Rinse your inflatable paddle board with fresh water after every paddle, then once or twice a season give it a full wash with mild soap, a soft sponge, and a complete dry on both sides before you roll it away. That routine is the whole job, and it is what keeps the deck, the seams, and the color looking new for years.
Most of the work is the quick rinse. Salt, sand, lake grit, and algae are what actually wear a board down, and they come off easily when they are fresh. Left to dry in the sun, the same stuff turns crusty and stubborn, so a minute with a hose after you land beats an hour of scrubbing later.
The after-paddle rinse
Hose down the whole board, top and bottom, and pay attention to the seams, the fin box, and around the valve where grit likes to collect. Salt water especially draws moisture and works at seams over time, so ocean paddlers should never skip this. Wipe it down and let it dry before it goes in the bag.
The seasonal deep clean
For a real wash, lay the board flat and go over it with warm water, a squirt of mild dish soap, and a soft sponge or cloth. A soft-bristle brush helps on the deck pad, where sunscreen and foot grime build up. Rinse the soap off completely so it does not leave a film.
For scuffs, tree sap, or a green algae haze from a long summer, spot-clean with a little more soap and gentle pressure. Skip bleach, solvents, and harsh degreasers, which can attack the coating, and never use a pressure washer or an abrasive scouring pad, since both can damage the surface and stress the seams.
Then dry it thoroughly. Stand it up or lay it in the shade until it is dry to the touch on both sides. Rolling up a board with water trapped in the folds is the number one cause of that musty smell and light mildew spotting, so drying matters even more than washing.
Built to take a wash
A board that cleans up easily is one built to last. The NIXY Newport G5 is made from dual-layer fused PVC with FusionTech welded seams, so it wipes clean and shrugs off years of rinsing, sun, and sand without the peeling or delamination that plagues cheaper boards.
The NIXY Newport G5 All-Around ($649) ships as a complete kit with a wheeled backpack, so once it is clean and dry it packs straight away. For the full end-of-season routine, our guide on how to store and care for your inflatable paddle board covers where and how to keep it between paddles.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use soap to clean a paddle board? Yes, a mild soap like dish soap is fine and works well for a seasonal wash. Use it with a soft sponge or cloth, then rinse thoroughly so no residue is left behind. Avoid bleach, solvents, and strong degreasers, which can damage the board's coating.
How do you get algae or mildew off an inflatable paddle board? Wash the spot with warm water and mild soap using a soft brush, and let the board dry fully in the shade afterward. Most green algae haze lifts with gentle scrubbing. The best fix is prevention: rinse after each paddle and always dry the board completely before storing it, since mildew needs trapped moisture to grow.
Can you pressure wash a paddle board? No. A pressure washer can force water into seams and damage the surface. Stick to a garden hose, mild soap, and a soft sponge, which clean just as well without the risk.
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