Marine Tutorials

NEW BOAT Detailing with DRIVEN Detailing Products


Wash and dry the boat first with DRIVEN Wash Concentrate. Place one capful per gallon of water in a bucket. Rinse the boat first to remove any loose surface contaminants. Apply the soapy water liberally to the entire boat. Then rinse with fresh water and dry with a soft absorbent microfiber towel or chamois. The boat should be washed and dried after each use, especially if the boat is used in salt water. When the boat is used in fresh water, it doesn’t necessarily have to be washed after using, but it does need to be wiped down each and every time to remove fresh water spots and fresh surface contaminants. For wipe downs use DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate (discussed further below). And no worries, like all DRIVEN Detailing Products; DRIVEN Wash Concentrate is 100 % biodegradable and California Compliant.


Apply DRIVEN Marine Polish with a damp soft sponge applicator to all fiberglass, metal and all glass or plastic windows. Rub the polish into the surface and allow the polish to dry. Remove the polish with a soft microfiber towel by buffing to a high gloss. Repeat the application with a second coat of polish for best results. DRIVEN Marine Polish can also be applied with an electric buffer and soft non-aggressive Red Foam Pad or medium aggressive White Foam Pad. Polish the boat at least twice a year; the more often you polish the more non-stick the surface becomes. DRIVEN Marine Polish gives the boat a gorgeous deep wet look. DO NOT apply polish to rubber. DRIVEN Marine Polish is the final step. It isn’t necessary or advantageous to apply anything on top of our Marine Polish.


Although DRIVEN Marine Polish works well on glass and plastic windows, we highly recommend Sealing glass and plastic windows with DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass SEALANT.  Caution: DO NOT USE DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass CLEANER on plastic windows.


Apply DRIVEN Vinyl/Rubber/Leather Protector with a soft damp sponge applicator to the seats. Allow the protector to absorb into the seats for about 30 minutes. Now use a soft dry microfiber towel to buff the protector into the seats. This will protect the seats against intense sun and heat as well as intense winter cold, and help protect against accidental drink spills, suntan lotion/oil staining the seats; keeping them soft and supple without being slippery or greasy. Also apply the protector to any rubber rub rails or any rubber surface on the boat.


DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate has become a customer favorite from the moment we introduced the product. DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate must be diluted with water to work correctly. Mix the concentrate 7 parts water to 1 part DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate. The easy way to mix is to add the entire contents (1 pint) into an empty (1 gallon) container; and then fill the remainder of the container with water. Fresh tap water works just fine, but we prefer using distilled water with no minerals (available in any grocery store). Now you have one full gallon of spray ready to use. Pour from the gallon container into a spray bottle. Once mixed, this formula does not go bad with age and holds for years.


The spray is used when a boat to be placed on a trailer is pulled from the water and given a quick wipe down to remove fresh water spots and fresh surface contaminants; or for larger yachts and sport fishers to give the boat a wipe down top side in between washing. Not only will it remove the fresh water spots and contaminants, it adds protection and shine to all hard surfaces including fiberglass, paint, metal, and all types of windows including plastic windows.  Some of our best customers tell us they rarely use our DRIVEN Marine Polish; but constantly and consistently wipe down their boat with DRIVEN Quick Spray and the boat stays looking brand new.


It’s true, when customers use our Wash Concentrate, Marine Polish, Extreme Duty Glass Sealant, Vinyl/Rubber/Leather Protector and Quick Spray Concentrate on a regular basis, the boat simply does not get old.


All DRIVEN Products work the exact same way on your fiberglass or painted Motor Home, Fifth Wheel and Trailer.


