We all know that the upkeep of a boat can exist very laborious. There'due south registration, docking fees, insurance and that doesn't even cover the cost of any repairs done to the boat itself. Despite all of these fees, I wouldn't have it any other way. The feeling of taking my boat out on the water is like nothing else. I named my gunkhole, "Solitude" for a reason after all.

I manner in which you can continue your boat in adept shape, leading to reduced maintenance and repair costs, is to take clean the fiberglass, deck and hull regularly.

Handy Hint: If yous don't do proper maintenance, your fiberglass deck can go moldy, costing you anywhere from $500 to $3,000 dollars for a replacement.

But how exactly practice you go well-nigh cleaning a fiberglass boat, deck, and hull? To set you upward for success, I will go through each and every step that I have found to be useful when cleaning my own Catalina 22.

Cleaning your boat's fiberglass deck or hull without bleach

The majority of boat owners will tell you that the only mode to clean a fiberglass boat and deck is with abiding scrubbing and bleach. I never use bleach.

I have constitute that it is far easier and safer to tackle stains with a non-stick deck cleaner followed by whatsoever affect-up scrubbing that your boat needs.

At that place are a number of tools that can aid y'all with the cleaning process, many of which gunkhole owners volition swear by.

To make your life easier, I recommend that you invest in the following products:

What y'all will need

  • Force per unit area washer (view on Amazon)
  • Star Brite deck cleaner fluid (view on Amazon) – it's safer than bleach!
  • Long deck brush (view on Amazon)
  • Clean cloth / rag
  • Bucket of water

How to clean a fiberglass gunkhole in viii steps

The instructions beneath will work for any course of fiberglass boat cleaning include sides and deck. I go insanely adept results using this method.

1. Buy the essentials products

The first pace in cleaning your fiberglass gunkhole, deck, is to get the correct products (you can run into my shopping list to a higher place which includes the Star Brite).

In addition, make sure that you also accept a deck castor, hose or pressure washer, onetime rags, gloves and a buffer for polishing up afterward.

2. Pressure wash the fiberglass deck and sides

Before I even become my cleaning products out, I will exercise a once over brush down so pressure level launder. This will remove a lot of mildew and debris from the fiberglass deck.

If yous don't have a pressure level washer, I recommend the Sun Joe (view Amazon prices) that y'all see in the image. Information technology'southward a great toll and very powerful.

three. Wet the fiberglass and deck downward

The pressure washer will exit some wet, but if you lot've left a gap between the pressure level washing and this stage, y'all should wet the fiberglass deck downwards once more, so it has a film of water beyond it.

You can either use a hose if you lot accept a tap or water supply nearby, of simply throw a bucket of clean h2o down.

4. Spray Star Brite deck cleaner on and brush around

Put some of the Star Brite cleaner (see Amazon reviews) downwardly onto the moisture deck, and motion information technology effectually using a deck brush. Yous want to brand certain that information technology is evenly distributed across the fiberglass.

Go out information technology to settle for three minutes, equally this allows the chelating agents to get to work. They actually start to life up dirt and mildew or mold stains, breaking them up.

Handy Hint: Star Brite say go out information technology for 3 minutes, merely I recommend to allow the product cut into any stains or unwanted clay by letting it rest longer. For amend results, I have found that 10 minutes does the job.

how to clean a fiberglass boat using star brite cleaner

Once you lot spray this cleaner down it volition start to list dirt and mildew off the fibreglass deck.

5. Arouse with your deck brush

Once the 3 minutes are upwardly, it'southward fourth dimension to get to work with your deck brush. Yous can scrub away the clay and mildew really hands now, and you might not even accept to scrub that difficult.

Star Brite is really constructive and will do a lot of the hard work for you.

It volition even go out you with a non-slip surface, giving a layer of protection that is safe to use on fiberglass boats, plus whatever vinyl such as seating, metal or painted boat surfaces.

6. Hose or spray down the fiberglass deck

If you have a hose, utilize that to now water down the deck again to become rid of whatever droppings that your castor hasn't pushed away.

You can use your pressure washer instead just keep it on a lower setting as you don't desire to have upwards whatsoever of the protective non-skid layer the Star Brite has left.

Using a high-pressure water sprayer is preferred for virtually boat owners equally it is quick and effective. If you only accept a normal hose, that works only fine, though information technology may accept you longer.

7. Touch upwards any hard to attain areas with a cloth

You might find that you still have some dirt in corners and gaps.

If there are areas that could employ some scrubbing, utilize a make clean cloth with some Star Brite, pushing your finger into the space.

