It’s spring boat cleaning day!!
Living on the lake is not all peaceful relaxation and boat rides. There is some work involved. This is the time of year when those living in the north are bringing their boats out of storage and prepping them for a summer of fun. Here in Florida, even though our boats are out year round, spring still brings the need for a deep clean.
We own a Sun Tracker 22 XP3 tri-toon. We absolutely love it! I will share another post all about this boat. But for this post, I am focused on what I have found super helpful for keeping it clean and in like-new condition.
Our property has cypress trees. They provide wonderful shade but they are messy. The little fronds attach to everything and are a pain to clean up. Not to mention, the nuts have a brown sticky substance that can stain if left too long. But the worst part of spring boat cleaning the boat for me is the spiders! So my first plan of attack is with the shop vac to suck it all up.
I have tried my canister vacuum and a big shop vac, but the one that I have found most helpful is the Home Depot Bucket Head. This little vacuum attaches to a five gallon pail. It is easy to maneuver and has lots of power which makes it perfect for cleaning the boat. But the best part for the boat, in my opinion, is the shape of the nozzle on the end of the hose. It is great for getting along the edges and in the crevices between the seat cushions.
After vacuuming all of the dirt and bugs, we used the power washer to clean it inside and out. It is amazing how much dirt was on the floor of this boat. But the power washer made quick work of cleaning the floor, outside walls, and pontoons.
Last step is to clean and protect the dashboard and vinyl seats. In order to keep your vinyl seats looking like new, it is vital that you clean and then treat the vinyl to keep it from drying out and cracking. Especially here in the intense sunshine of Florida! I have tried several products including dish soap, magic erasers, and Awesome to clean, but I recommend a three step approach to clean and protect your seats:
- Clean the vinyl and your dashboard with Fantastik cleaner (This cleaner was also recommended by our boat manufacturer). This is the best product I have found to remove bug stains, bird stains, tree stains and any other stains of general use.
- Once cleaned, protect your vinyl seats with 303 Protectant. In the intense sun of Florida, I apply this protectant every couple of months. A boat is too big of an investment to leave it unprotected!
- Finally, especially in the humidity of Florida summers, protect your seats from mildew with 3M Mildew Blocker. This stuff works!! Even through the rainy season of Florida with 90% humidity, we do not have a mildew problem on our seats . Again, I apply this every two months because our climate is so humid. Depending on where you are, you may not need to apply as often.
Please share any tips and tricks that you have for keeping your boat looking like new.
For more information and experiences about life on the lake, visit our Lake Life category page.