Best to clean boat rug?

[Expidia]

We have a 10 year old 14.5 Aluminum with full rugs on the floor and over the lockers that we bought used last season.

Rugs are beige, are in decent shape,but probably have 10 years of dirt built into the fabric.

Since the boat is empty of everything now for winter storage I was thinking of taking it to a car spray wash and thoroughly using the wand, spray out the dirt.

I have several worries though.
1. will the spray soap stay in the weave forever and foam up in the rain?
2. will I be in danger of getting too close with the wand and tearing the 10 year old dried out fabric?

What are some suggestions on the best method to clean the boats carpeting and what product to use to clean them followed by a product to protect them?
Thx

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

my friend bought a $100 steam cleaner vac and has used it on his boat, truck, and house. works great got the carpet really clean and has payed itself off in just a couple uses. prly the best way to go...or if you know someone who has one you can borrow.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

my friend bought a $100 steam cleaner vac and has used it on his boat, truck, and house. works great got the carpet really clean and has payed itself off in just a couple uses. prly the best way to go...or if you know someone who has one you can borrow.

I have a fllor steamer and a few shop vacs but I think this carpet needs a little more of a blasting effect to loosen the imeded built up dirt inside the fibers over all those years. I don't think a steamer/vac is going to be powerful enough.

I know I could soap it down with something and scrub it over with a hard bristle brush and hit it with the spray of the garden house, but I was thinking the spray wash wand at the car wash would be better.

My son who only lives a few miles away, has a portable spay washer that I borrowed last year to hose off my porch roofs but that may be too powerful. He said don't use it on aluminum siding because it will ruin it. So I'm sure it might harm the rugs too.

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

i would try the steam cleaner first.. just cause i would be a little hesitant on getting the inside of my boat that wet.. but with that being said, my previous boss brought his boat to a wand wash place and sprayed his entire inerior with the wand... if you do this just make sure you either let it sit in the sun to dry out or throw a heater in the boat to ensure everything is completly dry.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

i would try the steam cleaner first.. just cause i would be a little hesitant on getting the inside of my boat that wet.. but with that being said, my previous boss brought his boat to a wand wash place and sprayed his entire inerior with the wand... if you do this just make sure you either let it sit in the sun to dry out or throw a heater in the boat to ensure everything is completly dry.

Ya, I was planning on letting it air dry in the sun. It doesn't take long to dry out since the carpets are probably nylon. Boats are made to get wet anyway. When I bought my newest boat I opted for the floor choice to be vinyl. Don't know why anyone would ever get a fishing boat with carpets on the floor

 

[wvit1001]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

The way I clean mine - I soak the carpet down with warm water with some laundry detergent mixed in. Let that sit for a couple minutes. The vacuum it out with a shop vac. Then I repeat soaking it with clean, warm water and vacuuming it out a couple of times.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

Update: Asked this question back in Feb. Needed to clean the carpets on a 2nd boat we picked up last year. Finally got a chance to clean before we put the accessories and equipment back on since it's 80 degrees here today and sunny. Going to take it out on Sunday for shakedown cruise.

I went with Witv1001's suggestion:
Here's how I did it. I have access to a power washer, but I was afraid the forceful spray might rip the 11 year old carpet.

So I filled a bucket with hot water, added a few squirts of liquid laundry detergent and added a scoop of powdered Oxiclean. I scrubbed down the rugs with this solution with one of those stiff bristled deck scrub brushes on a 4 foot handle and hosed it down well after I let it soak in for awhile. I went over all with a wet/dry shop vac to hasten the drying process.

It's out there now basking in the sun drying out further.
Came out great, I think adding that scoop of Oxiclean brightened the carpet up nicely from what it looked like last season. Thanks for everyone's input

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

The way I clean mine - I soak the carpet down with warm water with some laundry detergent mixed in. Let that sit for a couple minutes. The vacuum it out with a shop vac. Then I repeat soaking it with clean, warm water and vacuuming it out a couple of times.

My method too. I do the same and hit it with a Scrub Brush and immediatly hit it with a shop vac. I don't use to much water because I do want to rot the Floor. Allow it to bake in the Sun for several hours before I put the cover on.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

I have a fllor steamer and a few shop vacs but I think this carpet needs a little more of a blasting effect to loosen the imeded built up dirt inside the fibers over all those years. I don't think a steamer/vac is going to be powerful enough.

I know I could soap it down with something and scrub it over with a hard bristle brush and hit it with the spray of the garden house, but I was thinking the spray wash wand at the car wash would be better.

My son who only lives a few miles away, has a portable spay washer that I borrowed last year to hose off my porch roofs but that may be too powerful. He said don't use it on aluminum siding because it will ruin it. So I'm sure it might harm the rugs too.

Steam cleaner will do a better job without damaging anything. Vacuum first then steam clean . You can rent steam cleaner/rug shampooer.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

Well the thing with a pressure washer is how far you hold the head from the carpet. If you spray something 10 feet away it will barley get wet, 2 inches it will peel paint. So somewhere between is just right.

But I gots to say; what you did looks like it came out real good.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

Steam cleaner will do a better job without damaging anything. Vacuum first then steam clean . You can rent steam cleaner/rug shampooer.

I thought of steam but I feared with a rug that's been glued down for 11 years I worried the steam might melt or loosen the glue!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

Well the thing with a pressure washer is how far you hold the head from the carpet. If you spray something 10 feet away it will barley get wet, 2 inches it will peel paint. So somewhere between is just right.

But I gots to say; what you did looks like it came out real good.

Thx, the boat for 11 years old is in great condition. The rugs were not that bad anyway. No stains but just overall dingy looking and I'm sure it had 11 years of soil down into the fibers. I wonder who came up with the bright invention a rug on a fishing boat floor anyway?

I could see getting the snap in rug as an option for cruising around. I could have gotten that for my rig when I originally ordered it , but I like the vinyl floor and rugs on everything else.

I have to say that scoop of Oxiclean really noticeably brightened all the carpet up!

 

[NYBo]

Re: Best to clean boat rug?

Looks fantastic!