In a previous article, we discussed winterization. Well, now we are headed into season! (hooray!) So, we decided to do a full guide on jet ski detailing. Detailing your jet ski should be part of regular maintenance. It will not just keep your PWC looking fresh, but will also help its longevity by preventing paint damage and rust.
Detailing a jet ski is not too different from detailing a car or RV. Detailing should not only remove contaminants but also include protectants to mitigate future damage or paint contamination. To detail a jet ski, you will need to:
- Rinse
- Wash
- Wax & Polish
In this guide, we will give the steps along with tools and supplies we find useful for jet ski detailing.
Rinsing Tools
This is pretty self-explanatory. You want to start cleaning your jet ski by giving it a very thorough rinse to remove debris, sand, salt, and grime. Put the jet ski on a trailer if you are able to so you can rinse the entire jet ski. If you have a pressure washer, this is preferred. A pressure washer will make your life much easier and will come in handy during the entire detailing process. Our favorite pressure washer is:
Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer
We can’t stress enough how cool this thing is for $149. This little pressure washer packs up to 2030 PSI and can clean cars, boats, jet skis, RVs, and more. It is small enough to be portable and is more than enough power to rinse a jet ski. We particularly like this pressure washer because it is economical and has 2 built-in detergent tanks. You can go from rinsing to soap with a flick of a switch.
Washing
Next, you will want to wash your jet ski. By far the easiest way to do this is to use a snow foam attachment for a pressure washer. It does a better job than handwashing and is a lot faster. That said, you can still use hand washing gloves, sponges, or brushes to scrub the jet ski.
Meguiar’s boat wash is the best soap for handwashing. It is safe for all surfaces of your jet ski.
Snow Foam Attachment
This is our favorite snow foam attachment. It is a universal attachment for any pressure washer. It enables you to spread an even layer of heavy foam to eat through grime, salt, and other contaminates. Check out Chemical Guys for some of the best snow foam for cars, boats, and jet skis.
Jet Ski Wash Kit
This is a great kit if you want to be economical and handwash your jet ski. It comes with multiple microfiber sponges and cloths. It also comes with a collapsible bucket! This entire kit is small enough to store under your jet ski seat!
Complete Boat Detailing Kit
If you want all of your supplies in one purchase, Chemical Guys has a great kit for detailing. It includes bucket, microfiber towels, soap, polish, oxidation remover, wax, and more. It has the necessary supplies to protect vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces.
Scrubbing Drill Bit For Jet Skis, Boats, and Kayaks
This drill attachment is great for scrubbing off algae, scum, debris, oil, and even oxidation. It comes with 3 attachments: a flat 2” brush for harder to reach places, a flat 4” brush, and a round brush.
Seat Wipes
These are great for cleaning your vinyl seats because they have UV protectants. These will make your seats look brand new and keep them from fading from the sun. If you keep your jet ski at a dock then you definitely will want to invest in something to protect the seats.
Wax and Polish
The last step is waxing and polishing your PWC. This can remove oxidation and help prevent future oxidation. It also makes your jet ski look brand new! Unlike a car, with polishing a jet ski, you will want to get a wax designed for fiberglass.
One of the best options is the Mequiar’s boat restoration kit. It includes a 3-step system with high-gloss polish, oxidation remover, and pure wax. On top of that, it is designed specifically for boats, so it’s guaranteed to be safe on your jet ski.
Electric Polisher
To fight oxidation really well you will need an electric polisher. Electric polisher will just do a better job overall and it is far easier than hand waxing. This is our favorite polishing tool. It removes swirls, scratches, and defects from all painted vehicles.
We hope this guide helps! We’d love to hear from you if you have any jet ski detailing tips or products you like!
