Absorbent Pads - cleaning bilges and engine bay

[Richard10002]

I'm looking to clean some gunk from the engine bay, under the engine, and soak up the last remnats of water from the bilges. In the past I bought a stack of absorbent pads on ebay, but cant find the same things again. They were about 2ft x 1ft6in x 0.25in and quite flexible.

I've had a look on ebay, but cant find anything particularly suitable in small quantities, (say 25 or so), but found these:

http://www.darcyshop.co.uk/product/Maintenance_Absorbent_Pad_-_25_0346

do they look like what I need, or any other suggestions?

I think I poured some Bilgex in the last time I did this, (about 3 years ago), then sucked it out with a Pela Pump before wiping up with the absorbent pads.

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[Jonbeds]

I use disposable nappies for this task & they work very well
Jon
Halberdier

 

[JohnTH]

Boiling water and an aqua vac shifts muck and oil from my engine and from the engine bay.

A pressure washer (cold) is a good follow up. If I had a hot water pressure washer I would use it instead of boiling water. TFR in the hot water is excellent by the by.

Absorbant pads are expensive but can be "borrowed" from SWMBO. Try not to get apprehended borrowing hers unless you plan to replace them with EXACTLY the same item ! !

73s de
Johnth

 

[Richard10002]

Disposable nappies?

Got some, but they are a bit small, and the fact that they are elasticated, and one sided, means I cant get at the right spots under the engine - it's hard to get at so I push the pads about with the end of the boat hook... which is why they need to be quite flexible.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Disposable nappies?

 

[l'escargot]

Try the pet shop:

available in various sizes and quantities.

 

[Richard10002]

A pressure washer (cold) is a good follow up. If I had a hot water pressure washer I would use it instead of boiling water. TFR in the hot water is excellent by the by.

What's TFR??

 

[npf1]

A few months ago I got a box of 100 oil spil pads from here: http://www.performance-oils.co.uk/

I can't remember the exact price, but seem to recall it was around £30 plus shipping.

 

[Tranona]

Sanitary towels. Tesco Value my preferred brand. Small but very absorbent.

 

[Roberto]

I use that 1-2cm thick foam one can find in upholstery shops, it's very cheap like 1 euro for a few pieces of 100x50cm, clean and throw away, works very well

 

[JohnTH]

TFR = Traffic Film Remover. Very strong washing up liquid but without the froth. Used in commercial garages and car washes etc.

Having said no froth, it looks to me that it is froth that removes / deals with oil film floating on water.

Apologies for assumption regarding TFR.

73s de
Johnth

 

[MoodySabre]

I use brake and clutch cleaner for degreasing and Huggies to mop up oil. Or you could use These if you dare order them

 

[wotayottie]

I use brake and clutch cleaner for degreasing and Huggies to mop up oil. Or you could use These if you dare order them

Dont work very well. I tried the ones we have in stock for the F-I-L but they have a plastic elasticated back to them and if you try cutting this off you end up with the fluffy filler all over the place

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Support For Nappies As Great Absorbers Of Bilge ****

Disposable nappies?

Agree work great on my boat. In fact I now leave them in beside all the normal condensation points when I leave the boat as well as below the stern packer. There are a couple of horizontal stringers which gather water and a nappy placed here has been very effective in soaking up the moisture.

I would observe that over this season the boat has become dryer as a result of nappy power. I am finding less and less water from condensation gathering. They have also picked up all the bits of fluff, splinters, sawdust etc so much so that the bilge areas look quite clean.

They soak up huge amounts water, diesel (old lines all leaked terribly), oil, emulsion. You could cut away all the elastic bumf which makes them curl up but I don't, just invert them and shove them down flat and leave in place.

Remove them before you go sailing though as they will make great plugs for the strum box.

Post Posting Edit: Previous poster found that cutting away elastic spilled the nappy absorbent stuff.

 

[William_H]

Absorbent Pads

Our local club with a large marina now have a requirement that all boats with inboard engines must have absorbent pads in the bilge to soak up oil and fuel leaks. This came about after one boat had a fuel leak from a rusty tank that produced a horrible oil slick when it was pumped out by the auto bilge pump.
olewill