MBY boat cleaning article

[Kipper]

I did a post last year on full GRP refinish on my mates T34 does that count.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277298

 

[Sulley]

+1 for Magic sponges, fantastic for getting any marks out generally on the boat and the ONLY thing to clean vinyl seats. A regular once over with these and my seats look like new it manages to get any dirt out of the vinyl grain.

Also very good for SWMBO to clean the fenders with so they are nice and shiny

 

[bigwow]

http://www.shipshapenorfolkltd.co.uk/ect/products.php?cat=3

The best products I have found

 

[Robmob]

Jack

Firefly625 mentioned the importance of a good supply of Microfibre cloths and I wondered whether the following tips on cleaning and caring for your microfibres would be of any use to your readers?

http://www.performancemotorcare.com...d-caring-for-microfibre-cloths-drying-towels/

Rob

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Cleaning materials are often cheaper, sorry I meant 'less expensive', in Caravan supply firms in comparison with Chandlers.

Often the exact same products.

 

[gjgm]

Cant find it any more (sorry) but Poundshop did a cleaner called engine degreaser in one of those spray bottles, very light green liquid, and that was brilliant in the engine bay. I think for serious mess you can use disc brake cleaner, but that is highly inflammable so 1. dont pass out;2. dont be smoking;3 dont start the engine til its all evaporated.

 

[mainshiptom]

Magic sponge

I love it just use water.

 

[Jack Haines]

Thanks a lot for these replies guys!

Jack

 

[TommieDee]

Simple guide to clean teak decks: Persil Non Bio!

TCM's guide is very comprehensive and sounds like it works a treat.

If you want a quick and easy way to clean teak decks, Persil Non Biological washing powder! Pal of mine in IOM (v v experienced boater who retired in his 40s and spends all his time cleaning his pride and joy so knows a thing or two about boat cleaning) gave me the "recipe"

Dissolve about a cupfull of Non Bio in a half a bucket of v hot water. Then lightly scrub into the decks with a scrubbing brush. Best to use rubber gloves as the mixture is quite slippy on the hand. leave for 5 to 10 mins and then hose off.

Decks come up really well. Not Showroom New decks colour, but not far off.

No messing with 2 or 3 part cleaners and v cheap.

Good luck with article Jack

Tom

 

[jfm]

Tom I fully agree with you on Persil (or similar, eg dishwasher tablet). However this method doesn't compete with and isn't an alternative to TCM's widely used method. The way to keep teak looking new is clean it whenever (weekly, say) with soap and then every so often (couple of months, but depends) clean it with 2-part to bring back the brown look. Thus, the two cleaning regimes should both be used, and they complement each other

I'm a big fan of A Glaze on GRP

 

[Jim@sea]

Occasionally I like to use Acetone. In the UK it is hard to find and expensive. But in France its on every Supermarket shelf and cheap as chips.
Ps its also good for thinning down Hammerite.

 

[Red]

Just by chance I discovered a unique way of removing seagull guano. A friend of mine farms snails - of the esgargot, edible type. Anyway just before Christmas we went down to the boat armed with a good supply of fresh snails, garlic,herbs and white wine for a pre Christmas meal and had a good evening. We had left out in the cockpit by accident as it was dark a punett of live snails and when we surfaced the next morning from our duvets the snails has escaped from their pot and were grazing on some seagull pooh on the aft deck, we left them to it and by lunch time the deck was like new, just a few shiny trails from the snails that were washed away easily.

 

[lisilou]

Someone on the Sealine forum raved about 'Greased Lightning Showroom Shine' so I ordered two 2 ltr bottles online for £25 and gotta say its brilliant! No need for water just spray on, rub in, polish off. Easy and fantastic results! Does the job on glass and chrome aswell.
Lisa

 

[Cashbuyer]

Interesting that some of these recommended products are household items and consist of acids and bleach.

I'm all for an easy life and finding a bargain but if we all used these products, especially in our fresh water marina with no tides or current, the water and marine life would be in a pretty sorry state and I don't think a reputable boating magazine should be promoting these products especially detergents containing bleach

I have no commercial connection with any Chandlery or supplier

 

[Firefly625]

around instruments, and fiddly bits that get dusty use the car valeters trick, a 1.5" paint brush and a vacuum. Brush around all the nooks and crannies and hover the vacuum above to suck up all the years of dirt that has settled places that dusters and cloths can't get at.

 

[DRM MARINE VALETING]

I have in the past made the point on this forum that responsible boat owners should give some thought to the enviroment before they begin washing and cleaning out their bilges of their craft with products which may do an excellent job but are not biodegradeable and can harm marine and other wildlife. The last time I mention this the reply's were along the lines of " Am I bothered" and " Who cares ", which is such a shame. Another point is the amount of people you see washing boats in marinas, who choose not to attach a gun to the end of the hose and allow gallons of water to be wasted overboard while they chat to someone on the pontoon. Finally when washing products like teak cleaner and brightner off the decks, just check that there aren't any swans or ducks drinking the the water as it runs off the transom / bathing platform. I hope you make a point of mentioning boat owners responsability to the enviroment in your article.


drmvaletingservices@o2.co.uk

 

[lisilou]

The points made re environmentally unfriendly products are very good ones and maybe the article should highlight this??
Lisa

 

[Nick_H]

A number of strong degreasers have been reccomended above (fairy power spray etc.), but i'd be careful about using them on vinyl or PVC as they chemically attack the surface, and you're left with a tacky surface that attracts dirt. Also lots of support for magic sponges, but these work on abrasion thereby removing any oils or waxes on the surface of the material you're cleaning, so they will get dirty again more quickly.

I use both products, but i'm careful where I use them, and on some materials will use a conditioner afterwards to repace the lost surface protection.

 

[KevB]

For plastic seats and dinghy = Pro marine rib shine and magic erasor sponges (cheap as chips on ebay)

For general GRP cleaning = Cheapest bilogical washing powder in a bucket of water with cheap halfords car wash. Better than anything else I've tried and I've tried most of the 'marine' washing rubbish

cutting/Polishing = Aqua Buff 2000

waxing = Autoglym super resin polish

Teak decks = wessex

 

[Jack Haines]

The points made re environmentally unfriendly products are very good ones and maybe the article should highlight this??
Lisa

Agreed, it will be covered.

All the best,

Jack