How To Clean Boat Railings

Cleaning boat railings

Two of the commonly used materials for boat railings are chrome and stainless steel. Because of the unique quality of stainless steel, that of being rust free, it is generally used in boat railings. However, without proper care and maintenance, boat railings can be susceptible to rust, especially if they are of very low quality, and might discolor over time. While it is true that change in color on some part of your boat railings is inevitable, there are still ways to minimize this problem—by cleaning your boat railing regularly. You can follow the steps provided below to start this cleaning routine.

  1. Prepare materials that will be needed in cleaning railings of the boat. You need to have metal polish, metal protectant, bucket, detergent soap, marine grade boat soap, sponge or cloth, and water.
  2. Mix detergent soap in a bucket of water to make a soapy water solution. Add a few drops of marine grade boat soap into the solution. Soak sponge or cloth into the solution and squeeze to remove excess water. Wipe down the railings of the boat starting from the top down to the bottom edge. Make sure to wash off any markings like handprints and dirt. Remove grease as well by scrubbing the boat railing with light strokes. You may need to put much pressure on areas where markings are hard to remove but make sure not to scratch the boat railings. Rinse boat railings with water after dirt, grease, and handprints are completely removed. Let the boat railings dry for a couple of minutes.
  3. Purchase a metal polish that is safe for all types of metal. Boat railings can either be made up of chrome or stainless steel so buy the right metal polish depending on the material used for the boat railings. You can also buy a metal polish that is especially made for any type of metal.
  4. Use a polisher in applying metal polish onto the boat railings. The application of the metal polish should be according to the instructions provided in the product manual. After 10 to 15 minutes, remove the polish from the boat railings.  It would be easier to remove the polish if you don’t let it stand for too long.
  5. Apply a second coating of the metal polish on the boat railings and let it air dry. Once dried, use a clean cloth to wipe off the boat railings.
  6. Spray a marine grade protectant after applying the metal polish. Metal protectants are used to prevent corrosion.
  7. Maintain the condition of the boat railings. It would be better to set a schedule for checking up the boat railings.

Protecting boat railings from rust is obligatory. It must be kept in mind to have boat railings cleaned and conditioned regularly so that you can have them for longer use. Just by following simple ways in cleaning boat railings, you are already prolonging its life and need not to spend much money for total restorations.


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