A Clean Yacht, is a Happy Yacht

Posted on: 09/29/2014

Written by Victoria Hockley | With thanks to JC's Carpet Cleaning, Fiona's Atelier and Pinmar Supply

A superyacht signifies luxury, style and perfection. Every detail from the gleaming exterior to the sophisticated interior must be immaculate. With no room for error, here are some top tips from cleaning specialists on keeping tableware, carpets and furnishings spick and span.

Tableware: How to keep it gleaming

A good quality set of tableware is crucial. Not only should tableware be beautiful, but it should also be properly maintained. Fiona’s Atelier, in conjunction with Pinmar Supply, has given these top tips that will help you keep your tableware clean and in the best shape possible for years to come.

Keep tableware separate

When bussing, it is important to always keep your tableware separate from your dinnerware to prevent damage to both. As they are being transported, unnecessary contact can cause unsightly damage to your supplies.

Remove acid

Acidic foods that may get stuck on the tableware, such as lemon juice, mustards, vinegar, etc. should be rinsed off as soon as possible. Extended exposure to acidic foods will quickly corrode your tableware, ruining its shine and reducing its lifespan.

Wipe food off before you pre-soak

Foods stuck to your tableware for an extended period of time can cause unsightly spots. Be sure to wipe these off thoroughly before pre-soaking and washing.

Pre-soak immediately

Use a pre-soak solution in a plastic or stainless steel container and only soak for 10 minutes. Soaking any longer can promote corrosion of your tableware. Stay away from aluminum and copper containers as these tend to react badly with pre-soak solutions.

Keep away from abrasives

To maintain the shine of your tableware, keep them away from abrasive scrubbing materials, like steel wool. These will quickly take the shine away from your sparkling tableware.

Wash immediately after pre-soak

Wash tableware at a high temperature, as metal requires higher temperatures for cleaning. Also make sure that tableware does not touch each other during the process, especially when using a dishwasher.

Dry immediately

Leaving tableware to air dry can cause spotting and corrosion from trace materials in your water. It is important to dry your tableware immediately to prevent this from happening.

Store in a dry place

Store your tableware in a dry area away from the heat of the kitchen. Being close to the oils and greases and humidity in the air from the kitchen can cause the tableware to become effected. This can also promote corrosion of your tableware.

Polish periodically

Silverware needs to be polished periodically, depending how much you use it. Ideally, tableware should be polished every three years to have that ‘brand new’ look. Sterling silver or silver-plated tableware should have a professional dip service periodically.

Carpets: How to remove red wine stains

John Curte from JC’s Carpet Cleaning warned, “We’ve all experienced it, that scary moment when a red wine glass topples over the table and spills onto the carpet. Yikes! It’s definitely one of those stains that knows how to leave its mark. And unless you know how to remove red wine out of carpet, that stain may become permanent.”

Here are some step-by-step solutions from JC’s Carpet Cleaning to help you with red wine stain removal on board.

As with most household stains, the sooner you act, the better. If you can start removing the stain before it fully sets into the carpet, you’ll have a better shot at getting rid of it.

Here is one way to go if you want to know how to remove red wine out of carpet:

1. First thing not to do is never scrub it or put any type of stain remover on the stain (it's not considered a stain yet)

2. With white paper towel (no colour) try and blot as much of the red wine stain as you can, now you can add some club soda (doing this helps dilute what remains of the stain) or if not available just use cold water. Keep the stain wet continue to blot never rubbing. If there is no more of the stain transferring on the paper towel, put a bunch of paper on the stain and a stack of books on top, the weight will keep transferring the stain out of the carpet to the paper towel, keep checking and changing paper frequently. Removing completely can take time.

3. If some of the stain still remains call a professional carpet cleaner, we have a few things we can do to remove the rest of the stain.

Upholstery: Cleaning difficult fabrics

Suede

A suede armchair or cushion can be the epitome of suave and sophistication, as long as it’s kept clean and neat. Benefiting from regular cleaning and brushing, take care of suede furniture and furnishings with the following tips:

1. Protect the suede furniture and furnishings from the outset. Apply a stain repellant or waterproofing treatment, purchased from the retailer. This will make the fabric easier to clean.

2. Loose dirt must be removed regularly by light vacuuming or brushing. Remember to use the specialised upholstery attachment for vacuuming; this protects the suede surface from the rougher and dirtier edges of other attachments.

3. After vacuuming, brush the nap to restore the texture and prevent the fabric from looking dull.

4. Regularly rub down the fabric with a suede cleaning

When it comes to removing stains, a quick reaction is key. The longer the stain is left, the harder it will be to remove.

Start by wiping the stain with a suede cloth to restore the nap. Then, dip a terry towelling rag into white vinegar and wipe the stain to remove. Always wipe the stain inwards to prevent spreading.

For grease or fat stains, wipe the stain with a small amount of white spirit on a paper towel. Sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda and leave to dry. Once it is completely dry, lightly brush or vacuum off.

Silk

Silk’s luxurious lustre and drape makes it an ideal fabric for on-board furnishings including upholstery, wall hangings and carpets. Although silk is one of the strongest natural fibres, it loses up to 20% of its strength when wet and therefore requires great care when cleaning.

1. Always use a mild soap or specially formulated silk shampoo when cleaning.

2. Soak the silk in luke warm water for three to five minutes. If the silk is dark or printed, do not let it soak. Just quickly wash it in cold water to prevent colour staining.

3. Gently move the fabric during soaking from side to side. Do not wring dry, wet silk is much more delicate when wet.

4. After a maximum of five minutes, remove the silk from the water and rinse the fabric with cold water adding a tea spoon of vinegar to completely rid it of the soap.

5. Roll the silk in a dry towel to remove the remaining liquid. Use several layers when using dark or printed silk.

6. Roll out the silk and straighten it gently at the corners.

7. Iron silk on a cool setting on the reverse side. Silk is a protein and is easily damaged by heat.

Wool

Wool carpets and rugs are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also extremely durable. Because of wool's thicker quality, there is a natural tendency for more dirt and grime to collect in its fibres, therefore regular maintenance is a must.

1. If you're cleaning a wool rug, firstly take this outside and shake off any loose dirt or dust that has accumulated since it was last cleaned.

2. Remove all loose particles by vacuuming the carpet.

3. Once all loose dirt has been removed, gently sponge the carpet/rug with a diluted wool detergent solution.

4. Remove the soap solution by sponging the carpet/rug with luke warm water.

5. Wool requires a quick dry. The best way to remove moisture from wool rugs is to squeeze it out by rolling the rug and allowing it to dry in the sun. For wool carpets, use a light towel to dab and absorb moisture.

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