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Best Cleaner for Fiberglass Boat – 2021 Reviews
In this article, we shall take a look at some of the best cleaner for fiberglass boat on the market, giving a short review of each. If you want to dive even deeper into the subject, you can read our buying guide after that to learn about the factors to consider when you’re on the market for a good fiberglass cleaner.
So, without further ado, let’s begin!
In a Hurry?
Our favorite pick, by far, is the Star Brite Ez-On Ez-Off Cleaner. Not only is this cleaner tough on stains, like the marine deposits found on the bottom of the hull, but it also doesn’t contain any harsh acids and is environmentally friendly.
Best Cleaner for Fiberglass Boat – Introduction
Any boat owner that loves and values their boat likes to keep it looking as good as new. That can be a little difficult when you consider all the stains a boat can collect over its many adventures over the years.
To complicate matters further, you can’t use just any cleaner on the market to clean your boat if it’s made of fiberglass. Most of these cleaners will damage the fiberglass and its gel coat. It’s, therefore, necessary to find a cleaner that will be tough on stains but gentle on your boat.
Best Fiberglass Boat Cleaner Reviews – Our Top 6
Star Brite Ez-On Ez-Off Cleaner
When you’re cleaning your fiberglass boat, you want a cleaner that is thorough with the toughest stains and dirt so your boat looks as good as new at the end.
This bottom cleaner from Star Brite does just that. It will clean all the toughest parts of your boat’s hull, such as the bottom, with as much ease as it cleans the top.
The special formula piqued my interest, in particular, because it doesn’t have any strong acids, which are rather common among regular cleaners.
This product is not only safe for your boat but is also environmentally friendly, especially for the water that your boat comes into contact with most of the time.
Among the toughest stains to clean on the bottom of a boat are the hard mineral deposits. This cleaner dispenses with them without breaking a sweat.
The specialized formula dissolves and loosens up the minerals, making them easy to wipe off with a brush or even cloth. All you have to do is apply the cleaner to the affected area and then gently wipe it off. In a few minutes, all those tough stains on your boat will be gone!
This is an excellent boat cleaner that will save you time cleaning your boats, getting rid of tough stains like water lines and marine deposits.
The biggest issue it has is that it has a strong smell which some find unpleasant. It might therefore be a good idea to wear a mask when cleaning with it.
Collinite 920 Fiberglass Boat Cleaner
When picking a good fiberglass boat cleaner, you will do well to pick one that was specially formulated to protect the hull and bottom from the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to the elements.
You want a product that will not only clean your boat and restore it to looking brand new, but also protect it and keep it looking like that for a long time to come.
The Collinite 920 cleaner does just that. It not only cleans and restores your boat, but it protects it and improves its longevity as well. There aren’t too many boat cleaners out there that manage to pull all 3 feats off (clean, shine, and protect), so this one is certainly a rare specimen and a great one at that.
All you have to do is apply a few coats and then wipe the cleaner off gently with a cloth. When we first tested it, we merely expected the stains to be removed and though that would be all. However, once we had wiped the whole boat off, it looked fresh and natural, as if it had been bought just recently.
This fiberglass boat cleaner will also protect your boat from fading cracking, any many other effects of prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. The designers of these cleaners seemed to empathize with the trials that come with a marine environment and formulated it to make things easier.
While the formulation itself does not contain any wax or polish, it prepares the fiberglass surface of the boat very well for wax application, allowing you to add a final coat of polish that has your boat shining from here to Timbuktu.
The main problem with this fiberglass boat cleaner is the potential for irritation if it comes into contact with your eyes or skin. We, therefore, recommend that you wear safety gear like goggles and gloves when using it to clean your boat.
Star Brite 098932 Fiberglass Stain Remover
Yet another Star Brite product, reflecting the kind of reputation this manufacturer has for making top-notch products.
This particular fiberglass boat cleaner has a gel formulation that is clingy and can attach well to dirt, allowing you to remove it from the surface of the fiberglass easily.
Another major advantage of a gel type fiberglass boat cleaner is that it clings for a longer period than liquid type fiberglass boat cleaner. As a result, it penetrates even deeper into the source and gets rid of the stain completely.
This particular fiberglass boat cleaner is very easy to use. All you have to do is spray it onto the offending surface, wait for a bit so it can penetrate to the source of the dirt, and then gently wipe it off the surface and rinse to see the results.
It’s also a very versatile fiberglass cleaner. It’s not just for removing the stains off the hull of your fiberglass boat, but also other surfaces, such as painted once, vinyl, rubber, and even your carpet.
