Float tube Cleanup?

[haywyre]

I took my FC4 out this weekend for the first time. I read everything I could find but forgot to look for "What to do when you get back". I cleaned up the tube then placed it in the Garage to dry out. What I am wanting to know is, Whats your routing when you get back from the lake for your Float tube?
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[Fishhound]

Just a quick spray off in the back yard with the hose, does it for me. Nothing special - but maybe I am neglecting something important.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]A lot depends upon how dirty the water was in which you fished, and how finicky you are about the appearance of your craft. As Fishhound suggests, a good spraying with a hose will help remove most of the gunk you can accumulate around the water line, especially in dirty runoff water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you fish in salt water, a good rinse in fresh water will help your seams and material hold up longer. If you fish in waters known to harbor organisms like "whirling disease", you should definitely spray your gear with water and even a soapy mixture. A quick stop at a do-it-yourself carwash can get that done.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over time, you are likely to get all kind of gunk on the top surface of your craft too...especially if you use bait or fish attractant. Then, there is the fish slime and blood that gets all over everything, if you score a few fishies. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]To give your craft a good cleaning, first remove all the tackle and goodies from the pockets. If it is not too great a chore to take out the air chambers (some valves are tough to reattach), remove the air chambers and soak the cover in a bathtub full of presoak laundry solution for a few hours and then run it through a gentle cycle in the washer. Of course, you can use a toilet plunger or some other soft ended item to just swish the cover around well in the soak until you have most of the nasty stuff removed. A few scrubs with a good brush will finish off the worst of it. Go through a couple of rinses, with fresh water, until the rinse water is clear, and then allow the cover to dry over a sawhorse or some other kind of frame. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can't remove the air chambers easily, just use a spray container of "prespotter" laundry product and a brush to work out the worst of the embedded grime. Then spray it off and let it dry. Most cleaning products will not hurt the air bladders, but it is best to keep them as clean and chemical free as possible.[/#0000ff]
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