Spring Cleaning 101 for the Boat!

By MSW -
The weather is getting warmer, plants are waking up, and boating season is right around the corner! Firstmate Controls is passionate about making boating safe, fun, and convenient. After all, we are boaters ourselves! Get ready for a great season with these spring cleaning tips for your boat...


Equipment & Cleaning Agents


When you're working on cleaning your boat, you need to make sure you have the proper equipment and cleaning supplies. If you use the wrong thing, you could do more harm than good to your boat. Here is a list of things you will need before getting started... 
  • Hose
  • Bucket
  • Boat-safe and environment-friendly soap
  • Wash mitt, soft scrub brush, or sponge
  • Chamois or other highly-absorbent towel
  • Stiff brush for deck
  • Vacuum & steam cleaner
  • Teak oil (if there's teak on the boat)
  • Vinyl cleaner & protectant 
  • Ammonia (if mildew present)
  • Glass cleaner or vinegar
  • Chrome polish

Priority Number One: Rinse


The first cleaning step should always be to thoroughly rinse your boat. If you try scrubbing your boat when it's dry, then you could risk causing a lot of damage to the sealant and/or the paint. Rinsing also gets rid of loose dirt, bugs, spider webs, and any other larger pieces of junk. Start from the top/front of the boat and rinse to the back/bottom. This will help you avoid washing debris back over areas you've already sprayed.


Scrub, Rinse, Dry


When you start washing, be sure to tackle small sections at a time. If you try to do it all at once, then several areas can dry before you're able to get to them. If you scrub over dry soap, you could inadvertently scratch the finish. Fill a bucket with water and your safe soap of choice. (Standard soap you use in the house will damage your boat's surfaces.) Use your wash mitt to scrub, and then immediately rinse, one section at a time. Rinsing the soap off right away is important to prevent residue and spotting from the soap. Scrub the floors with the same solution, using the stiff deck brush. If you have specialized decking or carpet on the floor of your boat, you'll need to follow different instructions (see tips for teak and carpet later in the blog). Drying is another key step to making your boat look as clean and beautiful as possible. Drying with a chamois cloth (or other highly-absorbent towel) helps prevents streaks and spotting. 


Carpet Flooring


If you have carpet flooring on your boat, then scrubbing with a stiff brush, soap, and water is not going to be the right solution. Instead, you'll want to regularly vacuum and steam clean your carpeting to keep it fresh and prevent mold or mildew buildup.


Teak Finishing


Teak is beautiful and adds a richness to the look of your boat. However, it needs to be properly maintained to keep that characteristic beauty. To wash your teak, use a very mild soap, rinse it away, dry thoroughly, and then apply a quality teak oil to keep it looking great long-term.



Cleaning Vinyl Upholstery


Vinyl upholstery is probably one of the more difficult areas on the boat to keep looking fresh and clean. As you and your friends spend time sitting, lying, tanning, and maybe even standing on the upholstery, it can quickly get dirty and lose it's protective layer. You can also lose the protective seal on your upholstery by using cleaning chemicals that are too harsh. To properly clean your vinyl upholstery, use a damp cloth first to remove grime, dirt, dead bugs, and any other larger particles. Choose a great cleaner that is approved for use on vinyl and that includes a protectant and UV blocker. 

If there's mildew on your vinyl upholstery, then you'll want to use a medium-soft brush to scrub it away with a solution of one part ammonia and four parts water. As always, rinse and dry afterwards. 


Get a Great Shine


To really make your boat sparkle, make sure to pay attention to your chrome accents and windows. Use a polish on your chrome cleats, ladders, railing, etc. to make the metal shine. Your windows can also make a big difference in whether or not your boat looks clean. Be sure to wash your windows with a good glass cleaner or a mixture of water and vinegar (more environmentally friendly!) to make the glass on your boat really shine. 


Get Ready for Boating Season


As you're cleaning, be careful getting on and off the boat. The owners of Firstmate Controls knows all too well that it's easy to get injured when you try to make a quick jump from the boat to the dock. In fact, that's exactly what happened to John and Julie Figura. Check out their story and how Firstmate Controls got started on our website. And, get your own boat lift remote control system to make your boating experience safer and easier this year! 


Boat Lift Controls You Can Count On!

Firstmate Controls 
410 Century Business Drive
Labadie, MO 63055

Phone: (866) 570-9707



Follow us on:   Facebook    LinkedIn
Location: VLG OF 4 SSNS, MO 65049, USA

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