That makes it offer great value for money as you can use it in your home or clean your RV as well. It’s also pretty good at removing water level marks, which are known for being especially notorious stains.
The formula is also quite safe. You don’t have to worry about it destroying your upholstery or various fragile surfaces. It also doesn’t have a strong odor and isn’t especially irritating for the skin and eyes, though we still advise you to use protective gear, just to be safe.
The only downside is that it is a little pricier than the competition. But it’s definitely worth it.
MaryKate MK2032 On Off Cleaner
The fact of the matter is that cleaning a fiberglass boat is hard work. Getting the best fiberglass boat cleaner can certainly make the job easier. The MaryKate cleaner does the job well, allowing you to clean off all the toughest stains from your boat easily.
This cleaner is especially great for the bottom of the boat, with a powerful formula that removes tough stains on the underside of your boat, including marine deposits.
It also has a long-lasting effect on any surface you use it to clean, protecting it from the elements for a long time to come. Moreover, it causes the surface to shine and doesn’t leave any greasy residues behind after you wipe it off.
It’s also great cleaning off organic matter from the hull of the boat’s fiberglass hull without damaging the paint or gel coat. All you have to do is apply it, give it a couple of minutes to set and then wipe it off with a cloth and rinse for best results.
It’s also made right here in the USA, making it a great choice for those who like to buy local products. Products made locally tend to be of much higher quality than those made overseas, and they also support the local economy.
The only issue with this cleaner, as with many other cleaners, is the strong odor that it emits. It’s best to wear protective clothing when cleaning with it to avoid irritation to the nose, eyes, and skin.
Star Brite Non-Skid Deck Cleaner
Yet a third Star Brite product! This one is a special one as it is made especially to clean fiberglass decks, removing the toughest stains while protecting the paint and fiberglass on your deck.
It will actually clean many different types of surfaces, including metal, vinyl, plastic, rubber, and many others. It is a versatile cleaner that is suitable not only for your boat but your home as well.
It also adds a protective coat to the surface of the deck, safeguarding it from stains, dirt, and the elements. It does this via special polymer agents contained in its formulation.
Another thing I like about this cleaner is just how effective it is at cleaning non-textured surfaces. These are surfaces that are super smooth and therefore difficult to clean stains off of, even with a brush. This cleaner can deal with them quickly and easily.
Finally, this is yet another cleaner made in the USA, making it a great buy for patriots. It also doesn’t have a strong odor. It is, however, pretty pricey compared to the alternatives, but we reckon it’s worth every penny.
Meguiar’s M6132 Flagship Cleaner
This cleaner can do three things: clean, restore, and protect your boat’s fiberglass hull. It’s the flagship premium cleaner for Meguiar so you know it does the job very well.
The M6132 will clean water spots, scratches, oxidation, and regular stains. It also restores the hull to its former glossiness and protects it from the elements after cleaning. It’s especially versatile in that it can be used to clean different surfaces, not just fiberglass.
This cleaner is also formulated using biodegradable and environment friendly ingredients, making it a good buy for those who are conscious of their environmental footprint.
The container design is a little poor quality in my opinion, as you need to put too much effort into squeezing it to get the cleaning solution out. That said, it’s still a great buy all things held equal.
Fiberglass Cleaners – Buying Guide
Before we can do a deep dive into the details of what factors you should consider when buying a fiberglass boat cleaner, we need to understand what a fiberglass cleaner is.
A fiberglass boat cleaner is a special cleaning solution that has been designed to clean surfaces made out of fiberglass. These include the hull of your boat. These cleaning agents are designed to clean fiberglass without damaging the surface and its coat of gel.
This type of cleaner is quite useful, as it allows you to remove both stains and scratches from the hull of your boat, making your boat look brand new again without having to do a complete overhaul.
Fiberglass is generally a very delicate surface to work with, and most cleaners have formulas that would be abrasive to fiberglass if they came into contact with it. That is why you need to use specially formulated fiberglass cleaner when cleaning your boat.
So how does fiberglass cleaner work?
The cleaner works via deep penetration, both into the dirt and stains on the fiberglass, cleaning the surface thoroughly and leaving your boat looking as good as new. These cleaners are gentle to the material in your boat, as they contain no ingredients that would be abrasive to fiberglass.
There are many different types of fiberglass boat cleaners, with the two most common types being gel type cleaners and liquid type cleaners.
Gel type cleaners are more common than liquid type cleaners, and are used for their ability to cling more closely to the fiberglass surface of your boat. A gel type cleaner is also easier to apply and less messy than a liquid type cleaner.
