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For too long, boat carpet has been a neglected area. Whether it’s the seats in the cabin, the carpet on your pontoon boat’s flooring, or even the cushions in your bass boat’s stern, you’re neglecting an important part of your vessel that needs to be cleaned. This post will give you a few helpful tips on the best way to clean boat carpet or how to clean pontoon carpet.
Items you will need:
Before you begin, make sure that you have the following carpet cleaner for boats ready for use:
- Cleaning detergents – These detergents will help you clean up the nastiest messes that your carpet has to offer. Examples of great detergents are STAR BRITE Ultimate Carpet Clean , Aero Cosmetics Interior Cleaner and OxiClean Large Area Carpet Cleaner.
- Turkey baster – This little tool will come in handy for extracting all of the dirty water and solution from your carpeted areas.
- Carpet cleaning equipment (twist brushes, sponges) – These tools will help you scrub out the tough stains on your boat carpets.
- Vacuum cleaner (optional) – If you want to get down and clean all of the ground off of your carpet, you may want to consider investing in a vacuum cleaner.
- Towels – These wet or dry towels will be needed for drying up any water that is still on your carpeted surfaces.
Step by step guide to clean your boat carpet:
After you have all of your materials ready, we can now get on with the task at hand. If you are cleaning a recently purchased boat, the carpets should be relatively clean beforehand. However, if you are cleaning the carpets of an older boat, then the following steps on how to clean interior boat carpet:
Remove all items from your boat car
This step might seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised to find out how many people forget to do this. Remove all items from your carpeted surfaces. This includes fishing tackle, bait bags, nets, boat hooks, and any other item left on your boat’s flooring. Doing so will give you better access to the areas that need cleaning, and it will also save you some time later in the process.
Expose the carpet into the sunlight to eliminate Molds and fungus
After removing all of your boat items from the carpet, take them off your boat or place them in a secure location. If you do not feel like going through this process, you can leave them on the boat. Just remember to return these items after your job is complete. Next, expose your boat carpets to direct sunlight for at least six hours. The sun will kill any Molds, fungus, and bacteria that might still be on your carpets. However, if the area is too large for you to expose to the sun, you can leave it in a well-ventilated area for at least six hours.
Vacuum Your Boat Carpet
After your carpets have been exposed to direct sunlight, vacuum them thoroughly to remove any mold that may still be present on your boat. This step might be the most important in cleaning your boat. Vacuuming your carpeted surfaces will help you clean boat carpet mold and fungus that may still be present on your carpets.
How to Remove Spots and Stains
After you have vacuumed your boat, take a wet or dry towel and start spreading some of the detergents you have over your carpeted surfaces. An example of a detergent you can use is OxiClean Large Area Carpet Cleaner. The moisture will help clean the carpet, and it will also help remove any of that leftover mold or fungus. As you are spreading the solution across your boat carpets, be sure to use a twisted brush or a sponge to scrub out all of those tough spots. These brushes and sponges can also be found at most home improvement and hardware stores, along with the above solutions.
Remove soft stains
If you have a soft stain on your boat carpet, you can easily remove it by applying some soapy water to the area. Use a clean cloth and rub some OxiClean Large Area Carpet Cleaner or another similar cleaner onto the spot. Next, use a clean and dry cloth to absorb the good solution from your boat carpet. If you have any tough spots, take one of those brushes or sponges mentioned above and scrub them out as well.
Removing Spilled Paint stains
If you have spilled paint, water, or any other liquid onto your boat carpet, use some mild soap from the Aero Cosmetics Interior cleaner to remove it. Ensure that you wash out the stain completely before you dry the carpet. Next, use a clean cloth to dab out the excess Aero Cosmetics Interior cleaner solution from your carpet, and then let it air dry. If you want your boat carpets to maintain their color and appearance, then be sure that you do not let them sit for too long.
Remove Tough Stains
If you are trying to remove a tough stain from your boat carpet, use some OxiClean Large Area Carpet Cleaner, 64 oz solutions, on your carpet. These solutions will help to break down any of the tough stains that might still be present on your boat’s flooring. If there is any extra stain left behind, try using a spray bottle to remove it. The water will help break down any of those tougher stains easily removed.
