There's nothing like riding the waves on the open sea, feeling the wind in your hair and the ocean spray on your skin. The experience is heightened if the boat you're riding is your own! You may already own your own boat, or you may be thinking about getting one. Chances are that if you are reading this, a passion for the water and sport have brought you here. If you're wondering how much of a difference can be made by cleaning and maintaining a used boat, read on.



Whether you've owned a boat for many years or you have just purchased a used boat, nothing will give your watercraft that showroom shine like a proper cleaning. A really good cleaning will pay off should you ever decide to resell your boat. Or, if you're thinking about buying a used boat and have found a great deal on one that looks somewhat dingy - a good cleaning can add sparkle and make your deal seem even better. In order to achieve optimum results without spending days scrubbing and polishing, read the following information.

Go Green

To the best of your ability, try to make sure that cleaning your boat has the minimum impact on the environment. Remember that many bodies of water are full of living things that depend on clean water. Other bodies of water lead into larger bodies that contain wildlife or that funnel into drinking supplies. No matter where you dock and ride your boat, it is best to be conscious of the environment when planning to clean or wash your boat. Clean your boat out of the water unless you are only using water to clean it. Cleaning solutions and wax polishes can harm wildlife.

Since achieving the best results will most likely require the use of cleaning solutions, look for boat cleaning products that are safe for the environment. Invest in cleaner, waxes and polishes that are non-toxic and earth-friendly. Many of these products can be found online. Alternatively, there are safe and effective solutions that can be made from things you probably have in your house or garage. Many of these home-made solutions will work just as well to make your boat look great, reduce the impact on the environment, and save you some cash. Below are some tips for some solutions you can prepare yourself and directions on how to use them.

Let Cleaners Do Their Work

Start out by removing all dust and grit from every surface of the boat. You can use brooms and brushes for this first step. Whether you'll be using a home-made solution or you found suitable, earth-friendly cleaning products, start by applying the soap to the deck and sides of your boat. After applying the solution or soap, wait about five minutes before you start to scrub. Giving the cleaning product time to set in and start working before scrubbing will make the cleaning job a bit easier and provide a better result. Tough dirt and grime begin to dissolve after a few minutes of being soaked in cleaning solution, so get your rubber gloves on, grab your brushes and get ready to apply some elbow grease!

Make sure you have the proper equipment including brushes, adaptors, rags and towels. If you plan on using some of the following suggestions for creating your own environmentally safe cleansers, you'll also need buckets, plenty of clean water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and laundry detergent.

Get to Scrubbin'

* Clean the heads by mixing a solution of baking soda and water and using a scrub brush

* Dirty canvas can be made to look near-new by following these instructions:

- Mix ? cup of hydrogen peroxide with 3 tablespoons of laundry detergent

- Apply mixture to canvas, wait 30 minutes, then brush off.

- Repeat

* Stay away from bleach, as it is harmful for the environment and the canvas on your boat

* To clean windows, mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 quart of water and scrub all windows with this solution.

* For vinyl tile and linoleum floors, use 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of baking soda and dilute in 1 gallon of warm water. Scuff marks can often be removed by applying toothpaste and scrubbing with a bristled brush.

* Make sure to pay attention to details, clean and polish all chrome to make your used boat shine. You can clean chrome with apple cider vinegar and polish it to a sparkle with baby oil.

* Instead of using chemical cleaners on the wood in your boat, consider polishing it with almond, walnut or olive oil.

* Wax your boat, if appropriate. A coat of good wax will not only help your used boat look brand new, but will also prevent surface dirt from becoming ingrained.

* If you are willing to spend a little to achieve a better result or don't trust your amateur boat cleaning skills, it is a good idea to contract a professional boat cleaner. If you take this route, make sure to interview a couple of different vendors, ask about their methods, and make sure they use only environmentally safe products .

Accessorize

After you've scrubbed your used boat, polished every part and waxed the entire thing to a dazzling shine, you should see a great difference from before you started. You may think you are finished revitalizing your used boat, but guess what? There's more you can do to breathe new life into that watercraft. Investing in some new boat accessories can add some sparkle and make your older boat feel brand new. Often, you can even find newer used accessories to buy from people that took up boating on a whim, bought a bunch of stuff, then decided to drop the hobby in the end. You can get great deals on used boat accessories by looking through the classifieds in your local newspaper or even by browsing the boating section of online classifieds.