Liquid type cleaners, on the other hand, have the advantage that the can cover more surface quicker than gel-type cleaners. They are, however, messier and more difficult to control than gel type cleaners.
So why do you need a fiberglass boat cleaner?
Well, the fiberglass hull of your boat is the most exposed part of it, and it takes most of the damage from the elements. It, therefore, experiences accelerated wear and tear relative to the other components of your boat. This can leave you with a boat that looks far newer on the inside than it does on the outside.
Fiberglass boat cleaners help to correct that anomaly by restoring your boat and getting it to look brand new again. All it takes is removing the numerous stains and blobs of dirt on the fiberglass hull.
But there are other advantages to using fiberglass boat cleaner on your hull:
- Your boat’s hull looking vibrant
Fiberglass boat cleaners will remove even the most stubborn stains, restoring the exterior of your boat and causing it to look vibrant again. - It protects your hull
Fiberglass boat cleaner not only removes those ugly stains from the hull of your boat but also provides protection to the hull and its gel coat. This will keep it looking vibrant far longer than it would without the use of the cleaning solution. - It increases the market value of your boat
This is a natural consequence of the restoration that fiberglass boat cleaner does for your boat. It makes the exterior look more aesthetically pleasing and the boat fetches a higher market price if you’re trying to attract buyers and sell it. - Improves the longevity of your boat
Fiberglass boat cleaners do more than just remove stains and dirt from your boat’s hull. They also remove residue and rust that would otherwise have eaten into the hull and compromised its structural integrity. As a result, cleaning your boat’s hull with a fiberglass cleaner on the regular ensures that it lasts longer.
That said, there are also a few disadvantages to fiberglass boat cleaners:
- Some may contain harsh ingredients
While the ingredients in these cleaning solutions are easy on the fiberglass, they might be hard on your eyes and skin. It is therefore important to get a brand that’s gentle on the skin so cleaning your boat isn’t an especially difficult endeavor. - Some may be expensive
Fiberglass boat cleaners are certainly effective, but some of them can be rather forbiddingly expensive. It is important to pick the products that straddle the sweet spot between affordability and high quality. Luckily, most of the products in our review are right at that sweet spot.
Being able to clean your boat’s fiberglass hull and restore it to its former glory is something that anyone who loves their boat would appreciate. It will keep your boat looking good, make it last longer, and also increase its value for when you try to sell it off.
Factors to consider when buying a fiberglass boat cleaner
As with anything that you might buy, it’s a good idea to shop around and not pick the very first product you set your eyes on. You should consider at least a few factors before making your buying decision. At the end of the day, you want a good fiberglass boat cleaner that does the job well without putting you or boat at risk, and that also doesn’t cost a small fortune.
Here are some of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a fiberglass boat cleaner:
- The composition of the cleaner
It’s a good idea to look at what ingredients your cleaner is made of. You want a cleaner that’s going to get read of the toughest dirt and stains on your boat without compromising the integrity of the boat hull.
What you want is a cleaner that’s just strong enough to be hard on the hardest stains on the hull of your boat, yet still gentle on the fiberglass and gel coat in the hull itself. In other words, you want a cleaner with a non-abrasive composition. It might also be a good idea to consider getting a fiberglass boat cleaner that is versatile enough to be used on other surfaces, such as metal and painted surfaces.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can look for something that is environment friendly and biodegradable. Remember that the hull of your boat is in constant contact with the water, so it’s probably a good idea to get a cleaner that won’t pollute the water. - The response time of the cleaner
The hull of a boat consists of a very large surface area. If you cleaned it by hand, it would take a very long time. That’s why it’s a good idea to get a fiberglass boat cleaner that responds quickly and saves you time on cleaning.
That way, you can spend more of your precious time actually enjoying your boat. That said, be careful when you choose a fiberglass boat cleaner. You want something that acts quickly to remove the stains on your boat, not damage the gel coat and paint. - How easy the cleaner is to apply
This is a continuation of the previous point. Again, the surface of the hull of your boat is quite large, and cleaning it is bound to take a while. To make things easier for yourself, you should pick a fiberglass boat cleaner that spreads out quickly and easily and is easy to apply. That way you spend more time actually cleaning and less time on the application.
