Nappies (Diapers) As Absorbent Pads - A Warning

[Deleted member 36384]

If you are going to use nappies as absorbent pads remove them soon after they have soaked up the liquid. Don't forget about them for 6 months. They fall to bits when touched leaving jelly granules not too dissimilar to gritty wallpaper paste all over the place. Cleaning this up is very hard.

 

[bluedragon]

Oh yes, absolutely right!! And this can happen in days or less if a large volume of water is present. I scooped more than one lot gelified gunge out of the bilge of our last boat

 

[Tranona]

You are using upmarket ones. Tesco Value are all fibre, but probably not quite so effective.

 

[Pasarell]

Nappies

I agree with Tranona. Never had a problem with Lidl nappies at about £5 for 50 but Pampers at £5 for 10 fall apart very quickly. Best solution was to sort the leak and with that done any brand lasts forever!

 

[nimbusgb]

I find that the kids complain far too much if you leave them for anything like that long!

 

[onenyala]

I am about to do a fuel filter change and intended using absorbent nappies in addition to a bucket to catch any diesel spillage. How are they on diesel ?

 

[greenalien]

The chemical in 'absorbent' nappies is specifically to absorb water - it's the same stuff that's used by gardeners to stop plants from drying out too quickly - polyacrylamide, also called hydrogel. It won't soak up diesel at all.

 

[electrosys]

I am about to do a fuel filter change and intended using absorbent nappies in addition to a bucket to catch any diesel spillage. How are they on diesel ?

The stuff I use to absorb oil is Perlite - obtainable from garden centres - which is a form of expanded volvanic rock. You've still got to clean-up and dispose of the oil-soaked Perlite, but it makes life just a tad easier.

 

[Tintin]

The chemical in 'absorbent' nappies is specifically to absorb water - it's the same stuff that's used by gardeners to stop plants from drying out too quickly - polyacrylamide, also called hydrogel. It won't soak up diesel at all.

Interesting comment - the ones I use seem to work fine - pampers, tesco's own brand - whatever I bought last for the youngest.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Interesting comment - the ones I use seem to work fine - pampers, tesco's own brand - whatever I bought last for the youngest.

Rolls-Royce so completely failed to engineer a brake control valve to Citroën standards that they used to install a disposable nappy under it to catch the drips. Changing it was a standard service item - it seemed to soak up LHM mineral oil based hydraulic fluid just fine.

 

[Csail]

We use pampers and they clean the bilge well but on a different note would a tampax seal a failed hull fitting?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

The chemical in 'absorbent' nappies is specifically to absorb water - it's the same stuff that's used by gardeners to stop plants from drying out too quickly - polyacrylamide, also called hydrogel. It won't soak up diesel at all.

They did soak up diesel / water and on another occasion they did soak up neat diesel when I removed a diesel fired stove.

My issue was the 6 months! They were Pamper nappies, pack of 25, small size.

 

[Steve Clayton]

Pop along to your nearest Pirtek outlet. They have absorbent pads - cheap as chips

 

[bluedragon]

Well I just bought a pack from Aldi today, so will report back next week after oil, fuel filter and coolant change! I found in the past that they would soak up a mix of oil/water/diesel in the bilge, but I want to try these under the engine to catch any spills & drips (as my sump and bilge area is dry and spotlessly clean now I've swapped my 'auld leakey' for a modern AWB with saildrive )

 

[VicS]

A proper oil absorbent pad/blanket/pillow will soak up oil but NOT water.

You can leave it in place until saturated with oil. Then you can wring the oil out and use it again.

In the 1980s I had one stuffed up one of the site drains to stop oil leaking into the ditches that surrounded the site. It was there for ages... until the source of the oil was found and the discharge cured.

 

[Ludd]

A proper oil absorbent pad/blanket/pillow will soak up oil but NOT water.

"Then you can wring the oil out and use it again!"

Bloody hell,and they say we Scots are mean! Oil's not THAT expensive!

 

[bluedragon]

A proper oil absorbent pad/blanket/pillow will soak up oil but NOT water.

You can leave it in place until saturated with oil. Then you can wring the oil out and use it again.

In the 1980s I had one stuffed up one of the site drains to stop oil leaking into the ditches that surrounded the site. It was there for ages... until the source of the oil was found and the discharge cured.

I looked at these yesterday and for permanent use they have their uses (remove the oil, leaving the water clean to be pumped out) but for occasional use or for service spills they are too expensive (£25ish in Force 4) and then I don't want to store a smelly used pad on board until next time. So it's horses for courses IMO.