8. Buff and polish up for a slap-up shine

An optional step is to follow up any cleaning with a practiced buffer.

Boating shops sell polishers and buffers, including waxing brushes that volition make your job easier.

I honey the Marine 31 gunkhole polish and wax, and they sell a kit that comes with a buffer and polisher too (see the Amazon reviews).

The results you lot will get from Star Brite

If you apply and use it equally directed on the bottle, it will become to work really well, producing a nifty foam that volition take upwards the most stubborn stains from the fiberglass. It cleans not just fiberglass elements, but also painted and moulded decks.

Past scrubbing with a castor before you use information technology, you will brand information technology even more effective. It requires a lot less effort than other fiberglass boat cleaning products I have used, including nasty, chemic-laden bleach products.

For a 28-foot boat deck, you lot will need most of the bottle that I recommend in this guide on how to make clean a fiberglass boat and deck.

Lookout man this video to come across an instance:

How to clean a fiberglass gunkhole (related questions)

At present that you know each and every stride that goes into properly cleaning and maintaining your fiberglass boat deck, you should make it a habit.

Some boaters don't know how often to clean their boat or why it is important in the first identify.

To shed some light on the state of affairs, I have answered a few of the most mutual questions related to boat cleaning.

Why should I clean my boat's deck?

Just equally one would recall, a gunkhole that is non cleaned will become dirty and loose value, pehaps even depreciating.

Our boats go through a lot of penalty from dirty shoes, atmospheric condition, getting bashed, and a salt water surround. By cleaning your fiberglass deck y'all can aid to ensure that it stays in peak condition.

How often should I clean my fiberglass deck?

Instead, ask yourself another question, "how often is my boat in the water?"

If you lot tend to keep your gunkhole in the water 24/vii, then you may desire to clean the deck later every utilise.

In fact, you don't demand to apply boat cleaner every unmarried time. I've constitute that spraying it down after every use with a thorough cleaning one time a week is ideal.

For those of united states who continue our boats on land and occasionally have them out to see, the same rule applies. Giving them a spray down afterwards a day of apply will go on information technology from accumulating grime.

Since information technology isn't constantly being exposed to water and common salt, a thorough cleaning tin happen less often, possibly every couple of months.

How exercise I clean the whole deck in one go?

Cleaning a boat can be actually hard work, especially if y'all accept neglected to do it or a long time.

I would recommend that yous clean your fiberglass gunkhole in smaller and more than manageable sections.

How to remove oxidation from fiberglass boat?

Oxidation on fiberglass is a nasty business organization and tin be tough to remove. To get rid of oxidization and deep scratches y'all can practise a wet sand in really bad cases.

Nearly of the fourth dimension though, y'all can just use a polishing compound such as the marine-form ones on the market place including Riptide or Shell liquid compounds.

Those products will remove oxidation from your fiberglass boat, and leave you with the gel coat and fiberglass looking as good equally new.

How do yous remove wax from a fiberglass boat?

You should always wax your fiberglass gunkhole before putting it into the water. It will give your gel glaze a great looking end and help to protect it. But, it will build upwards over time, and start to discolor.

Here's how you remove the wax build-upwards:

  1. Soak a clean fabric with floor wax stripper.
  2. Mix a single loving cup of dish washer liquid to each gallon of water in a large bucket.
  3. Using round motions, wipe the stripper on the cloth over the wax.
  4. Using a clean cloth, wash the stripper away using your h2o bucket mix.
  5. Wash downwardly the boat with clean water once each area is complete.

How do you remove leaf stains from fiberglass?

Use a waterline stain remover. This will take off the stubborn foliage stains away from the fiberglass without damaging it.

The last word…

I've already mentioned how I don't recommend using bleach to clean a fiberglass boat. And there'south a skillful reason why.

There are lot of people who say you should, and plenty (me included) who say yous shouldn't.

I believe it will strip the wax on your deck and have seen small examples of that happening on my own gunkhole.

Handy Hint: Are you looking to dispose of your onetime fiberglass boat? If then, read this guide which details various options you tin utilize including recycling.

Yes, you can dilute the concentration down to make information technology is less harsh, merely even and so, keep in mind that bleach is non equally environmentally friendly. Information technology will damage the marine environment yous boat in.

That's why I recommend you should always use a liquid-based deck cleaner in exchange of a bleach product. Y'all can read more than here about why I don't always utilise bleach to clean my gunkhole and deck.

Interestingly plenty, if you lot compare the ingredients used in gunkhole cleaners, they ordinarily contain some concentration of bleach, it's just not going to be as harsh.

This commodity was written by a correspondent who owns a Catalina 22 fiberglass keel boat.