Clean boat carpet to make it SOFT again?

[Ruddiger]

Howdy,

I have a 2019 Ranger that is in great shape and is pampered, but the carpet is impossible to keep soft. I’ve washed it with the vinegar and brush method people rave about here (I think I’ve now read every carpet thread on BBC) and while it’s clean and stain free, it’s also hard and matted, despite combing it back up and shop vacuuming it.

What’s the secret to get it to be soft to the touch? I get that it won’t stand up over time from normal wear, however, it shouldn’t be this crusty feeling in my opinion. The difference between the areas with no wear and the areas we walk on are night and day different.

Any suggestions from people in a similar situation would be greatly appreciated. At this point I’m tempted to try resolve or soap and fabric softener as a boat used this lightly shouldn’t have such an unpleasant carpet.

Take care,

Ruddiger

[206champ]

I have heard of people brushing shaving cream into the carpet and then power washing it and brushing when dry and that is supposed to work. I have never tried it tho. You may want to try a small are and see how it does.

[schinkr1]

Try Barbosal shaving cream. Flood the deck with water and suck it up with a shop vac. Keep flooding the deck and sucking it up until the water is clean. I think that crud you are experiencing is probably dirt trapped in the carpet.

[Cmart334]

I have done the barbasol cleaning before on my old stratos and it worked great. I did a section at a time(front deck,console area ,rear deck) I didn’t flood the deck. I got it damp with a spray bottle then wiped the Barbasol all over the area I wanted to clean , gently scrubbed it in with a soft bristle brush and let it sit about 10 minutes before removing it (as it foams up it seems to push the dirt up)with a shop vac. It definitely brought the carpet back to life. I did some areas twice if the stains were particularly bad. Good luck .

[Cmart334]

I have done the barbasol cleaning before on my old stratos and it worked great. I did a section at a time(front deck,console area ,rear deck) I didn’t flood the deck. I got it damp with a spray bottle then wiped the Barbasol all over the area I wanted to clean , gently scrubbed it in with a soft bristle brush and let it sit about 10 minutes before removing it (as it foams up it seems to push the dirt up)with a shop vac. It definitely brought the carpet back to life. I did some areas twice if the stains were particularly bad. Good luck .

[schinkr1]

Let me be more specific. Bought a new boat last year and by the end of the year, the carpet was getting matted down as you described. I use to clean my last boat with vinegar/water, tried carpet rakes, fabric softener, etc. but could never get that fluff back. So last year I cleaned the carpet with vinegar/water and noticed it still wasn't getting the carpet back to soft, so tried shaving cream as my buddy recommended it. His boat is 6 years old and his carpet is still like new.

I start by just spraying the carpet with a hose, then I apply the shaving cream and work it in with a brush. The brush I use is like a small push broom with stiffer bristles. Let it set for 20 minutes or so, then start to flood the deck with water while removing the dirty water with a shop vac. It's surprising how much dirt gets into the carpet as I usually have to go through the process of hosing down the deck and vacuuming the water up 3 or 4 times until it comes out perfectly clear. I also do it in sections, starting with the front deck, back deck, then cock pit area last since that is where all the dirty water drains.

I'm convinced that matted carpet you are experiencing when it dries is that crud not fully getting extracted from the carpet. Rain water, lake water, it all contains minerals that build up and create that mess. Give it a try and let us know.