car wash and laundromat

[AB_Monterey]

Going to do some boat cleaning this week.

Want to pull the rugs and take them to a self-serve car wash and also take the canvas to a laundromat that has a large non-agitator machine.

Can anyone point me to the nearest options to Alton Bay?

:cheers:

[BroadHopper]

I don't know about Alton but there is a couple of Laundromats on Union Ave in Laconia. I put my carpets in the washer on cold water and dry them out on the railing of the sundeck. I do the cover in the large drum washer, dry them on the sundeck railings, then spray them with waterproofing when dry.

[ghfromaltonbay]

The Laundromat in Alton has several large 6 load machines which should be fine for your boat cover. These machines are front loaders with no agitators and take quarters or credit cards. The laudromat has a change machine and also a machine which sells detergent if you don't bring your own. It's located on School Street directly behind the Alton Post Office.

[AB_Monterey]

Perfect. Thanks. Any suggestions on soap? Do you guys use regular clothing detergent?

I have a tiny bit of mildew on the bow cover that I want to remove before waterproofing.

[BroadHopper]

I find the powdered detergent, for some reason, does a far better job on carpets and covers than the liquid variety. As for brand, I'm partial to Tide, but I'm sure any brand will do.

[AC2717]

real quick question on this one. I have some mold mildew build up on the underside of the canvas, so I have to try to scrub this off before I go wash them or should it come off? I think I tried scrubbing before but I washed by hand.

[AB_Monterey]

Good question.

The last time, I power washed off the start of any mold before I treated the canvas. It was fine at the time but comments on here afterward indicated that it wasn't a great idea. (Hey, I'm full of 'em!) :laugh:

So, I think my plan will be to stop in at Gillan and see what they recommend. Perhaps some sort of a pre-treatment spray or something unless someone can verify that the washer will take the mold out with just the detergent?

I've got very little on there.

[CL 240 LS]

I have canvas with similar mold or dirt buildup on the inside of the cover. How did you make out cleaning your covers?

[AB_Monterey]

Picked up a mildew treatment from Irwin's in Alton Bay.

Treated and then ran through the washer at the laundromat.

Worked great.

[CL 240 LS]

Did it today at the laundromat, Woolite and a cup of bleach. Air dry in the backyard. Look like new after 9 years. Now need to water proof.

[Outdoorsman]

Please tell me what laundromat you are using so I do not use it!

I do not need my laundry covered in your mildew/chemical induced soil!

Before you ask, ... for the same reason you can not wash horse blankets, etc. in most laundromat washers!

[SIKSUKR]

Please tell me what laundromat you are using so I do not use it!

I do not need my laundry covered in your mildew/chemical induced soil!

Before you ask, ... for the same reason you can not wash horse blankets, etc. in most laundromat washers!

Really? Both those cleaners are very common household washing machine cleaners. Washing machines have a few rinse cycles for a reason. Yup, to flush out the dirt and cleaners. Sheesh.

[CL 240 LS]

Please tell me what laundromat you are using so I do not use it!

I do not need my laundry covered in your mildew/chemical induced soil!

Before you ask, ... for the same reason you can not wash horse blankets, etc. in most laundromat washers!

What chemicals are you referring to? Basic laundry products did the job well.

[Smith Point]

(So I was drinking) power washing my deck and took aim at the boat, did the engines and hull and noticed that I was getting a little mold on the vinyl and decided to hit that area also, staying away from the electronics, looked at the carpet what the hell I’m in this deep and did that also (I have a inlay LUND in white letters on the floor) the carpet came out mint, fluffed up the pile in the carpet and the inlay looks brand new. I’ve had professional carpet cleaners do the boat (and the house) and the power washer did a much better job.

[TiltonBB]

Power washers, especially the more powerful gas models, are the best tool in the tool box!

I also put my boat carpets on the pavement and wash them every year. To speed up drying I use the Bissel carpet shampoo machine to suck most of the water out of them and them leave them to dry out in the sun. I do the same thing with my car floor mats and they come out like new.

I just used my pressure washer to blast the graphics off of the side panels of an old pontoon boat. Great labor saver. In the spring I power wash the lawn. Fluffs it up after a long winter and blows the leaves into the woods.

[Whimsey]

Never thought of power washing the lawn. My wife would have the men white coats coming to take me away...:laugh:

[Greene's Basin Girl]

I had an easy solution to cleaning my carpet in my pontoon boat. I never had carpet put in.

[Outdoorsman]

Picked up a mildew treatment from Irwin's in Alton Bay.

Treated and then ran through the washer at the laundromat.

Worked great.

Sure do wish people would use their own washing machines for jobs like this.

[thinkxingu]

Sure do wish people would use their own washing machines for jobs like this.
I think your concerns were answered above.

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[Outdoorsman]

I think your concerns were answered above.

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

You would be incorrect.

Thanks for the reply.

[thinkxingu]

What chemicals are you referring to? Basic laundry products did the job well.
Here you go.

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[Lakeboater]

Sure do wish people would use their own washing machines for jobs like this.

What are you washing at the laundromat that can't be thrown in after a wash and rinse cycle???

[SIKSUKR]

If I was that paranoid about people putting common cleaners in public washing machines then I would not use them. I'd be a lot more concerned about people putting in carpets loaded with animal feces or the like. Time to get your own W/D?:eek:

[AB_Monterey]

This just in: People wash dirty stuff at laundromats.

For those interested, the mildew treatment main ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. That's BLEACH to me and you.

Yeah, I bet that laundromat has never seen any bleach before I walked in the door that day.

:laugh::rolleye1:

[Island Girl]

this stuff works well and has not wrecked any fabric on which I have tried. For heavy mildew more that one treatment will work.

IG

[Descant]

I had an easy solution to cleaning my carpet in my pontoon boat. I never had carpet put in.

Agreed. My Sea Ray came with snap in carpets. Immediately took them out and put them in storage. When I sell, they'll look new. No effort at all. And the non-skid deck just requires a hosing to be clean.