Cleaning non skid surface

We bought our boat with new non skid decks last year. It had a carpet in front of the door that we removed after one summer. Now there is a dark stain where the carpet was that we can't get out. We used Starbrite non skid cleaner and we've used lemon juice. No effect. Any suggestions?


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Starbrite is my "go to" product for non-skid but different stains require different products.


You call this a "stain" but it's possible it's part of the carpet backing. I would try acetone. Let it sit for a minute or two and scrub and see if it has any effect. Acetone is a solvent and will dissolve the bond if it's part of the carpet backing.

It's best not to leave acetone on the surface for longer than necessary so regardless of if it works or not, use soap and water to remove it and rinse well.

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (grocery store or home center) are a very mild abrasive and work well on vinyl upholstery and may help on your non-skid if nothing else works.


You could also try commercial "hull cleaner" (acid based) on the stain, following the directions on the product. Again, rinse thoroughly.

Sometimes, long term exposure to sunlight makes a stain go away on its own. I'm talking a few weeks.

I had a similar mat and stain. I found the best stain remover was just sunshine and time. A couple weeks in the sun and it has all but disappeared. I had tried every kind of cleaner with no luck.

If it's truly a stain in the gelcoat then as others may have eluded to no cleaners will remove it. However sunlight and time usually always take them away.
If you like, start it off with a bleach based paste type household cleaner. Apply, let sit a while without drying and remove. Whatever is left is up to the sun and time.

You might also try a fine polish like a swirl remover used for auto paint.
I've used it with a white (non-abrasive) Scotch Brite type pad on non-skid areas w/ good results.
The polish removes some of the chalky gel coat (and stains) and leaves a smoother surface to the non-skid that seems to repel stains a little better.

I've seen write-ups using a powered brush w/ a polish or swirly remover but haven't tried that - yet.

Pretty astonishing how long-lived stains can be on older gelcoat!

A little light-handed power washing might be helpful. Nozzle set to 'fan', not 'drill'!

(Ociana, we were in Rockport, ON, this past weekend. Family wedding at a cottage on the Rideau. Took a tourboat from town.)

This is just an educated guess, what about Mary Kate On-off, takes hull stains off easily.

It's a stain that has been there since last year. It is the exact outline of the mat in front of the door. The result is a slightly grey mark.


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Oceania said:

It's a stain that has been there since last year. It is the exact outline of the mat in front of the door. The result is a slightly grey mark.

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Click to expand...

Then I'm wondering if it is actually a mold.

Soft scrub and a soft brush works as well as anything.

I think sunlight is your best bet. I remember having that same stain problem, mine was a 4 lb mullet that jumped aboard our boat on it's mooring and then assumed room temperature, finally exposure to sunlight removed the fish imprint.