 


OLD (Weathered) BOAT Detailing with DRIVEN Detailing Products


Wash and dry the boat first with DRIVEN Wash Concentrate. Place one capful per gallon of water in a bucket. Rinse the boat first to remove any loose surface contaminants. Apply the soapy water liberally to the entire boat. Then rinse with fresh water and dry with a soft absorbent microfiber towel or chamois. The boat should be washed and dried after each use, especially if the boat is used in salt water. When the boat is used in fresh water, it doesn’t necessarily have to be washed after using, but it does need to be wiped down each and every time to remove fresh water spots and fresh surface contaminants. For wipe downs use DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate (discussed further below). And no worries, like all DRIVEN Detailing Products; DRIVEN Wash Concentrate is 100 % biodegradable and California Compliant.


DRIVEN Finish Restorer is used to buff out weathered fiberglass, paint and raw metal surfaces on your boat. Apply aggressively with a microfiber applicator or a sponge applicator by hand one section at a time. DRIVEN Finish Restorer works well by hand; but for incredible results, use with an electric buffer and extra heavily aggressive 100% twisted Wool Compounding/Cutting pad (works best); or heavily aggressive Yellow Foam Pad.   Oxidation, light surface scratches and heavy water spots are all removed with DRIVEN Finish Restorer.   Once applied by hand or machine, use a soft microfiber towel to remove the Finish Restorer from the surface. If the glass windows on your boat have been weathered by the elements, they need to be cleaned with DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner.


For Boats and Motorhomes that are more heavily oxidized and weathered, use DRIVEN Extreme Duty Machine Compound (Paste Formula 16 OZ Can) on Fiberglass and Metal.  The Paste Compound was designed to be used with a High Speed Rotary Buffer and 100% Twisted Lamb’s Wool Cutting/Compounding Pad.  DRIVEN Extreme Duty Machine Compound (Paste Formula 16 OZ Can) is your best choice for older Boats and Motorhomes. This compound is also effective by hand application if so desired.   Use DRIVEN Marine Polish to Seal and Protect Fiberglass and Metal once compounding is complete.


DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner was designed to clean glass windows that have been damaged by severe weather; Heavy water spots, calcium, minerals, lime scale and salt spray that has built up and does not wash off. DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner is for GLASS WINDOWS ONLY. DO NOT USE ON ANY OTHER TYPE OF WINDOW BUT GLASS. (For windows other than glass use only our Marine Polish) Generally a damp cloth or a damp sponge work quite well as an applicator for boat windows. And that is what we recommend for boats. Using the least aggressive applicator is a good way to start, keeping the applicator lubricated with just a bit of water (enough to lubricate the glass but not dilute the cleaner), and working the glass in small sections until the buildup is gone. Starting with light pressure and applying a bit more pressure if necessary. You may have to go over the area several times with a cloth or sponge applicator; allowing the cleaner to stay on for a while, letting the acid do some of the work, and then continuing until the spots are gone. For more severe build up, a more aggressive application is necessary; use more pressure and work with a light duty nylon pad. The applicator itself helps the abrasives “bite in” to be most effective. We like the non-abrasive Blue Nylon Pad or the non-abrasive White Nylon Pad available in any grocery store or hardware store.


We DO NOT recommend the green nylon pad; it is too abrasive. Our DRIVEN Drill Kit also works quite well for glass that has been badly etched. Use the heavily aggressive orange foam pad included in the kit; keep the pad lubricated with just enough water to lubricate the glass but not dilute the cleaner. Keep the drill moving, and only apply light pressure until the water deposit is gone, then stop. You can also use a Dual Action Buffer with a hard damp heavily aggressive Yellow Foam Pad using the same technique; keeping the pad lubricated with just enough water to lubricate the glass but not dilute the cleaner; keeping the buffer moving until the spots are gone, then stop. DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Cleaner is very aggressive; by hand application or machine application, ALWAYS TEST A VERY SMALL INCONSPICUOUS AREA FIRST TO CONFIRM YOU ARE ACHIEVING THE DESIRED RESULT. When used correctly, there is no better product for cleaning water spots on glass.


Once the glass is clean, apply DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass Sealant to seal the glass from future damage and make future glass cleaning easier.


