Cleaning Bilges

[wizard]

What do people recommend to give the bilge a good clean especially in those places its hard to get at. I need something that doesn't leave a smell afterwards preferably.

It would have to be something that I could just pour in the bilge neat or diluted so I can leave it to swill around and then pump out later.

Ta in advance for all help

 

[sailorman]

What do people recommend to give the bilge a good clean especially in those places its hard to get at. I need something that doesn't leave a smell afterwards preferably.

It would have to be something that I could just pour in the bilge neat or diluted so I can leave it to swill around and then pump out later.

Ta in advance for all help

Washing machine pdr

 

[typhoonNige]

Bilgex. Not the cheapest solution but it works. Biodegradable so your conscience will also be clean!

 

[sailorman]

Bilgex. Not the cheapest solution but it works. Biodegradable so your conscience will also be clean!

Wot a/f do big ships use

 

[typhoonNige]

Wot a/f do big ships use

Some use Sigma Ecofleet 530, the same as me, but it won't clean your bilges.

 

[sailorman]

Some use Sigma Ecofleet 530, the same as me, but it won't clean your bilges.

it might also be as Eco as washing powder

 

[dylanwinter]

back in the day when I had bilges that needed cleaning I used to use the detergent they use for cleaning overalls - available in all good supermarkets

no idea how eco it is - but it certainly worked a treat

and is cheap

you can use the rest up on your overalls afterwards

sparkling bilges - uberclean man

D

 

[sunquest]

TFR Traffic film remover, spray on with the garden pump up thingy used for fence spraying or the small trigger spray. Wash of with hose and pump out.

 

[cryan]

Wot a/f do big ships use

Big ships tend to use product like Enviroclean from marine chemical companies such as Unitor. However it is not uncommon to deoderise bilges with some dhoby dust (aka washing power).

 

[footsoldier]

It would have to be something that I could just pour in the bilge neat or diluted so I can leave it to swill around and then pump out later.

Toilet Duck and a couple of buckets of fresh water. Half an hour in some chop, job jobbed.

 

[sailorman]

Big ships tend to use product like Enviroclean from marine chemical companies such as Unitor. However it is not uncommon to deoderise bilges with some dhoby dust (aka washing power).

I was referring to the antifoul paints they use but we cant in case we damage "The Environment"

 

[PhillM]

Sea water, it finds its way in, I pump it out and then dry with a sponge.

Well it works for my mab.

 

[sarabande]

try a word with www.oiltechnics.com


They have a range of biologically effective cleaners for many boat related problems.


(No affiliation, BTW)

 

[Jamesuk]

G101 it is simply the best value stuff available

 

[cryan]

I was referring to the antifoul paints they use but we cant in case we damage "The Environment"

They just use normal marine paint. Big ship bilges are generally kept as clean as possible both by regulation and general good housekeeping.

 

[sailorman]

They just use normal marine paint. Big ship bilges are generally kept as clean as possible both by regulation and general good housekeeping.

What dont you understand about antifoul, that actually goes on the outsides

 

[Nigel-in-Oxford]

I've used Natural Zest bilge cleaner smells nice.
But the best was a natural contamination of diesel bug on leaked diesel in the bilges. Spent last winter trying to find the source of bad egg smell. Found the water in my bilge keels very smelly with black streaked water but absolutely no oil or diesel that I could detect. All clean and odour free after a pump out and rinse.

I should have kept a sample for future cleaning.

 

[cryan]

What dont you understand about antifoul, that actually goes on the outsides

OK chick no need to boil! Since the thread is about cleaning the bilges of a boat and the bilges are the internal sump of a boat I'm not sure why you assumed that anyone would understand that you had suddenly changed the direction of the thread from the abbreviation a/f?
Anyway to answer your question they use Anti Fouling almost exclusively from Jotun or International. Far from being super powered it is usually far less effective than yacht varieties due to stringent controls on biocides placed on commercial shipping. It will likely be copper based and require near constant movement to be effective at all. Props are regularly cleaned by divers in port to keep them efficient.
However, the bilges are kept clean and do not require special paint or anti fouling .

 

[wizard]

Washing machine pdr

Does that mean I have to roll the yacht over to get that tumble action then ...

 

[Hoolie]

Washing machine pdr

In my experience dish washer detergent is the strongest commonly available. I haven't used it in the bilges but I'm sure it'd be up to the job.