As a pontoon boat owner, I am very familiar with cleaning and taking care of aluminum, after all it’s what my pontoon tube are constructed from. One of the better ways I have found to clean aluminum boats is to use vinegar. It does work, and it can work very well. Here’s a basic overview of how to do it, and what you will need.
Use a 50/50 mix ratio of vinegar with water (preferably distilled). Spray the solution on to the aluminum boat, and then wipe away with clean towel.
How to Use Vinegar to Clean an Aluminum Boat
Vinegar is acidic, and aluminum is a metal with a reactive base. That’s why using vinegar to clean an aluminum boat works so well, because the metal will act aggressively towards any acid in order to neutralize it.
But there are some things you need to be aware of in order to do this correctly.
Before I get into the process though, here are the types of items that you can successfully polish up when cleaning a boat with vinegar, and not just aluminum items!
- Water spots and splashes on aluminum hulls and parts
- Vinyl seats and benches including the helm station
- Side walls and panels
- Aluminum pontoon tubes
- Outboard motors
- Anchor winches
Vinegar is a great cleaning solution for boats. It’s very cheap too and doesn’t cost as much as actual specialist cleaning products.
What You Will Need
Here’s what you need plus the vinegar water ratio for cleaning boats.
- 50% white vinegar
- 50% clean water (distilled preferably)
- Small spray bottle (buy on Amazon)
- Clean non-abrasive towel, cloth or rag
Cleaning an Aluminum Boat with Vinegar in 4 Steps
You won’t believe how quick and simple this is, and the type of results you will get. Here are the steps you need to follow to get really good results.
Step 1: Clean Up Dirty Aluminum with Soapy Water
If you have a lot of dirt already on the area you want to clean, whether that’s grime or filthy water spots, firstly clean up the area using a mild soap solution mixed with a little water.
That will take the bulk of the dirt off, but not the smears or water marks.
Step 2: Mix Water and Vinegar at a 50/50 Ratio
Then mix up the vinegar and water solution at a 50/50 ratio into a small bucket. That’s the optimum vinegar water ratio for cleaning boats.
Ideally the clean water should be warm, and if possible distilled. Never use water from the lake or sea, and salt water is a definite “no no”, as it will just make the problem you want to clean a whole lot worse.
Step 3: Spray the Vinegar Cleaning Solution On
Pour your mix into a cheap water spraying bottle and use that to spray on the dirty or water marked aluminum you want to clean on your boat.
Leave it for 60 seconds (unless it’s running away down the boat) as this will let the vinegar soak in and attach to the dirt or grime.
Step 4: Wipe the Vinegar and Dirt Clean Away
Now use the wet corner of a clean towel or cloth and start to rub the aluminum area completely clean.
I find that upwards and downward stokes are best, and if you are left with any streaks you can use circular motions to rub those away.
Tips on Cleaning a Boat with Vinegar
- Use clean and distilled water
- Use a 50/50 vinegar to water ratio
- Use a clean and wet cloth to clean
It is essential to wipe off the vinegar cleanly. That will stop you from losing small amounts of aluminum which has reacted with the cleaning solution to neutralize the pH acidity.
A Better Product for Improved Results
Whilst a 50/50 vinegar and water ratio solution is going to work well for cleaning aluminum boats, there will be occasions when it doesn’t get rid of all marks and stains.
You will have stubborn water stains and dirt that need more elbow grease, and even then, you might not get the aluminum completely clean.
Cleaning aluminum boat with vinegar will only get you so far.
Whilst I love it, I’ve actually stopped using it over the last 12 months and now use a specialist product. I know that goes against everything I have said so far but let me explain.
It’s called Boat Bling Hot Sauce.
It will remove even the most stubborn water marks and streaking stains from aluminum boats and won’t leave any left over marking.
It also has a wax in it that will leave a polish, so your aluminum looks great, and will be more resistant to future spots so you don’t have to clean as often.
When you first open it up, you will smell the vinegar in it, as that’s one of the major ingredients. But it’s the Carnuba wax ingredient that really makes it worth the little extra cost.
Using it is simple, you just spray it on then wipe it clean with no need for hosing.
You’re left with a shiny finish on the aluminum, and zero water marks and streaks.
Here’s why I love it:
- Leaves a shiny wax finish on your aluminum.
- The wax will also help to prevent water spots in the future.
- Make for light cleaning work with less elbow grease.
- Doesn’t cost huge amounts of money.
- You can leave it under the seats for when you need it.
- No need to mess around mixing water and vinegar.
- Always keep a bottle on board.
I always have a bottle of the stuff under my seats, and unlike the vinegar and water solution, I don’t have to clean my boat’s aluminum after every trips, only every few trips now.
It’s not expensive, and it’s also worth buying a gallon replacement so you can top up as and when required.
Check it out and test some, I promise you that you will get far better results on your aluminum boat.
What Vinegar Won’t Clean
Whilst this method is excellent in most cases of cleaning a boat with vinegar, there are some things that it won’t work on, and you can probably guess what those are.
An example, if you have barnacles and algae on your boat’s aluminum, then you have zero chance of vinegar working. Similarly, it’s not great with salt deposits or mildew stains on vinyl.
It also doesn’t work at all well with scuff marks that you might have picked up when parking at a dock or marina.
It’s best for dirt such as water marks or smears, bird or insect droppings, and what I would describe as minor cleaning jobs.
Facebook Comments
I also decided to ask the question “what success and results have you had from cleaning a boat with vinegar” in some online boating forums. Here’s a selection of some of the most useful responses.
“I used to swear on cleaning aluminum boat with vinegar until I started using the Hot Sauce cleaner. It’s got vinegar in it, but also wax and protectants and leaves a far better finish and treatment on our aluminum.”
“One thing I have learned is that when I use an aluminum cleaners that’s best to spray a fine mist of vinegar on while wet, it neutralizes the acid in the cleaner and gets even better cleaning results.”
“I have used vinegar to the clean green moss from my boat carpet. It worked much better than Lysol and didn’t come back afterwards. I recommend vinegar for all sorts of boat cleaning jobs.”
“I even used a mix of vinegar and water to bake out a tank full of salt from my boat’s motor. I ran the motor until it reached 180 degrees, then flushed the motor with fresh. Had over a cup of solids at the bottom of the tank, let alone what the solution helped to dissolve.”
“A good cleaner to remove the mold from boat seats as well as brighten them up is a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water then protect with a 303 cleaner. It works every time for me.”
Conclusion
For a cheap and effective method, use vinegar to clean your aluminum boat. It will get rid of most water spots and a lot of the marks you see.
But, it can only go so far.
The Hot Sauce spray is really good.
I don’t have any affiliation with this brand whatsoever, it’s purely a recommendation on what I have found to work best on my aluminum pontoon boat.
Given how little it costs to buy, it’s certainly worth looking at as it will reduce your cleaning time, leave a shiny waxed finish and also repel water better, meaning less water spots and dirt.
