Dog Hair Problem - Seriously!

[Dougal]

Had the same boat (and dog) for almost ten years now. Dog hair has insidiously amalgamated in some extremely difficult to get at places, especially around the bilge mounted engine. I've tediously removed a great deal with items such as hooks and bent coat hangers etc, but there are many places proving really hard to deal with. The hair practically weaves its way around things!

Anyone know of any ‘reasonably’ safe products to dissolve hair, without damaging too much else?

I thought about trying caustic soda but I’m worried about what it might do to any electrical wiring it encounters, and rubber seals etc.

Others have suggested using Bi-Carb (baking soda) and white vinegar. I’ve seen this work well for hair in drains, but again, I’m concerned about what else the chemical reaction might damage.

Yours thought ladies and gents?

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Surely a wet vac with a long probe would be best?

....oh and some clippers for the hound....

 

[NUTMEG]

Sort of related. My Webasto stopped working a couple of years ago. Started, ran for a bit, then shutdown. Fiddled and poked it to no avail. Finally decided to remove the heater to have it serviced. I discovered the air intake, in the cockpit, was full of dog hair. Removed the hair and all was well. Inca is a black lab, not long haired. Dog hair gets everywhere

 

[Dougal]

Surely a wet vac with a long probe would be best?

lol i guess you've never had a dog on a boat;-)

 

[Quandary]

I have bad news for you Dougal, it get worse as the dog gets older, but then Ermintrude will have told you that.

 

[Stemar]

Others have suggested using Bi-Carb (baking soda) and white vinegar. I’ve seen this work well for hair in drains,

This will have no effect on the hair. What it does is dissolve the grease that acts like the resin in fibreglass. The hair can then wash away or be removed.

Unfortunately, I don't think you'll find anything human or boat friendly that will dissolve hair in any quantity. Could you blast it out of inaccessible corners with a jet washer?

 

[sailaboutvic]

We had lots more problem with human hairs then we ever had with dog hair in 9 year having a dog on board , as I said else where , dog or no dog we clean the boat each day and that way any hair aBout are removed .

 

[Dougal]

She's an elderly Blonde Inuit. Errr.... the dog that is, not the wife (then again...)
Inuits have very long outer guard hair, with a thick matt of furry under hair. Like a Husky only much worse;-((
The hairs wrap and weave themselves around and into anything they can, and all blasting with a pressure washer does, is tangle them into tighter knots lol
Ho hum, the joys of a big dog on a small boat!

There is an upside... She's the only dog we've ever had that's kept both French and Spanish Customs off the boat;-)

 

[Stemar]

I'm reminded of a sign outside a house with a pic of a large dog and the caption, "Leftovers will be prosecuted"