How do you wash your boat cover?

[SuperSaltAir]

I think its time to wash my boat cover and I was hoping to get some ideas on how you guys do it before i lay it out on the driveway and just hose it down. Any input is welcome has anyone used one of those huge washing machines at a public laundry mat?

[Salty87]

i've been looking for a laundromat around me...do they exist anymore?

county is putting in a new water main along my street....frickin dust bowl out there already, now add construction and heavy equipment.

[wotan2525]

If you figure out a way, let me know.

I tried to take mine in to the laundramat and after stuffing it into the oversized machine it became obvious that it still wasn't big enough to actually agitate it enough to wash the whole thing.

[MXZDrew]

I just leave them on the boat and go to a quarter carwash. You obviously don't need to get the wand right up on it. The wind from the spray and the water will take care of dusty covers easily. Spot treat with 303 fabric cleaner and. Soft brush. Let dry outside, then treat with 303 fabric sealant to maintain water repelancy.

[tomelenbaas]

If it's a Sunbrella cover, taking it to the laundro-mat will clean it, but it will also destroy the waterproofing. I just use a high power nozzle on my hose and every couple of years treat it with water repellant.

[rludtke]

How about spreading it out on the driveway, and scrubbing it with long handled scrub brush using a small amount of low suds laundry detergent in hot water. Then rinse with a high pressure garden hose. Flip it over and do the underside too. Hang dry.

[Ed G]

seems we all wash ours pretty much the same way.

I spread mine out on the driveway, hose it down, then use a scrub brush and a bucket of water and Woolite as detergent.

Hose it down untill all the soap disappears and then hang it up from a couple of trees to dry.


One of these days, I'm gonna take it to the laundromat and wash it in "Revivex" - the stuff that restores the water repellency in gore-tex rain gear.

[Jetlink]

I find that washing it while on the boat works...or, you can do the drive and clean method. Wait for a good downpour rain, get your boat up to about 70-80MPH on the highway in the good driving rain. That worked for me earlier this month.

[mapleleaf]

I'D be wary of putting covers in a standard machine as they can rip easily, working with the elements is prolly the best way to go.....

[SuperSaltAir]

For the guys that wash it on the boat what if you get the boat wet?

[Jetlink]

For the guys that wash it on the boat what if you get the boat wet?

A good cover that is used properly shouldn't allow the boat to get wet. I trust my cover fully to handle it as it has weathered the 70+MPH microbursts that have hammered my neighborhood this summer. If you don't feel comfortable blasting your cover with a pressure washer like I do, you could look into building a jig to support better from within the boat. The thought had crossed my mind if the cover couldn't handle a simple hit from the pressure washer that I would do that.

[Ed G]

oh man, there just ain't no way I would ever recommend using a pressure washer on a boat cover - even with the lowest pressure nozzle.

The newest ones (at least on my 2009) are sunbrella material and cost about a $1000 to replace.

If you used a PW on the old grey canvass covers, you'd blow a hole right thru them "bedsheets."

[WadsworthSunsport22V]

For the guys that wash it on the boat what if you get the boat wet?

My boat is someone what water proof :)

Actually, I sent mine to the dry cleaners and for $20.00 it looked like new when it was covered in bird droppings. Typical, I just use a garden hose with Liquid Tide Free and wash off the pollen and dirt.

[Jetlink]

oh man, there just ain't no way I would ever recommend using a pressure washer on a boat cover - even with the lowest pressure nozzle.

The newest ones (at least on my 2009) are sunbrella material and cost about a $1000 to replace.

If you used a PW on the old grey canvass covers, you'd blow a hole right thru them "bedsheets."

You gotta be smart about it. I have both a gas powered one and a baby electric one that doesn't really do much except maybe "scare" the dirt and stuff. I have found that for the areas that are rather stubborn, use the electric one on the lowest PSI available, otherwise garden hose and good nozzle work best for me. The cover handles it just fine.

[Ed G]

LOL! - I'm gonna be smart about it and not do it!

Just like anything - whatever works for you, ain't necessarily gonna be in my bowl of cheerios.

[haugy]

DO NOT USE A PRESSURE WASHER

The only time you can use a pressure washer is if you had a custom vinyl cover made. My old boat had one and it was 22mil thick. No way a pressure washer was going through that.

But most are sunbrella or another fabric like variant. Either way, they breathe. That's their design, to be tightly woven enought to allow water to not soak through when treated with water repellent, but still allow mimimum air movement.

By pressure washing them, you're opening up the fabric ever so slightly everytime you do it. Over time you will lose the ability to keep water out. Yes it won't let rain through, but moisture will begin to collect on the underside like dew, which creates a hot moist environment ideal for mildew and rot. Not to mention that when you pressure wash them you can damage the stitches are reinforcement points allowing a tear later down the road.

Grab a beer, spread it out, use a normal garden hose and sprayer, and scrub it with some normal soap and water. Should take you 20 minutes to clean it. Put it up off the ground on some lawnchairs or sawhorses to dry. Done. Every 3-4 years you should retreat the cover for water repellent. If it's constantly bombarded by weather (rain and snow) do it every 2 years. This will ensure you have good water beading and runoff.

DO NOT PRESSURE WASH YOUR COVERS.

[Memmer99]

What brand water repellent do you guys use and where do you get it?

[Ed G]

I use a brand called "Revivex" and it can be found in stores that specialize in good camping gear...Not stores likes Dick's or Sports Unlimited

Of course theare are always places online like campmor.com