how to clean fenders?

mikeinkwazi said:
What is the best way to clean white fenders? Cif then polish, or some other way?
Mine are a little scuffed in places and I'm waxing the hull for the first time in ages and don't want to mess it up with dirty fenders.
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I know this post is ancient, but I am sure the problem of how to clean fenders is pretty timeless. Having tried pretty much everything, i can say that normal kitchen cream cleaner (Cif) will do a reasonable job but it does require a massive amount of elbow grease. by far the best way is this: dissolve a good quality dish washer tablet in a tall pan or container, and put the fender in it. This will only deal with the top and bottom bits, but they are the ones with the most dirt on them. Take the fender out after a few hour's soaking and scrub with a plastic pan scrubbing thing or a hard brush. Hope this is helpful.
 
I have just cleaned three large - bloody large - fenders. The ones we use overwinter alongside in Dukes Wharf.

First Mate was told by another Island Packet owner that a tub of 'Pink Stuff', available from B&M/ Amazon/ Supermarkets was brilliant for cleaning the waterline of the hull between boot stripe and antifoul.

It was.

I found it was equally good for fenders. I used it copiously, applied and rubbed hard with a rough sided sponge.

And only a couple of quid a tub!

Worth a punt! :cool:
 
rotrax said:
I have just cleaned three large - bloody large - fenders. The ones we use overwinter alongside in Dukes Wharf.

First Mate was told by another Island Packet owner that a tub of 'Pink Stuff', available from B&M/ Amazon/ Supermarkets was brilliant for cleaning the waterline of the hull between boot stripe and antifoul.

It was.

I found it was equally good for fenders. I used it copiously, applied and rubbed hard with a rough sided sponge.

And only a couple of quid a tub!

Worth a punt! :cool:
Click to expand...
It also comes in a spray bottle. About a quid. My son gave me some last week, he reckons it’s great for cleaning the bilges.
 
My guess is that fender manufacturers could make the plastic material much more resilient to staining than it is but that it isn’t in their interest to do so. My new Majoni Star 4 fenders spent the last year, unused in a cockpit locker and each one has small and not so small brown stains all over them that have penetrated the plastic. The stains look similar to the spots of ‘foxing’ you find in old books and are totally resistant to all the cleaners I have tried (Anchor Fender Cleaner/ Pro RibShine/Acetone/Oxalic Acid/Cif. All were put away having been washed and dried.
 
rotrax said:
I have just cleaned three large - bloody large - fenders. The ones we use overwinter alongside in Dukes Wharf.

First Mate was told by another Island Packet owner that a tub of 'Pink Stuff', available from B&M/ Amazon/ Supermarkets was brilliant for cleaning the waterline of the hull between boot stripe and antifoul.

It was.

I found it was equally good for fenders. I used it copiously, applied and rubbed hard with a rough sided sponge.

And only a couple of quid a tub!

Worth a punt! :cool:
Click to expand...
I recently saw a woman cleaning the grp hull and upperworks of a boat that had been left in a boatyard unattended for several years with 'Pink Stuff' paste.

The boat was in a filthy condition and had a lot of brown staining near the water line.

The results after using PS were amazing but I am wondering whether there is a risk of damaging the gelcoat with this stuff because it is abrasive.

What do you think?
 
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