Cleaning Your Boat Correctly

For more than a quarter of a century, Richard DiVenuto has worked as an investment and financial services professional. He is also a biotechnology entrepreneur who offers consulting services to companies in California, New York, Florida, and Boston, Massachusetts. In his free time, Richard DiVenuto enjoys boating.

With the hazards boats are exposed to in water, it is essential to clean a watercraft correctly. Rinse the boat's exterior fresh water after each trip, if boating in salt water. This removes invasive aquatic species, mud, dirt, and salt residue from the water the boat has gone through.

When washing the boat, use only soaps designed for such purposes. Scrub down the interior upholstery with a soapy sponge. Afterward, clean off the soap with a damp cloth, and then finish off the cleaning by drying it with another cleaning cloth.

Scrub the canvas covering the cockpit instruments with a soft brush, fresh water, and mild soap. Use non-ammonia based specialty cleaners for the polyvinyl chloride windows on the canvas.

Remove and vacuum-clean the carpets on the cockpit floor to remove debris, then pressure-wash them. Then scrub the foredeck with special cleaner and water.