Bilge cleaners

  • Thread starter Thread starter angelsson
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angelsson

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Looking on E bay and other sources at bilge cleaners which can effectively emulsify oils to then be safely pumped out, there are many different ones, which like most things boaty are hideously expensive, has any other forumite used one, or employed an alternative effectively.
Thanks in advance for advice.
Mike
 
I've used Jizer, which doesn't smell too bad and is cheap if you buy from motor factors. Still not happy about pumping it out to sea though; I removed most of it with a Pela pump and disposed of it in waste oil tank at marina.
 
Automatic washing machine tablets- crumble into the bilge, leave until next trip to boat, if no oil on surface, pump overboard...

I can't comment on the COSHH specs but good emulsification and no slick overboard.

Nick
 
I use bio washing powder for small quantities of bilge muck, and I've got pads which only adsorb oil, not water, for larger oily mess-ups.

Pumping anything like that out to sea is a bit of a no-no as it's very polluting, but I'm not sure putting emulsified oil into the waste oil tank would go down too well either - don't they recycle it?
 
These are threads that I have saved on this subject: -

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?307741-Bilgex-alternative
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?272375-Smelly-bilges-no-more
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?228388-Is-bilge-cleaner-just-washing-up-liquid-plus-BAT
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?268840-Getting-rid-of-deisel-smell

The last link contains links to Toilet Duck distributers (the orange smelling one I think) which people swear kills any diesel smell which may be a residual clean bilge issue.
 
Bilgex worked to emulsify the oil in our bilges but wasn't so hot on getting rid of the 'bilgy' smell. It is better - the smell pre treatment could have outlasted religion but still hasn't gone completely.
 
Many thanks to you all, certainly lots to look at and read about, I do take on board the environmental issues raised and will do my utmost to avoid further pollution.

Best to all

Mike
 
My comment about finding a waste oil tank was slightly tongue in cheek - we clear up oil spills for a living, though usually in gardens. We do use biological methods for kerosene breakdown in soil, but I'd be very careful about introducing them to the boat: I've never looked into the bacterial species responsible for fuel bug, but the two do a very similar job!
 
Use Tide or similar bio washing powder. Mix it with water then put it in the bilge prior to a trip. Pump it out just before going back into the harbour. It dissolves bilge oil and leaves boat smelling like the airing cupboard. You can leave some in whilst you are away but I prefer to leave bilges as dry as possible. It canot be that harmfull to the environment as every home has a washing machine chucking it into the drains
 
robmcg said:
... the smell pre treatment could have outlasted religion but still hasn't gone completely.
Click to expand...

Sound familiar, not to mention outstinking a skunk! Bio Clean, recommended above, got rid of it from my bilges, but not, unfortunately, before it had impregnated the saloon cushions. I can't smell it now, but SWMBO can - her sense of smell for things unpleasant would make a bloodhound hang up his nostrils.
 
Stemar said:
Sound familiar, not to mention outstinking a skunk! Bio Clean, recommended above, got rid of it from my bilges, but not, unfortunately, before it had impregnated the saloon cushions. I can't smell it now, but SWMBO can - her sense of smell for things unpleasant would make a bloodhound hang up his nostrils.
Click to expand...

Now that is interesting. These days diesel does not seem that smelly to me and I wonder if years of messing about in engines and working in engineering environments with a lot of coolant in the air has ruined my sense of smell. Have any other "old hands" noticed anything similar - or is diesel less smelly these days as it has less sulphur??
 
I have now found thanks to all the posts here just what i was looking for, I spoke to the company technical who recommended it above his others for the job I need to do: http://www.thecleaningwarehouse.co.uk/clover-citrus-degreaser-2764-p.asp

It claims to have the emulsifier effect on oils and diesel to enable it to be pumped clean, i must admit to trying various washing powders and liquids with only a partial effect, so hope this will be the solution.

Thanks to all again

Mike
 
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