How to Wax a Boat

Knowing how to wax your boat properly can help keep your boat looking its best. It can also help protect your boat from wear and other damage. By knowing how to wax the boat yourself, you can save the money that you would spend hiring professional waxers to do the job.

Things You'll Need

• Terry towels
• Wax rubbing compound
• A bottle

Instructions

1. Determine how long it's been since you last waxed the boat. Ideally, you should wax the boat once a week. If this isn't possible for you, then at least try to wax the boat once a month. Being in the water can be rough on your boat. Putting a fresh coat of wax on it regularly can help protect it from damage and keep it looking its best.

2. Pick a wax that makes your boat look as good as possible. Boat waxes are found at many retail boating stores.

3. Gather three terry towels and cut them into rags. You can usually get about three or four rags out of each towel.

4. Dilute the rubbing compound about 15 percent and put it into a bottle that allows you to squeeze the mixture out. Empty ketchup or mustard bottles work well.

5. Wet your terry towel, and then ring it out so that it is still damp but not soaking wet.

6. Apply the diluted rubbing compound to a couple feet of the boat's surface, and rub it in with the terry towel by moving your arm in a circular motion. Be sure that you are spreading the mixture on evenly and that it isn't too thick.

7. Wax the boat in 2-foot squares, beginning at one end and slowly working your way down to the other. Then do the other side of the boat. Give the wax time to dry before using the boat.

Tips & Warnings

• Thoroughly clean ketchup and mustard bottles before using.

• Be careful not to slip while you're waxing the boat.