7 Deadly Sins of Boat Maintenance

We can tell you right now that the #1 deadly sin of boat maintenance is “Procrastination and Neglect.” Environmental buildup – soot, carbon, dirt, mildew, mold, green scum – can damage your boat quicker than you think. Gelcoat, wood, isinglass, and plastic are all porous and once they become impregnated sometimes it can be nearly impossible to clean them without ruining the surface. Neglecting maintenance will reduce the value of your boat and make it hard to keep clean. There are six other sins and they are not so obvious – in fact, our guess is that you have been using a few of these harmful products for years. Discover the other 6 deadly sins --

Yacht-Brite cleaning products, by Shurhold, ensure that you will not harm marine surfaces or the environment, yet still get your boat clean.

#2 Dish Soap. It can strip a boat’s wax, degrade the waterproofing of fabrics, and in some cases its chemicals can be harmful to the environment.



#3 Windex. Windex contains ammonia and was made to glean glass – not plastic or isinglass. Most mirrors and many windows or portlights in boats are made out of plastic. Windex and ammonia can cause yellowing and cracking, among other problems.



#4 Paper Towels. They seem soft, but actually they are not. They are made of wood fiber, can be very harsh and scratch soft plastics such as isinglass.



#5 Soft Scrub. Abrasive household cleaners like Soft Scrub are too strong for your boat’s gel coat. Surfaces will lose their protective coating with these harsh cleaners. Bleach-based products can discolor fabrics.



#6 Pledge. Pledge is great on wood but not on clear vinyl like isinglass. Pledge contains solvents that remove the plasticizers from plastic which will make the material brittle and yellow.



#7 Strong Solvents. Strong solvents used to clean algae off hulls are often dangerous to the delicate gel coat surface if used repeatedly, can cause environmental damage, and in some cases can be harmful to people.



To find the right cleaning product for your you boat needs, go to the specialist in boating cleaners – Shurhold….