diesel smell

[Falcoron]

Having had my fuel tank valves leak I have had the tanks drained, removed and steam cleaned and fitted with new valves.
I've spent a load of hours cleaning and power washing the area below where the tanks where and I've got it pretty clean and dry. But every time I revisit the boat at weekends ( on the hard from April) I still have a strong smell of diesel even though thee is no diesel on the boat at present.
I used fairy liquid at first to breakdown the fuel and power washed and vacuumed out. I used a Bilge cleaner next ( which to me was just thick washing up liquid) and did same again then used Screwfix no nonsense heavy duty degreaser which really cleaned the bilge floor well from stains, power washed again sucked out the water and dried the bilge but the smell, ( although a bit less ) is still there!
Anyone recommend something that will actually remove the smell for good?

really want to get the tanks refitted asap

 

[starfire]

I seem to remember people recommending pet deodoriser

 

[Seashoreman]

Professional Strength Cat Urine Destroyer to Rid Your Home of The Smell of cat Urine and Prevent Future Territory Marking : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies
Just Google Pet urine Odour Remover.
There are many quantities and strengths of this stuff.
Certainly gets rid of diesel/oil smells on my boat without leaving a perfume type smell.

 

[Aardee]

As Seashoreman says, take a trip to the pet shop. Just make sure it's enzyme-based as that kills the smells rather than masking them.

 

[Falcoron]

Wow brilliant!
I hate 2 new cats next doir who shit everywhere in my garden so I’ll
Defo buy this
Cheers

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. Thought I’d ask..is the boat out the water presently? If she is…it may be the case that there is still some diesel sitting forward of the bilge perhaps. Or at least some sort of left over sign of it. As you’ll know, boats sit very differently on the hard, than they do in their natural state and floating. There maybe be some left trapped and sitting up forward some.

 

[cherod]

Light a candle

 

[Elessar]

Professional Strength Cat Urine Destroyer to Rid Your Home of The Smell of cat Urine and Prevent Future Territory Marking : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies
Just Google Pet urine Odour Remover.
There are many quantities and strengths of this stuff.
Certainly gets rid of diesel/oil smells on my boat without leaving a perfume type smell.

?

Works on holding tank leaks too. Anything organic. Breaks it down and gets rid - no perfume.

 

[Mr Googler]

Light a candle

That’s for petrol smells ?

 

[BruceK]

Ask @Bouba. He's the current resident expert.

 

[paulajayne]

I hate 2 new cats next doir who shit everywhere in my garden so I’ll

We used coffee ground in the garden seemed to stop the cats.

 

[BartW]

I've placed a plate with ground coffee in the bilges for several weeks,
that took away the diesel smell

 

[Falcoron]

Hi. Thought I’d ask..is the boat out the water presently? If she is…it may be the case that there is still some diesel sitting forward of the bilge perhaps. Or at least some sort of left over sign of it. As you’ll know, boats sit very differently on the hard, than they do in their natural state and floating. There maybe be some left trapped and sitting up forward some.

I've washed every bilge and all other compartment in the boat, all clean and dry, no smell of diesel from those only where the tanks sat, now all dry and the diesel didn't get forward of the engine bay as the boat is sitting with run off going to stern luckily