just want to be sure that you’re working with a cleaned deck when you tackle the tougher stains. In addition, make sure to rinse thoroughly, as rinsing will carry away the dirt and grime you just worked so hard to loosen.

Use a Dedicated Boat Cleaner

Soap and water can do a lot to remove dirt and grime. But what about those hard-set stains? Your best bet is to purchase a dedicated boat cleaner that can directly address the underlying material. For example, if you notice stains on the fiberglass, Fiberglass Powder Cleaner and Stain Remover is exactly what you need. Cleaning aluminum? Don’t get just any soap—head over to the Aluminum Cleaner.

However, if you’re not sure what you have to deal with on your deck, you can use a general Boat Cleaner that’s safe for use anywhere on your boat. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to make sure that you’re cleaning effectively.

Making the Cleaning Experience Easier

Let’s face it—when you’re dealing with hard-set stains, cleaning a boat deck isn’t always easy. You feel like you can scrub and scrub and it won’t make much of a difference. That’s why it’s important to invest in the tools that can cut down your work.

The first step is to buy the appropriate boat cleaner, as mentioned above. But the next step is buying items like a deck brush. This type of brush is usually designed for the medium toughness most decks need to get clean. Make sure that you also invest in a good pair of cleaning gloves to keep the products off of your skin. Another great product to invest in is an extending boat scrubber with a long handle. The long handle lets you get plenty of leverage while the scrubber itself covers a wider range of your boat deck.

Keep Your Craft Clean with BoatLIFE Products

Now that you know how to remove stains from a boat deck, are you ready to make your craft look spotless? BoatLIFE has all the materials you need to keep your deck in top condition. Browse our cleaning and sealing products now!

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