Best way to clean FRP surfaces ?

[Newman]

Morning all

Have just bought my first (secondhand) boat and it is looking a little bit 'grubby'. Can I have your advice on best way to clean the surfaces of the frp in general. For example, a cup of coffee got spilt down one part of the cockpit wall while bringing it home at the weekend (It wasn't me - honest). But it could also do with a bit of an all round wash and brush up. Is using a jetwash advisable ?. I am also wary of using any chemical cleaners.

Next will be the teak decks. Any suggestions please ?

Many thanks in anticipation

 

[philip_stevens]

Don't use a jetwash on the grp.

I have recently cleaned the winter grubbiness and last summers river discolouration from our boat using agricultural milk line cleaner - Hypo. Water it down a bit, and then apply with a brush - leave a while and then wash off with fresh clean water.

I also use it to clean the patio slabs - but neat, and then a rinse with clean water.

Another cheap product I have used is Patio Cleaner from B&Q. This is hydrochloric acid at 8%. Boat product as a gel is 10%. So no great difference in strength. As above, wash off with fresh water after application.

 

[lustyd]

What's wrong with a jetwash on GRP? Everyone has the bottom jetwashed at liftout so I don't see the problem (the bottom of your boat is also GRP).

What's FRP?

 

[prv]

What's FRP?

Fibre Reinforced Plastic.

Same thing, if the fibres are glass.

Pete

 

[lustyd]

Ah thanks that makes sense

 

[philip_stevens]

What's wrong with a jetwash on GRP? Everyone has the bottom jetwashed at liftout so I don't see the problem (the bottom of your boat is also GRP).

What's FRP?

I use a jetwash on the hull AF, but it will not remove stains on the GRP, as does the cleaners I mentioned, that will also remove the green from the rubbing strake without harming the wood.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

A very fine abrasive compound like Farecla G10 a little elbow grease followed by a wash jet wash optional then a wax and polish should bring your GRP / FRP topsides and deck up to scratch any wood that is green could be treated with any of the DIY supermarket patio cleaners applied with a brush and then washed of NOT with a jet wash then treated with Oxalic acid solution should see them nice and clean.

 

[gianenrico]

I use diluted oxalic acid, which I buy ( in crystal form) from suppliers to marble working compamies (well, home port is Carrara...)

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I use diluted oxalic acid, which I buy ( in crystal form) from suppliers to marble working compamies (well, home port is Carrara...)

Available cheaply on flea bay other sources are available

 

[Ubergeekian]

What's wrong with a jetwash on GRP?

If you do it too aggressively it gives a nasty porous matt finish to the gel coat and it takes ages to cut and polish back to niceness. I have a relatively low-powered jetwash for precisely this reason.

 

[BoatBuddy]

Morning all

Have just bought my first (secondhand) boat and it is looking a little bit 'grubby'. Can I have your advice on best way to clean the surfaces of the frp in general. For example, a cup of coffee got spilt down one part of the cockpit wall while bringing it home at the weekend (It wasn't me - honest). But it could also do with a bit of an all round wash and brush up. Is using a jetwash advisable ?. I am also wary of using any chemical cleaners.

Next will be the teak decks. Any suggestions please ?

Many thanks in anticipation

Hi

Please do not use hydrochloric acid as this is a bleach and gives off very toxic fumes when mixed with water and will cause burns to your respitory system if you are not wearing protective breathing aparatus.
Oxalic acid also bleaches the fibreglass and can ultimately cause fibreglass to turn a off-white colour.
We have been cleaning boats for 24 years and produce fibreglass cleaning products.We shall be at Beaulieu Boat Jumble on Sunday 17 April and will be happy give you any advice you need as you what is a satisfactory way to clean and protect fibreglass surfaces, otherwise feel free to contact me through this forum. Chris.

 

[Stemar]

There's a multitude of car products that will bring GRP back into line if it isn't too bad. An ordinary shampoo and a mop will deal with general grubbiness, but I'd avoid one with a wax in it 'cos it might make things slippery. Patio cleaner works well (Stuff for wood, rather than for stone as the stone ones may contain acid that could react with sea water to produce chlorine gas.)

Brown stains along the waterline and rust marks will benefit from oxalic acid. There's a yotty product at a tenner for a small tub, or get some crystals and make up a 10% (from memory - a bit of research may be called for) solution in walpaper paste. Brush it on, leave for 10 minutes and wash off with lots of water. Oxalic acid is poisonous and will burn eyes and skin, so take sensible precautions.

Once everything's nice and clean, Mer polish will keep it that way, but probably not not anywhere you might want a shoe to grip. (It may be OK, but I've never tried it as I need to paint my deck) If painting is on the cards any time in the next few years, I wouldn't use any wax product, especially not a silicone one.

Lots of little black pin holes are because the surface is worn away and the holes are bubbles in the gelcoat. Little grey lines, possibly in a pattern on the surface that won't wash off may be because the gelcoat is so worn the layup is showing through. Too much of either of these probably means a paint-job going on your to-do list, but they're purely cosmetic, so no need to panic.

If you need to paint non-slip areas, masonry paint gives a good grip underfoot and is a helluva lot cheaper that the "proper" stuff. Proper preparation is essential.

Last tip: Don't use a stiff brush on teak and if you have to rub, do it across the grain.