Best Cleaning Products

hillbilly321

Cadet
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
13
Hey guys, another newbie question....

What are the best cleaning products to use on the interior and exterior of a boat to detail it?
 

25thmustang

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,849
Re: Best Cleaning Products

I just used Buff Magic followed by Pro Polish, both by Yacht Brite, which is a Shurhold brand. It actually went relatively well after learning how to use the products. I've used Meguiars also and got good results on the hull, no so much on the top sides. I'm sure you will get a lot of opinions as a lot of people use different products.
 

85 Champ

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
44
Re: Best Cleaning Products

I have started using 303 Aerospace Protectant on everything lately. I use it on my cover, vinyl seats, even my tires get a little 303 treatment. Gives a much better finished look than that tire glaze stuff. The convertible top on my car gets it too, even the plastic in the engine bay gets it about 3-4 times a year. Ive even started putting it on my lawn chairs come to think of it.... But for actual cleaning, i use Mean Green on tuff stuff, like my plastic ski locker door gets dirty after a while from people getting in and out of the lake and everything else.... also using Meguires Quick detailer with a microfiber cloth on surface contaminates, like crap from the lake water and bird sh**. You can clay the gelcoat also if you have any contaminants, but once you get into a regular wax and polish regimine you probably wont have to again. I"ll be claying and waxing my trailer soon. I use Meguires quick detailer when claying also because its supposed to help lift those contaminates while you clay. As far as interior protectants though, nothing comes close to 303 in my book.

Heres a link to 303 Aerospace Protectant. I dont work there or anything, it just really is impressive stuff.
 
Last edited:

coreybv

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
140
Re: Best Cleaning Products

I used to use 3M Marine Vinyl Cleaner. That stuff would get even the nastiest vinyl looking like new. At that time it was in a cream form that I got at Walmart. For quite a few years now, though, the only 3M Marine Vinyl Cleaner I've found comes in a spray bottle and cleans about as well as plain tap water.

But if you happen to see the stuff in the squeeze bottle, grab it.
 

floatfan

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
184
Re: Best Cleaning Products

I used to use 3M Marine Vinyl Cleaner. That stuff would get even the nastiest vinyl looking like new. At that time it was in a cream form that I got at Walmart. For quite a few years now, though, the only 3M Marine Vinyl Cleaner I've found comes in a spray bottle and cleans about as well as plain tap water.

But if you happen to see the stuff in the squeeze bottle, grab it.

You got me wondering whether or not it was still around. Found these 2 on the 3M website. Are either of these what you're talking about?

3m protector.jpg3M cleaner.jpg

http://www.shop3m.com/60980032449.html?WT.z_bynt=1
http://www.shop3m.com/60455035190.html?WT.z_bynt=1
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Best Cleaning Products

My interior and especially the seats have never really gotten 'dirty'. What I have found that works well after a week on the boat with kids is a 5 gallon pale of warm water with a microfiber cloth. They wear out after several washes and so a new cloth works better than one that has lost it microfiberness. After that I use some Meguiars marine rubber and vinyl protectant/cleaner with a uv inhibitor. If your wife ever gets toe nail polish on your seats like mine has on a number of occassions by scraping her feet along the platform, that is really hard to get off. In those instances, I am forced to use a Mr. Clean Magic Erasure to get the polish off. Of course I use the generic version which is much cheaper but the same. People use them on vinly as a general cleaner and the problem is that they work too well and will lighten your vinyl and remove the factory coating from the vinyl. I think the best cleaning invention in a long time is the microfiber cloth.
 

calvinator

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
286
Re: Best Cleaning Products

Lots of choices! Start your research! here is mine
Exterior: Aqua-Buff -> Mequirs Marine Wax -> Lucas Slick Mist
Interior: Clorox Cleanup -> Magic Eraser -> Turtle Wax Sythenic Interior detail spray w/UV
 

coreybv

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
140

Thalasso

Commander
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
2,879
Re: Best Cleaning Products

I have started using 303 Aerospace Protectant on everything lately. I use it on my cover, vinyl seats, even my tires get a little 303 treatment. Gives a much better finished look than that tire glaze stuff. The convertible top on my car gets it too, even the plastic in the engine bay gets it about 3-4 times a year. Ive even started putting it on my lawn chairs come to think of it.... But for actual cleaning, i use Mean Green on tuff stuff, like my plastic ski locker door gets dirty after a while from people getting in and out of the lake and everything else.... also using Meguires Quick detailer with a microfiber cloth on surface contaminates, like crap from the lake water and bird sh**. You can clay the gelcoat also if you have any contaminants, but once you get into a regular wax and polish regimine you probably wont have to again. I"ll be claying and waxing my trailer soon. I use Meguires quick detailer when claying also because its supposed to help lift those contaminates while you clay. As far as interior protectants though, nothing comes close to 303 in my book.

Heres a link to 303 Aerospace Protectant. I dont work there or anything, it just really is impressive stuff.

You should be using 303Fabric Protectant on the convertible top.It is a waterproofing and protectant
 

Thalasso

Commander
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
2,879
Re: Best Cleaning Products

Exterior-Duragloss 561 and a wool pad and buffer. Then Duragloss 501 polish. Then finish with Collonite 885.

303 Fabric Guard for the Sunbrella and 303 Aerospace for the seats.For the deck, Star-Brite non-skid deck cleaner with PTEF

Edit:

I have used the 3M stuff and find it can be difficult to remove. The Duragloss products are easy to remove and for oxidation removal, the trick is a wool buffing pad on a rotary buffer. Not a D/A
 

Ernest T

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 29, 2009
Messages
367
Re: Best Cleaning Products

+1 on the 303 Aerospace protectant. Its not really a cleaner, but it keeps the vinyl seats looking great. They do make a 303 cleaner, but if you keep a coat of the protectant on things, you really won't need it. You can put it on most anything. My wife loves the stuff. I buy it by the gallon.

For the deck, Star-Brite non-skid deck cleaner with PTEF it the best stuff I've found so far.
 

Thalasso

Commander
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
2,879
Re: Best Cleaning Products

Are you talking about this Fabric Guard ? The video looks pretty cool, im already thinking of all the stuff i could repel water from!

Thats it. Sunbrella's web site suggests this. Expensive, but i only have to do my sunbrella every three years.When you wash the Sunbrella, use Woolite. Laundry detergant is hard on the material because of the inabilaty to get the suds out.
 
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