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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Hashtag First World Problem - Cleaning our boat

23 replies

BoffinMum · 04/10/2020 20:55

So this is probably up there with chandelier and clock tower cleaning for first world problems. I bought DH a fibreglass Heyland Toad for a special birthday and it came with a tonneau cover and mahogany footboards, etc. The cover now looks terrible with engrained muck and pressure washing and household cleaning products didn't help. The cover slipped off and rain and rover water got into the boat and the mahogany foot boards are grimy. And the boat generally seems to need a spring clean and a bit of love. What products might be good to use? It's kept by our jetty and we don't want to kill the fish so eco products preferred.

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FusionChefGeoff · 04/10/2020 21:03

Every now and then, I see a thread and think 'now that's niche, even for mumsnet' and yet, every time, MNers pull it out of the bag from nowhere.....

I'm waiting with baited breath as DH has football AND American Football on so I am boooooorrrrreeddd....

BasiliskStare · 04/10/2020 21:09

Ha ha @FusionChefGeoff - also one with Football & American Football on

@BoffinMum - Bizarrely I may be able to help - not for the tonneau cover nor the mahogany but if you have any chrome bits - Autosol. Comes in a small tube so you might need a lot but I have bought some recommended for furniture but it does cars , anything metal / chrome / nickel etc. Fantastic stuff. I imagine is is about as ecologically friendly as an oil spill , but it is for polishing - not chugging over everything.

Do I get a prize for contributing to the richest of threads. Grin

I do not have a boat - can you tell ?

BasiliskStare · 04/10/2020 21:27

Oh FFS I meant the nichest of threads - not richest - autocorrect

DoctorTwo · 04/10/2020 21:40

If it's a canvas tonneau I would use a detergent, hot water and a stiff scrubbing brush followed by a steam cleaner. You could do the same with the mahogany but it would be easier to sand it down and reseal it.

TicTac80 · 04/10/2020 22:08

Hmmm, in The Dark Ages (before I had kids and when I taught sailing and windsurfing!), I used to have a Laser and co-owned an Int 14. Both fibreglass hulls. I used to sluice down with fresh water (I didn’t have access to a pressure washer back then!) and then use a marine friendly detergent to give the hulls a good clean, then rinsed, dried and covers put on (unless pissing down with rain and you couldn’t dry them off). Foils, spars and sails would be rinsed, dried out and then put in covers/bags/whatever. Both boats would come off the water after each time they were used (and they were never beached!).

I can’t comment on how to care for the wood, as the only dinghy I ever had -which was wooden -was an Oppi when I was 10 (and I’d just rinse her down after use!). I remember one of my mates had a Phantom (in certain it was made of wood and fibreglass), and he had it repainted and varnished etc (so def can be done!). Unsure if any of that helps!!

For the cover, stiff dry brush to get the surface crap off, then a canvas cleaner and restorer afterwards. Make sure the bungee cord that is on the cover to keep it in place is in good nick. In poor weather, I’d frequently check the covers were still in position on my two (ie hadn’t been dislodged by strong winds etc).

PS it’s good to see people care for their boats. I used to see loads who would buy them and not look after them!!

FusionChefGeoff · 04/10/2020 22:24

Ah my faith in mumsnet is still sound Grin

Original poster
BoffinMum · 04/10/2020 22:27

Fusion One aims to please!
Basilisk No chrome sadly but have for metal, have you discovered Flitz, which I recently discovered for cleaning guns and also works well on brass letterboxes as well as everything else you could probably think of. £20 a tube on Amazon or £80 a tin.
TicTac, have you used the International boat care range? Is it any good??

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BeepBoopBop · 04/10/2020 22:30

Patio Magic for slime, mildew and muck. I clean the spray hood with it in spring and the teak decks. It's really good stuff.

Original poster
BoffinMum · 04/10/2020 23:28

oo, I might try that then

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Original poster
BoffinMum · 04/10/2020 23:30

Just read label of it. Sadly a biocide so given where we are it's going to be tricky not to damage the wildlife. Bugger.

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taabitha · 04/10/2020 23:40

We have a yacht (?). I'll be honest we probably use environmentally unfriendly cleaning products on it. However in the house we use method which are fine for marine life etc. They have a big range of products so there might be something suitable.

Original poster
BoffinMum · 05/10/2020 09:07

Maybe if we wash the tonneau cover on a big sheet or something that catches the spillage we might get away with the Patio Magic. I think for deep cleaning it’s going to be difficult to find something ecologically friendly from the sound of it.

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BasiliskStare · 05/10/2020 13:13

@BoffinMum - this might be taken 1st world problems to the absolute limit & be a stupid idea - but - is there a marina or boat yard nearby where you could take the tonneau and they would clean it for you. I am assuming someone who does this on a regular basis has found a way of doing it & getting rid of the cleaning stuff in a responsible manner. Of course I suppose you'd have to find something to cover the boat whilst your tonneau was with them. Tonneau service washes - now there's niche Grin

OverTheRainbow88 · 05/10/2020 13:21

‘First world’ is an offensive, verging racist term!!

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/10/2020 13:27

With the pressure washer, do you just use water? We have an attachment (for cleaning the car, we only habe a canoe) sp the car soap is mixed with the water.

0blio · 05/10/2020 14:04

Wet & Forget is advertised as being marine friendly. I use it to clean paving slabs, sometimes needs a few applications but is very effective and easy to use.

FairFriday · 05/10/2020 14:06

Can we have a picture? That would be nice... I have no idea about cleaning boats apart from you need to scrape the barnicles off her bottom...

GCHWho · 05/10/2020 20:26

Autoglym cabriolet roof cleaner and sealer kit mentioned boat use I am sure. I have no idea about eco compatibility, Halfords some times runs offer on brand ranges. Teak cleaners are often cheaper from garden suppliers than chandlery companies IME.

rslsys · 05/10/2020 21:38

Another vote for Wet & Forget. We use it on trailer covers and curtain sided trailers which are likely the same material as a tonneau cover.

Original poster
BoffinMum · 10/10/2020 18:04

Thanks for all these suggestions. I've been in touch with the manufacturers and they have suggested I soak it for a while first and then gently pressure wash it, so might try that. Wet and Forget sounds good too. I'm going at half term so will try to remember to take before and after pictures so there is a satisfying reveal for everyone if we are are successful. It would be like a sporn thread but for mucky boats. Grin

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tshirtsuntan · 10/10/2020 18:08

I think I love you (can I come on your boat Grin)

tshirtsuntan · 10/10/2020 18:09

OMG as in go for a trip on the river....ShockGrin

Original poster
BoffinMum · 12/10/2020 18:38

You can indeed accompany me IF YOU DON'T DEFILE THE CLEAN MAHOGANY BOARDING on the boat but it's rather small so you might have to breathe in.

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