A Serious Clean Starts with a Powerful Soap

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Regular maintenance saves time in the long run, but sometimes it’s just easier to put off cleaning for another day.  When it’s been delayed for too long, boat owners have to put in extra effort, giving their craft a serious clean.  The following tips offer a good outline of how to tackle the job.

First, boats should have a serious cleaning once a month.  Owners should always begin with the exterior of the craft by rinsing away all loose dirt with a hose.

Then, a gentle boat soap should be used to wash the boat.  A quality soap like Shurhold’s Brite Wash is sea-safe and won’t strip the wax.  Brite Wash is scientifically formulated to clean fiberglass, clear coat, metal, rubber and painted surfaces.  It cleans dirt, grease, salt and more without dulling a finish.

When washing, bristles that are fine enough to be gentle, but strong enough to remove tough dirt should be used.  Users should start at the top and work their way down, bow to stern.

After thoroughly washing the boat’s canvas, hardtop or fly-bridge, the windshield, deck rails and bow walkways are next, followed by rinsing everything again.  Then, the windows should be chamoised.  These steps then must be repeated heading aft, by cleaning the cockpit walkways, transom and swim platform.

There are two ways to clean the cockpit.  If hosing, users must prepare by removing the carpet and covering all electronics with plastic or a towel.  If spraying, then owners must use a multi-surface solution for vinyl areas, while electronics should be wiped with a damp cloth and dried.

Finally, if the boat is used in saltwater, it should be polished at least four times a year.  If it’s used in freshwater, then it needs to be polished twice a year.

Owners should also remember to keep a bucket of cleaning supplies handy for fast fixes to remedy spills or spots from a sudden rain shower.  Keeping up a good maintenance schedule makes cleaning easier and adds value to a vessel.

A 32 oz. bottle of Shurhold’s Brite Wash retails for $11.98.

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