Give it a deep cleaning via hand scrubbing.
If you have any tough spots that won’t go away using the residual solution, you can use a little bit of hand scrubbing to remove them. Be sure to use a micro-fiber sponge, brush, or soft cloth to keep your boat looking good. Once you have removed all of the stains and dirt from your boat carpeting, be sure to dry it out with a clean cloth and then let it sit for 24 hours before exposing it to any moisture again.
Dry your Carpet
After you have scrubbed your boat carpeting, we can now get on with the task of drying them. Cleaning your boat carpets is a lot like cleaning your carpets. Therefore, you can dry them by simply using a clean towel. Just be sure that you use a dry towel to avoid the possibility of creating any more stains in the future. You may also consider using an industrial dehumidifier to remove some of the moisture from your carpeted surfaces.
How to maintain your carpet for a long term Basis:
If you have been taking good care of your boat carpets, make sure that you follow a few simple steps to clean bass boat carpets to help your carpets stay in good shape over the long term. This section will cover the Do’s and Don’ts on maintaining your boat carpets.
Don’ts:
- Don’t leave your boat carpets to sit for extended periods. If you want to be sure that you keep their appearance, then be sure that you use a covering on them after every outing.
- Don’t use heavy equipment to get your boat carpets clean. The only time you should use heavy equipment is if the stain is extremely tough, and then it can cause damage to your boat as well.
- Don’t use harsh chemicals to clean your boat carpets.
- Don’t touch any of the furniture that is located in the boat. It is a common mistake to want to touch any of these items, and if you do, you could create more stains on your boat carpets.
Do’s:
- Do use a covered storage unit or a storage area for storing your boat whenever you are not using it. Be sure to use a dry natural fiber material like cotton when storing your boat to avoid any stains.
- Do replace your boat carpet whenever it has been damaged because of accident damage or any other reason. It is a good practice to replace them regularly to avoid any damage. You can also find this information on the most reputable websites.
- Do return all the items you have removed from your boat back home as soon as possible.
- Do clean your boat carpets every time you are heading out on a boating trip. It is an excellent way to keep your boat carpets looking good for long periods.
FAQ
How can I get rid of the smoke smell from my boat carpets?
Step 1: Use a clean towel to soak up the smoke.
Step 2: Use some dry foam to clean the area evenly.
Step 3: Use a dry cloth to remove the excess water from your boat carpet.
Step 4: Dampen another clean cloth with mild soap and apply a liberal amount of soap onto the stain.
Step 5: Next, use a clean brush or sponge to scrub it out. Continue scrubbing until the stain is removed completely.
Step 6: After you have scrubbed out the entire area, use a damp clean cloth to absorb any of the leftover stains from your boat carpet.
How can I remove hot dogs from the carpet?
If you have hot dogs left out on the boat, you can easily remove them using this solution.
Step 1: First, use a towel to soak up any excess grease. Next, apply some soapy water to your hands and then use them to remove any of the greases that have been left behind.
Step 2: Next, apply some soap onto your hands and then use them to scrub out all of the remaining greases. Be sure to use a sponge or scrub brush to remove the rest of the grease.
Step 3: Finally, wipe out all excess solution using a damp clean towel and then let it dry.
Can I use soap to clean my boat carpet?
Yes! It is an excellent way to remove many of those tough spots that might be left behind on your boat carpets. The soap will help break down some of those tougher stains and make them easier to remove. Be sure to use a mild soap to avoid any color damage.
Can I use a pressure wash to clean the Carpet?
Pressure wash is a great way to clean your boat carpets. The pressure from the detergents will help break down any of those tough stains and make them easier to remove. Be careful if you are using a pressure washer, as these machines can cause damage to your boat carpets if you don’t use them properly.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have a better understanding of properly cleaning your boat carpets be sure to start using this guide as soon as possible. Having carpets on your boat is a great way to increase the value and look of the boat. It is also a great way to add extra comfort and style to the boat.
If you’re looking for more information on cleaning boat interiors and vinyl, we have another great guide for that here.
