OK so this post is a bit off topic. My Captain does such a good job keeping our topsides looking good that I couldn’t stand that those off-white plastic cowls were looking so bad. I suspect that they had never been cleaned. And the boat is a 1990!
![Dirty Cowl. Yuck.](https://i1.wp.com/a2baker.com/seamlesssailorblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-20130106_121229.jpg?resize=225%2C300)
My thought was that this is a project that I can do and would be best done while the boat is under shrink wrap cover this winter. No problem. I unscrewed the cowls, marked the screws in little snack zips so I wouldn’t lose them and brought the cowls home for a good soak. The soaking did nothing except get the first layer of dirt off. They really were mildewed. Secret trick: We took Tilex and a bit of Comet to them with a sponge.
The Captain couldn’t help himself. He jumped into the project too. The cowls came clean almost immediately.
![Cleaning Cowls](https://i2.wp.com/a2baker.com/seamlesssailorblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130107_214332.jpg?resize=300%2C225)
Now they look almost like new.
We did have a back up plan – spray paint.
Have you solved a cleaning problem or taken out a particularly tough stain? Share your tips.
![Clean Cowl!](https://i1.wp.com/a2baker.com/seamlesssailorblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/20130112_114027.jpg?resize=300%2C225)
mr clean magic erasers !!! they are amazing
Totally agree! They are magic. Though I don’t quite understand how they work so well.