DRIVEN Marine Polish should now be applied to all fiberglass, paint, metal, and glass or plastic windows to seal and protect the finish from nature’s elements. Apply DRIVEN Marine Polish with a damp soft sponge applicator. Rub the polish into the surface and allow the polish to dry. Remove the polish with a soft microfiber towel by buffing to a high gloss. Repeat the application with a second coat of polish for best results. DRIVEN Marine Polish can also be applied with an electric buffer and soft non-aggressive Red Foam Pad or medium aggressive White Foam Pad. Polish the boat at least twice a year; the more often you polish the more non-stick the surface becomes. DRIVEN Marine Polish gives the boat a gorgeous deep wet look. DO NOT apply polish to rubber. DRIVEN Marine Polish is the final step. It isn’t necessary or advantageous to apply anything on top of our Marine Polish.


Although DRIVEN Marine Polish works well on glass and plastic windows, we highly recommend Sealing glass and plastic windows with DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass SEALANT.  CAUTION: DO NOT USE DRIVEN Extreme Duty Glass CLEANER on plastic windows.


Clean the interior with DRIVEN MultiSurface Cleaner Concentrate. Professional detailers around the world always tell us it’s our best and most versatile product. This cleaner is designed to clean vinyl, leather, fabric and carpet. It is very strong; so you will want to follow dilution ratios on the back of the bottle. Generally, the dirtier the surface, the more concentrate is to be used.   DRIVEN MultiSurface Cleaner Concentrate can be used in a spray bottle, in a bucket or in a carpet machine. It can be used with a cloth or a sponge applicator, but probably works best with a soft upholstery brush on vinyl seats. If your seats are beginning to look dingy, especially white seats, this is the product you need. It’s a very “green” product and contains no solvents; so it won’t dry out any type of material and it’s completely non-caustic. Carpets and canvas boat covers can also be scrubbed down and cleaned with DRIVEN MultiSurface Cleaner Concentrate. It really gets out the nastiest dirt, grime, yellowing and discoloration. Whatever type of boat you own, this is one you must have onboard.


Once the seats are cleaned with DRIVEN MultiSurface Cleaner Concentrate and allowed to air dry, apply DRIVEN Vinyl/Rubber/Leather Protector with a soft damp sponge applicator to the seats. Allow the protector to absorb into the seats for about 30 minutes. Now use a soft dry microfiber towel to buff the protector into the seats. This will protect the seats against intense sun and heat as well as intense winter cold, and help protect against accidental drink spills, suntan lotion/oil staining the seats; keeping them soft and supple without being slippery or greasy. Also apply the protector to any rubber rub rails or any rubber surface on the boat.


DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate has become a customer favorite from the moment we introduced the product. DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate must be diluted with water to work correctly. Mix the concentrate 7 parts water to 1 part DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate. The easy way to mix is to add the entire contents (1 pint) into an empty (1 gallon) container; and then fill the remainder of the container with water. Fresh tap water works just fine, but we prefer using distilled water that contains no minerals (available in any grocery store). Now you have one full gallon of spray ready to use. Pour from the gallon container into a spray bottle. Once mixed, this formula does not go bad with age and holds for years. The spray is used when a boat to be placed on a trailer is pulled from the water and given a quick wipe down to remove fresh water spots and fresh surface contaminants; or for larger yachts and sport fishers to give the boat a wipe down top side in between washing.   Not only will it remove fresh water spots and contaminants, it adds protection and shine to all hard surfaces including fiberglass, paint, metal, and all types of windows including plastic windows.   Some of our best customers tell us they rarely use our DRIVEN Marine Polish; but constantly and consistently wipe down their boat with DRIVEN Quick Spray Concentrate and the boat stays looking brand new.


You’ll be glad you did.


All DRIVEN Products work the exact same way on your fiberglass or painted Motor Home, Fifth Wheel and Trailer.