Boat Cleaning

[jp]

Just bought a 2008 Malibu LXI. Very good condition, but the interior needs a little clean up. Any recommendations on what to use for a first-time, thourough cleaning? Also, what do most people use on the boat when wiping the exterior down? I have seen vinegar/water in a spray bottle, but any other tips?

 

Thanks

[Chuck_Dickey]

Use "Babe's" products inside and out, works great. These are the best I've found.

 

"Spot Solver" for keeping hard water spots in check, "Boat Brite" for daily wipe down, Seat Soap to deep clean the vinyl and Seat Saver to treat against UV.

 

http://www.babesboats.com/

[boarditup]

Wipe down: 2 parts Zip Wax, 1 part dishwasher rinse agent, 14 parts vinegar.

Interior: Awsome (dollar store), windex, 303, 3M scotch guard on carpet

Motor: PB Blaster coat 3-4 times a season

Bilge: Dawn and pressure washer

Carpet: Spray with Tide, pressure wash to rinse, 3m scotchguard

Windshield: RainX

[bdougherty]

Make sure you do not clean the seats or any vinyl with any product that includes bleach as it can weaken the seems and cause them to split. Also, once clean 303 is the best for protecting

[Wish]

For wipe down I use Turtle Wax...Wax and Dry... It comes out as a fine mist. When the boat is wet with water on it you spray the hull and the water emidiatly beads up and starts running off. I use a micro fiber soft and fluffy cloth (findm in auto parts shops by cleaning supplies) and wipe down the boat. It doesnt really dry the boat but as it air dries it is spot free and mirror like. Been doing this for over 6 months after the boat was professionally buffed and waxed. It looks tha same as the day he buffed it.

[eleeski]

Muriatic acid straight takes off the horrible algae and stain from the fiberglass hull. It's downright dangerous for the skin and lungs so be very careful.

 

Vinegar is good for making the boat smell like a salad. It also seems to attract cats who like to pee in a vinegared boat.

 

Lay a clean towel on the upholstery. Wash the towel in the laundry.

 

One of my new boats came with some fancy cleaning products in a plastic bottle. The sun cracked the bottle and it spilled all over the boat making a big mess. Be careful of cleaning products.

 

When the floor gets too sticky, I have to hose out the soap that Luddites who use rubber bindings drool into my boat. The binding soap is nice for hosing out the cat pee when somebody has "done me a favor" and squirted vinegar on my boat.

 

Fortunately my new boat lives in a boathouse on a lift so I never have to clean it.

 

Eric

[Than_Bogan]

I had some really nasty mildew spots all over my upholstery. Sprayed it with Tilex (yes, with bleach) and BAM! -- looked brand new. Pretty amazing. Felt like I was in an infomercial.

 

Hopefully I didn't weaken the seams too much (first I've heard of that), but I'd be surprised if anything else could have worked nearly that well.

 

[Wish]

I've heard if you have to go the rout of a bleach product, saturate the seams with water before spraying or wiping down with a harsh pruduct and do it again after.

[kona]

2nd on the Babes products.

[DW]

Bleach does a great job, but is very hard on the stitching. I have heard of some stitching coming apart due to cleaning with harsh chemicals, so treat with caution.

[ForrestGump]

Babes is awesome. There is a company that sells bulk liquid wax by the gallon to boat dealerships that I swear is the babes formula, only 1/3 the price. I can get the name off of our bottles this afternoon. We've been using a spot remover called Hot Sauce lately, made by Boat Bling. The Babe's spot remover is awesome. But it strips the wax. The Hot Sauce doesn't strip the wax off. Also, Boat Bling makes Vinyl Sauce, which works really well on the interior.

[swc5150]

Totally Awesome (undiluted) is amazing on interior, and it's only $1 at Dollar Tree.

[GAJ0004]

I use a cleaner called Spray Nine for cleaning the vinyl, then treat it with 303 protectant. Spray Nine can also be used to shampoo the carpet.

[usaski1]

I've got some carpet coming up.. whats best to glue it down with? Rubber cement?

[GAJ0004]

Contact cement will work. I use it to repar kneeboard pads, and drysuits. Let it dry overnight before using the boat..

 

[Brian_M]

On my '08 LXi I used:

 

1) Hull Cleaner - removes all build up

tinyurl.com/HullCleaner

This stuff will take crap off the hull like no tomorrow. It is super corrosive and you need thick rubber gloves. Don't get it in your eyes or you will be blind. Have to be careful when you're under the boat it doesn't drip on your skin. It takes the thicket scum off and waterlines off revealing a bright shiny gel coat.

 

2) Soap/wash the boat. Use any boat soap.

 

3) Once the gel coat is nice and clean then use this stuff: tinyurl.com/MarinePolishPaste

The paste is supposedly the best and it probably works optimally with a high end polisher. It has a teflon coating and offers awesome protection with no build up associated with wax. This lasts at least 3months without having to reapply.

 

If you don't want to buy an expensive polisher, then buy the liquid version: tinyurl.com/MarinePolishLiquid

 

For the vinyl I recommend:

 

Cleaner: tinyurl.com/FabricCleaner

Protectant: tinyurl.com/303Protectant (good for the dash, swim platform, and 1000 other uses around the house - awesome stuff)

***I used this stuff on my swim platform about 3-4 per summer and never had any problems with black tracking in the boat like some people report (be careful, it makes the platform slicker than ice for a few days)

[inland]

I like babes as well, particularly for my seats. For the gel coat, I like to wash it with a regular boat wash then follow it up with collinites fiberglass boat wax. I'll use the collinites cleaner first if the wash didn't do what I needed. Then, throughout the season I use boat bling hot sauce periodically. Seems to work well.

[Phil2360]

@eleeski, Didn't know Muriatic Acid was an option for algae stains.

 

I do know Oxalic Acid works a treat & is probably a bit milder & easier to work with.

About 2 or 3 table spoons in a bucket of water with truck wash & stains magically disappear.

 

You can pick it up at most hardware stores.

 

http://www.recochem.com.au/index.php/products/consumer_products/acids_caustics/item/diggers_rust_stain_cleaner

 

Cheers