Hull and cabin sides: Use a liquid dishwashing detergent in warm sudsy water to scrub away dirt and dark smudges. Because mildew thrives on phosphate, use only low phosphate detergents in case it doesn't all get rinsed off.

Brass: To remove tarnish either use elbow grease and brass polish, or wet a rag with Teak Brite and wipe the tarnish off in one pass.

Copper: Lightly scrub the metal with the cut end of a lemon dipped in salt --the shine will be blinding!

Engines: Keep engines clean with Gunk, a spray cleanser that goes onto a cold engine and is hosed off with fresh water. There are some cleansers for hot engines, which work faster because the grease is warm and loose, but the fumes are strong.

Cushion creases: The tiny creases around the seams on white vinyl cushions sprout mildew. Mix 1/4 cup of ammonia to 4 cups of water, and then scrub the creases thoroughly with an old toothbrush dipped in the liquid. After rinsing, dry the crease gently with a hair dryer.

Cushion stains: For tough stains on white vinyl cushions, including flotation cushions, mix one teaspoon of ammonia, 1 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 3/4 cup of distilled water. For some reason, the bubbling of the peroxide floats away stubborn blemishes.

Bunk cushion bottoms: Most bunk cushions have a white cotton bottom that get black blemishes of mold and mildew. I soak the stain in chlorine bleach (without getting the colored top fabric wet!), then dip the affected areas in a weak mixture of white vinegar and water to counteract the bleaching action.

Plastic portholes: Acrylic ports pick up a haze that doesn't come off with Windex, but the mixture of vinegar and water wipes it right away.

Scratched plastic portholes: Non-crunchy style peanut butter is a perfect rubbing compound for plastic. If you've eaten all the peanut butter, you can also use a mild toothpaste. If you have deeper scratches, the pilot shops at the local airport often have inexpensive polishes for plastic aircraft windows that will do the trick.

Varnished bulkheads: In the galley, cooking can dull the varnish on bulkheads, but a wipe down with a soft cloth and a mild ammonia and water solution will restore the shine.

Leather: Covers often have leather reinforcing, and wet leather can pick up mildew quickly. A solution of water and alcohol will remove the mildew without injuring the leather, and regular washing with saddle soap or the "hide food" used to preserve sports car leather seats will keep the material supple.

Mildewed wood: Older wooden boats often have mildew on stringers and frames deep in the bilge, but a rag dipped in a bucket of warm water laced with a shot-glass of kerosene will both remove the mildew and forestall its return.

Aluminum: If you want to put a shine back onto an aluminum fitting, try rubbing it with the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil. You'll be amazed at how quickly the gloss returns, but don't try it on anodized aluminum because it will remove the finish.

Fenders: Dirty white fenders - acetone makes them sticky for days, ajax dulls their finish. Try wiping them with mineral spirits, the dirt and scuffs come off and they look like new. You can use mineral spirits on anything similar, such as the flexible PVC cowl vents.

Masking tape: Nothing is as frustrating as trying to peel off week-old masking tape, which welds itself to whatever you were painting. Run lighter fluid under the edges of the tape, wait a few minutes, and the tape will slip off: Never use a cheap brand of masking tape.

Duct tape: Indispensable for quick repairs on board, it often leaves a residue of glue behind. A rag dampened with denatured alcohol will take off those sticky spots without marring the surface.

Iceboxes: (Refrigerators too) To clean them as well as make them fresh smelling again, use a thick paste of baking soda and water. When you restock your coldbox, leave an opened carton of baking soda (wedged so it won't tip) inside to soak up smells.

Stainless steel: Use oxalic acid to get rid of rust stains. Dissolving the crystals to form a liquid can be messy and this powerful bleach can damage a deck or paint. Use oxalic acid in gel form, which sticks to vertical rails without dribbling and, when hosed off, removes the rust stains completely.

Covers: To get rust stains off white covers, try soaking the rusty spot in a mild solution of oxalic acid for 15-30 minutes before rinsing very thoroughly.

Blood: On white fabrics, make a thick paste of dry laundry detergent and warm water, and let stand on the spot for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Oil and tar: Scrape off the thick residue with a knife blade or putty knife, and put a clean rag soaked in dry cleaning fluid under the fabric below the stain. Using another clean rag and more of the same fluid, pat the spot gently to force the tars through the material into the bottom rag. You'll always have a brown blemish, but it won't be nearly as bad as before.