Getting your boat professionally detailed once a year is a great way to keep your boat looking its best and maintaining its value. But sometimes boats need a little more attention than a once-a-year vehicle detailing can offer.
That means you might end up doing a little DIY boat detailing between visits from our mobile pros. If that’s the case, we have some suggestions of materials and methods that you can use to get the best possible results.
How to Get Better Results for DIY Boat Vehicle Detailing
Clean your boat thoroughly before applying wax.
Waxing is an absolute must for a boat. It helps protect the boat’s outer surface from dirt and grime as you move through the water as well as keeps the boat looking showroom new. But wax isn’t going to do you any good if you don’t start with a clean surface.
You’ll want to thoroughly clean your boat from top to bottom, giving it a good scrub with a boat-friendly soap. Make sure that you completely rinse all of the soap off of the surface and then dry it afterwards.
Doing so will help eliminate any water spots on the surface and give you a good base for the wax.
Protect the interior from sun damage.
The sun can do a lot of damage to the interior materials of your boat.
Specifically, it is the ultraviolet rays that are the problem, these are the same rays that you are protecting your skin from when you use sunscreen. The interior of your boat needs the same kind of protection.
Pick up some leather conditioner as well as protective coatings for nylon and plastic surfaces and apply them on a regular basis. This will help prevent the sun from fading the materials or drying them out and causing them to crack.
Keep your boat covered when not in use.
This isn’t just good advice for vehicle detailing; it’s good boat care. When your boat isn’t going to be used for a period of time, take time to cover it up or put it into long term storage.
This will help extend the life of your professional detailing work as well as eliminate some of the DIY work that you’ll need to do during the year.
Boat covers are fine but shrink wrapping your boat for long term storage is best. It will keep both the interior and exterior preserved until you are ready to hit the water again.
Sometimes it’s best to do it by hand.
Some people are tempted to do their DIY boat detailing with fancy machines. In some cases, this could work. But in a majority of instances, it may be better to do the vehicle detailing work by hand.
Boats are known for their small spaces and funny angles that can make it hard for machinery to deliver the results you want to see. You’ll often get better, longer lasting results by pulling on a pair of gloves and doing the work by hand.
This will allow you to get in between instrument panels, around rigging, and shine up all of your aluminum poles as well. It might seem like more work, but you’ll be happier with how it looks in the end.
Use the right products for different materials.
The worst thing you can do for your boat is to try to use one product on every surface. Difference materials need to be treated with different conditioners and protective coatings.
If you want to do some of the vehicle detailing work yourself, it’s best to invest in quality products that are made to work on those specific materials. If you don’t, it could end up damaging your boat’s appearance.
Could Professional Detailing Actually Save you Time and Money?
While taking the DIY approach can help keep your boat looking beautiful all year long, it can also be a big drain on your time and resources. Make sure that you carefully weigh the benefits of DIY vehicle detailing against the cost of materials as well as your time.
You’ll need to invest in the right products and tools to get the job done and can expect to spend several hours on the project. In the end, you may find that it’s easier and cheaper in the long run to depend on professional services.
Don’t Neglect Your Annual Boat Detailing from the Pros!
Doing some vehicle detailing on your own is a great way to keep your boat looking its best, but that doesn’t mean you should put a stop to visits from the Mobile Detailing Pros.
Remember that our mobile detailing service can come to you, making it easier than ever to get your boat professionally detailed!
Make sure that you’ve scheduled your annual boat detailing with our Chicago team by giving us a call or contacting us through our website. We’ll confirm your appointment time or create an appointment at a time that works for you.
