Boat Soap

Do you see any problem with using Woodys boat soap with wax on my Sunbrella covers as I am washing the boat?

I use it every week. Great stuff. I do recommend treating all your canvas with 303 fabric protector.

Barlow1016 said:

Do you see any problem with using Woodys boat soap with wax on my Sunbrella covers as I am washing the boat?

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Sunbrella recommends a solution of water and a mild soap like Woolite or Dawn. Not sure how any wax residue might affect the material. But i know for stubborn stains you can even use a diliuted bleach water solution.

-Kevin

-Kevin

I would not use Dawn to wash anything on the topside of the boat. It will remove the wax you worked so hard to apply.

I use Woolite on my Sunbrella then treat with 303.

Used Woody's for years. It will not harm Sunbrella. Might even help.

hottoddie said:

I would not use Dawn to wash anything on the topside of the boat. It will remove the wax you worked so hard to apply.

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Absolutely! Do not use Dawn if the canvas is still on the boat unless you plan to re wax any areas it will get on.
For routine boat washes I usually just hose the canvas down with the hose. I’ve got really great pressure at my dock. Loose airborn dirt, pollen and salt spray will rinse right off treated canvas.
For bird droppings or a little deeper on boat cleaning I usually just use the same boat soap that I use to wash the boat and the same soft brush.
For deeper annual cleanings I put whatever pieces of canvas I can in a large machine at the laundromat and use woolite and some bleach. Let them air dry then re waterproof them.
For the pieces that can’t go in the machine, like the ones with the shiny underside, I take them off the boat and mix up a bucket of water with some woolite, scrub them down with a soft brush, air dry and re waterproof. I usually skip the bleach on the shiny undersides but if I see a little mildew starting on the underside I spray the watered down spot with a little bleach, agitate it with a soft brush then thoroughly rinse it.

Barlow1016 said:

Do you see any problem with using Woodys boat soap with wax on my Sunbrella covers as I am washing the boat?

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Eh, I don’t think I would use the soap with wax. I’ve liked the non-wax Woody’s soap - smell nice and is supposed to combat mildew.

For washing canvas in spring time I use 303 sunbrella cleaner. If there is mildew I hit it with some Spray Nine. Dry, then apply 303 fabric protector (waterproofer). That’s pretty much it for the season. Washing with soap will remove the 303 waterproofer so I’ll just rinse or lightly brush with water if needed.

I just use my classic car wash soap. It’s really mild and doesn’t strip the wax. I use a micro fiber cloth to wash the cars with but the boat gets the car wash brush. We get lots of dirt just from the air and the refinery is right across the river.

Today I just used the hose with nothing. Rinsed the outside and sprayed the heck out of the bilges and cockpit. Tomorrow I’ll have the brush with me. We just got the water on a couple days ago.

One of the neighbors on the dock told me to be careful with bug sprays. Don’t get it on the clear vinyl as it Mars it and smears all over. Fortunately the bugs aren’t out yet.