Gel type cleaners are the easiest to use on large surfaces as they are less messy and more solid than their liquid type counterparts. They also have a clingy nature, which makes it easier to spread them cleanly and evenly than liquid fiberglass boat cleaners. - The cleaning power of the cleaner
This happens to be one of the most important things to consider when picking a fiberglass boat cleaner. This is especially important if the hull of your boat has very tough stains. You want to pick a fiberglass boat cleaner that is very good at cleaning the hull of your boat without stripping off the gel coat or paint.
That said, you don’t always necessarily need a very strong formula. Sometimes all you need to do is apply another layer of the cleaner. It’s also important to know what type of cleaning you intend to do on your boat when picking a cleaner.
If you want to do a thorough cleaning because it’s been a while and your boat has tough stains, then a strong cleaner is a good idea. If it’s just a regular maintenance clean, then a milder agent is fine. - How versatile the cleaner is
Whatever fiberglass boat cleaner you get in the end, you want as much bang for your buck as you can get. A versatile cleaner will certainly give you that. A versatile cleaner is one that can not only clean the fiberglass surface of the hull of your boat but other surfaces as well.
Something that you can clean both your boat and your home with represents great value for your money that you certainly shouldn’t overlook it. - The protection provided by the cleaner
Cleaning the fiberglass hull of your body isn’t just about cleaning it. A good fiberglass cleaner should also provide protection to your boat so it maintains its minty look for a while. - Waxes are particularly great for adding extra protection to the hull and its gel coat. Some fiberglass cleaners include wax and polish in their formulation. When you clean your boat with them, they leave an extra protective layer of wax to protect your boat.
It’s important to know the factors you should consider when on the market for a fiberglass boat cleaner. That way, you’re likely to choose the best one to meet the needs of your boat. The right product will not only clean your boat but keep it looking fresh for a long time after.
All of the products reviewed in this article score positively on most of the factors mentioned here, so you can rest assured you’re getting a high-quality product by following our recommendations.
FAQ
How do you clean a fiberglass boat deck?
There are a lot of ways to clean the deck of a boat but our suggestion is to go for a product that’s made especially to clean this part of the boat. A product that was made to clean the fiberglass surface of a boat deck ensures that the toughest stains come off while the paint and gel coat of the deck remain intact.
While there are lots of solutions recommended for the job all over the internet, not all of them are gentle on fiberglass, and you’re better off going for a specially formulated and proven product for the sake of your boat.
How do you remove tough yellow stains from a fiberglass surface?
The best way to do this is to use a strong and effective fiberglass boat cleaner. All of the products featured in this review can do the job very well, even when dealing with yellow stains.
But you can go beyond just cleaning tough yellow stains. You can pick products that incorporate wax or polish in them so they leave an extra protective coat to keep the hull of your boat shielded from the elements. Again, many of the products in our review have this feature so you’re covered on that front as well.
How do you clean the bottom of a fiberglass boat?
You can do this with the same fiberglass boat cleaner you use for the rest of the boat, though you might want one with a stronger formulation to handle the tougher stains on the bottom of your fiberglass boat.
That said, make sure the formulation isn’t abrasive to the fiberglass on the bottom of your boat, even as it removes those tough and unsightly stains.
Should I care about the product’s warranty policy?
Yes you should. The warranty policy is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a fiberglass boat cleaner. It gives you recourse in the event the product does not work as advertised or if it turns out to be the wrong product altogether.
What should I use to clean by a fiberglass boat?
When using a fiberglass boat cleaner, cleaning your boat should be relatively easy work. All you need is a scrubber or brush and a piece of cloth. The scrubber is for the especially tough stains, which may need hard scrubbing to get off. The cloth is to wipe and rinse off the cleaned area.
It’s also advisable that you get protective gear when cleaning your fiberglass boat with a fiberglass boat cleaner. While the chemicals contained in the formula are gentle on the fiberglass, they may not be as gentle on you. You should therefore wear goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and skin as you work on cleaning the hull of the boat.
Best Cleaner for Fiberglass Boat – Conclusion
And with that we come to the end of our review of the best cleaner for fiberglass boat in the market. As you can see, getting the right fiberglass boat cleaner for your needs boils down to knowing what to look for and assessing all the relevant factors when deciding what to buy.
All of the products in our review do the job very well while giving you value for your money. Get one of them and your boat is bound to look good as new.
Not only can you enjoy more adventures on the water, but you can rest easy knowing no stain will be too tough to handle and you can make your boat look good as new in a couple of hours of a thorough cleaning.
Happy sailing, and keep reading the www.desperatesailors.com blog!
References
- Nebraska Extension In Lancaster County – Cleaning Fiberglass Tubs & Showers
- Lake George Association – Eco-Friendly Boat Cleaning Products
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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