How to Remove Salt From a Boat Anchor

Your boat anchor may be stainless steel, but unless you remove the salt from it after you haul it up, it won't stay pretty -- or serviceable -- very long. Taking a proactive stance about keeping your boat's anchor clean will extend its life. A clean anchor also helps stop the transfer of saltwater invasive species to inland waters, should your boating activities include lake as well as river or saltwater boating.



(See reference 1, grafs 1-3)

• 1

  Rinse the anchor with freshwater as soon as it's up on deck. Rinse the mud off because it traps the salt next to the steel. This rinse is a temporary fix, though, because while your rinsing the anchor, it's still surrounded by and sitting in the residue.

• 2

  Pull the pin on the shackle while you're doing your "post-cruise" boat cleaning. Set the anchor over the side onto the dock or the driveway. Finish washing your boat and rinse the anchor again, this time from a garden hose.

• 3

  Mix 5 gallons of hot water and 2 cups of marine laundry detergent that's formulated for salt water in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. Scrub the anchor with the detergent mixture using a scrubber sponge and stiff-bristle brush.

• 4

  Rinse the anchor thoroughly with running water to remove the soap. Rinse the residue away from the anchor.

• 5

  Set the anchor aboard and shackle the anchor to the anchor line, or set the anchor into its storage aboard the boat.