How To Clean Your Bilge Compartment

Let’s first start off by saying it’s easier to own a clean boat than a dirty boat. One area that people seem to forget to maintain is their bilge compartment. This area is critical to the life of the boat. By having a spotless bilge area will make your boating experience much more enjoyable. For example, if your bilge is clean you can easily look down to see if anything is out of place or leaking. When the bilge is dirty you can’t see what’s normal or not. So, with that being said let’s get started.

First pump the bilge dry and remove all loose dirt and debris. Inspect all wires and connections to make sure they are not corroded. Continue your inspection of the bilge to make sure you don’t have any hard stains. Most stains can be removed by purchasing a bilge cleaner from most marine type stores.

Once you have spot cleaned all hard stains and check all connections, you can now do a light rinse of everything in the bilge compartment. If needed, you can take a soft bristle brush and soap down the bilge to knock off any lose dirt.

Make sure to take caution when spraying with your hose to rinse. Avoid direct pressure to any mechanical items in the bilge. Once you have properly cleaned the bilge area allow for the area to dry. Its best to leave the bilge access hatch open for a few hours. This will give the bilge time to dry so you can prevent any mildew from building up. MAKE SURE to close the bilge after it’s dried. The very last thing you want after spending time to clean this area is to have it covered in debris or other critters that may want to take shelter.

This process can be done as many times a year as needed. We do recommend doing this after every few trips. This will just extend the life of the boat and plus it’s always nice to show off a clean boat!

If you have additional questions that you would like answered, don't hesitate to ask your local dealer or drop us a message.