How To Clean A Boat

By Wet & Forget

We like big boats, and we cannot lie. However, liking big boats isn’t necessarily the same as enjoying cleaning them.

With our guide on how to clean a boat of any size, though, you’ll find that keeping your watercraft free of mildew, algae, and even spiders is easier than ever.

Why Do Boats Get Dirty?

Boats are like sharks: they need to move to live. However, unlike sharks, ships are often left unused at a dock or in storage for long periods.

When vessels aren’t in use, they are especially vulnerable to potential damage caused by mold, mildew, and algae. Mold and mildew can cause adverse health effects, yet algae may be the most concerning.

At best, algae may stain and discolor your boat’s hull. At worst, though, it can make your boast less maneuverable, increase fuel costs, and even cause hull deterioration.

Perhaps even damaging, your boat’s algae problem may soon become another boat’s problem. When you leave algae untouched on your craft’s hull, you may spread algae to other vessels, docks, and marinas.

Soon, well-balanced local marine ecosystems could quickly find themselves completely out-of-whack and cause irreparable harm.

Cleaning your boat regularly or whenever you notice organic growth begin to set in can help keep these issues at bay. (Pun kind of intended.)

How to Clean a Boat

While we use the word “boat” most often in our instructions, we should note that they apply to almost anything that floats and can bear the weight of at least one person. So, canoes to mega yachts are covered here; it’s just a matter of scale.

Additionally, mold and mildew are always a concern, but, as noted above, algae has the potential to cause the most harm to your vessel and others. As algae thrive on phosphate, you’ll want to choose a cleaner free of this ingredient.

Wet & Forget Outdoor products lack phosphate and bleach, and their neutral pH levels allow them to clean gently. On the other hand, bleach has a pH level of 13, which can damage outdoor surfaces and make them more susceptible to organic growth.

With Wet & Forget Outdoor, there’s also no need to scrub or use a potentially dangerous power washer. Instead, the spray will work with wind and rain to remove stains caused by organic growth like algae, moss, mold, and mildew.

Because of all of the above, Wet & Forget Outdoor is safe to use on virtually any outdoor surface, including most boating surfaces:

• Fabric (such as those used in awnings, boat covers, or sails)
• Fiberglass
• Metal
• Outdoor carpets
• Painted or stained surfaces
• Vinyl
• Wood

So, with Wet & Forget at your side, you have practically everything you need for a clean boat.

What Tools Do You Need to Clean a Boat?

There are a few different Wet & Forget options here that can help thoroughly clean your boat:

• Wet & Forget Concentrate requires mixing with water — one part concentrate to five parts water — and a garden sprayer for application. However, a single gallon bottle of Wet & Forget Concentrate makes six gallons of solution, which is ideal for cleaning the bottom of your boat.
• Wet & Forget Ready-to-Use comes pre-mixed, and a single bottle is all you need to spray outdoor surfaces ranging from 60 to 180 square feet, which is typically all you need to clean your boat’s interior.
• Miss Muffet’s Revenge will lay a barrier for spiders to help prevent arachnids while at sea.

How to Remove Algae from Boat Bottoms

Before using Wet & Forget Concentrate, check to make sure that weather conditions are suitable for application:

• A moderate temperature of at least 32 degrees Fahrenheit during application and five hours afterward.
• No rain or wind in the forecast for at least four to five hours of spraying.
• Avoid especially hot or sunny days.

When applying Wet & Forget Outdoor to your boat, be sure to be at least 100 feet away of any water source, such as a lake, stream, or river.

The bottom of the boat should be completely dry before spraying it, too, so make sure you have it on a wash rack or off any bunks or rollers. This will make the drying process quicker and allow easier access to the vessel’s entire underside.

Once everything is ready, here’s how to clean the bottom of your boat with Wet & Forget Concentrate:

1. Mix one part Wet & Forget Concentrate with five parts water in your pump-up garden sprayer.
2. Spray the bottom of the boat thoroughly.
3. Wait for the boat bottom to dry fully.

There’s no need to scrub, rinse, or wash. As soon as the boat is dry, it can be put back into the water. The agitation from the water will help lift up the staining on the bottom of your boat. Algae stains should disappear within a few days but may take a few weeks in certain situations.

How to Clean Your Boat’s Interior

If you’re cleaning your entire boat’s interior, you may want to stick with Wet & Forget Concentrate and use the same instructions above. However, for smaller surfaces on your boat’s interior that are less than 180 square feet, consider Wet & Forget Ready-to-Use.

When using the pre-mixed solution, you’ll still need to check for the same weather conditions as you would for Wet & Forget Concentrate, which are listed above, and ensure your boat is 100 feet away from any water source during application. Also, keep people and pets away from the area during and after application while the surface is wet from your treatment. It will take roughly 4-5 hours for the product to dry.

Once everything looks good, Wet & Forget Ready-to-Use will make cleaning a breeze:

1. Open the bottle’s flip cap.
2. Remove the sprayer from its slot in the handle.
3. Extend the hose tip from the sprayer until it reaches its full extension, about three feet.
4. Plug the hose tip firmly into the cap opening until you hear it click into place.
5. Twist the nozzle to your desired spray or stream setting.
6. Remove any loose debris from the area, such as dirt or dust.
7. Spray any areas with noticeable organic growth.
8. Let surfaces dry overnight.
9. Rinse the area with water and allow them to dry again before use.

Then, the Wet & Forget Outdoor solution will work with wind and rain to gently clean your boat’s interior over time.

Green algae stains may only need a few days or weeks to be gone. Black stains caused by mold and mildew may take a month or two. Especially well-set stains that have been on the surface for many years can take between six months and a year to fully clean up.

Depending on your local weather, wind, and other factors, a single application of Wet & Forget Outdoor can keep your boat interior free of organic growth for up to a year or more. If you notice any growths pop up before then, feel free to spray them before they spread.

If your boat will remain covered where the rain won’t be able to work on it, you can always periodically rinse and scrub away the stains on your own to speed up the process.

How to Protect Your Boat from Dock Spiders

“Jaws” may be one of the scarier movies ever produced. However, what would make that summer blockbuster even more frightening, is if Roy Scheider, after successfully blowing up the man-eating Great White, crawled back onto his damaged vessel to find himself surrounded by an army of spiders.

Don’t let this happen to you. Instead, use Miss Muffet’s Revenge to create an invisible barrier that arachnids dare not cross, leaving your boat free from these terrifying eight-legged creatures.

When using Miss Muffet’s Revenge, make sure to do so on days with similar weather conditions as the previous two sections. That is, avoid application on days with forecasted high winds or rain.

If the weather forecast looks good, the application process will be easy:

1. Open the bottle’s flip cap.
2. Remove the sprayer from its slot in the handle.
3. Extend the hose tip from the sprayer until it reaches its full extension, about three feet.
4. Plug the hose tip firmly into the cap opening until you hear it click into place.
5. Twist the nozzle to your desired spray or stream setting.
6. Spray a 12-inch band of solution around the perimeter of your cabin or deck, paying particular attention to any potential spider hiding places.
7. Allow sprayed surfaces to dry overnight.
8. Remove any remaining spider webs with a broom.

A single application can help keep spiders at bay for up to 12 months.

Where Can You Find Wet & Forget Products?

Whether your boat is big or small Wet & Forget Outdoor products make cleaning boat exteriors and interiors easy. So, pick up a bottle today by heading to your local retailer or browsing our online store.