Business

5 Common Mistakes with Cleaning Boats and How to Avoid Them

Nearly 14.5 million households (or 12.5% of total households) own 24.5 million recreational boats in the United States. Are you looking to become part of that statistic? Or maybe you are already part of it?

Either way, you are likely making at least one of these mistakes with cleaning boats in your boating life. Cleaning a boat isn’t as easy as or as simple as washing your car or cleaning your home. Let’s read on to see what these mistakes in the boat cleaning process are and how to avoid them.

  • Not Using the Right Cleaning Products

You will need to forget about everything you learned from cleaning your car when doing a regular boat cleaning. You need a special kind of boat soap and hull polish (boat cleaning products) to take care of your boat’s finish and to remove all that marine buildup. 

Also, get some metal polish for your stainless steel and chrome components. All this will ensure that the metal doesn’t rust from the saltwater and the salt in the air. 

  • Ignoring Your Propeller

Out of sight, out of mind? Don’t neglect your boat’s propeller – cleaning boat parts is important. Even though it’s essentially low maintenance and durable, it still needs to be checked up occasionally to see there are any chips or signs of corrosion on the fins.  

Also, make sure there’s no algae, debris, plastic bags, fishing lines, or rope attached to your propeller that could affect its efficiency. 

  • Forgetting About the Upholstery

Just like you could forget to clean your propeller, you might forget about cleaning your boat’s interior as well. But that’s a big no-no. Your boat’s cushions might be covered with marine-grade vinyl, but they are also the most used part of your boat and will need to be cleaned up regularly. 

Wipe up any spills right away and if you notice mildew, then use a marine-grade vinyl cleaner to lift the stains without damaging the cushions. 

  • Letting the Boat Air-Dry

Your boat has a gel coat on its fiberglass, and it can start developing white specks due to the minerals left behind when water is allowed to air dry on your boat. Always wipe down your boat with a soft microfiber cloth or shammy, so your boat always looks polished and you avoid any moisture buildup. 

  • Not Rinsing the Boat before Scrubbing

Always rinse your boat before you start scrubbing away. There’s always dirt, debris, dust, or other residues on your boat that accumulates through your travels. This can pose a huge threat to your hull and scratch the clear coat, if not rinsed off first before scrubbing. 

Looking for more? Read seven helpful boat maintenance tips here.

Mistakes with Cleaning Boats Are Easily Avoidable

If you are a newbie boat owner, then you need to be even more careful to avoid these mistakes with cleaning boats. You don’t want to ruin your first experience of owning a boat. 

Enjoyed the article? Keep browsing our website for more delightful and interesting articles like this one.