Bar Keeper's Friend

[st599]

In PBO, the merits of Bar Keeper's Friend for cleaning topsides are espoused.

But there seems to be about 5 products with that name. Any ideas which is being discussed?

Also, once clean, what does one use to polish/lacquer GRP to keep it clean

 

[Poignard]

Bar Keeper's friend is basically oxalic acid. Which you can buy cheaply.

Once cleaned you can wax polish or coat with a wipe-on floor coating such as Zep.

That's what I do.

 

[BarrytheViking]

I use Bar Keepers' Friend Stain Remover and Multi-surface Cleaner. Consistency is a powder that is applied with a damp cloth. This helps it cling to vertical surfaces whilst it does its work. Works for me and is pretty cheap.

 

[Mistroma]

I think that Bar Keeper's Friend will also contain a fine abrasive material, some surfactants (probably mainly anionic) and mostly oxalic acid.

Oxalic acid is excellent at removing stains (e.g. rust, general yellowing etc.) but it won't clean off grime and dirt. You could clean with something like Cif and use that for a mildly abrasive cleaner with detergent. Oxalic acid solution can then be used on the hull. You can add some sort of thickener (not too much) and some washing up liquid to the oxalic acid solution to make it more effective on vertical surfaces.

The rate of reaction is VERY slow at this time of year and I seem to remember a fairly sharp fall in the rate below 10C. The reaction will take place in minutes in the mid 20s and you can expect to wait for hours at lower temperatures. I usually wash a moderate area with pretty warm water before applying a warm solution of oxalic acid If I need to use it in cold weather.

Oxalic acid has several uses, is easy to get and cheap. I have been using it for more than 50 years and always keep some on board (though I tend to give away more than I use).

I use a 3M hard wax polish after cleaning in spring but there's a wide range of polishes available. I apply a soft "easy to apply" polish in winter and just leave it on the hull without wiping it off. Just make certain it dries to a white powdery finish, not a hard waxy material. I have used this approach for a very long time and it has saved a lot of trouble in spring when other boats were covered in concrete dust, rust specks etc. I just wash off the dusty "polish" and apply the proper stuff.

 

[Hydrozoan]

A crude rule of thumb for chemical reactions at roughly room temperature is a doubling of reaction rate with a 10C temperature rise, but it may vary a lot with the type of reaction. (If one is waiting for stains to disappear it probably also seems longer to wait when one feels cold oneself - but one can compensate with the greater use of warming elbow grease.)

 

[Skylark]

I think that Bar Keeper's Friend will also contain a fine abrasive material, some surfactants (probably mainly anionic) and mostly oxalic acid.

+1

It’s available in powder form in a very convenient sized container from Tesco and other supermarkets. If you own an AWB rather than a MAB it’s probably adequate and any saving versus buying Oxalic acid from eBay isn’t worth the bother.

Lots of uses. It makes a good job of keeping my shroud bottle screws nice and shiny

 

[pvb]

It’s available in powder form in a very convenient sized container from Tesco and other supermarkets. If you own an AWB rather than a MAB it’s probably adequate and any saving versus buying Oxalic acid from eBay isn’t worth the bother.

Lots of uses. It makes a good job of keeping my shroud bottle screws nice and shiny

I think it's too abrasive to use on gelcoat.

 

[Skylark]

I think it's too abrasive to use on gelcoat.

Ah! That’s why I differentiated between AWB and MAB ?

 

[KompetentKrew]

I was quite impressed with the effectiveness of Y-10 on my topsides - apply with a brush, leave for 30 or 45 minutes, wash off; made a big difference. Doesn't actually whiten yellow paint, just BRI-10's it. YouBoat in Gosport stock it, if the Solent is your neck of the woods.

 

[stu9000]

This is where I get my OA.

Oxalic Acid Crystals, 100g or 500g

 

[Mistroma]

I was quite impressed with the effectiveness of Y-10 on my topsides - apply with a brush, leave for 30 or 45 minutes, wash off; made a big difference. Doesn't actually whiten yellow paint, just BRI-10's it. YouBoat in Gosport stock it, if the Solent is your neck of the woods.

It should be effective and the active ingredient is Oxalic acid. It will also contain some thickener, colouring, surfactants and possibly a dash of IPA but that's just a guess.

 

[st599]

We've used Y-10 before, it does seem to clean well, provided it's warm. But the effect only lasts a few weeks (the boats are heavily used) hence the clean and polish idea.

 

[Stemar]

It should be effective and the active ingredient is Oxalic acid. It will also contain some thickener, colouring, surfactants and possibly a dash of IPA but that's just a guess.

IPA's better applied to the user when the job's done. Oxalic acid and a bit of wallpaper paste works for me and cost less than a pot of Y10 for a lifetime's supply, though not if the consumption of IPA is significant

 

[sparkie]

Harpic toilet cleaner. Wipe on neat, leave 10-15 minutes, wipe off with fresh water. Any stubborn marks- Cif.
Polish with the easiest-to-use liquid polish you can find. I use Boatscene (USA I think). Been keeping my painted GRP clean for 15 years...