Sail Cleaning

[SteveIOW]

Have recently tried using Patio Magic to clean green algae from leach and foot of furling genoa (the UV strip is white). Mixed it at 4 to 1 and applied liberally with brush. Have left it for four days but there has been little or no effect and the green remains. Any ideas please on why it's not working.
Have done the treatment with sail spread out in garage so that it's not diluted by rain or blown away by wind. Garage has window in wall and back door but not as much daylight as outdoors. Don't know if this or temperature is relevant.

 

[Slowboat35]

Unable to delete post.

 

[VicS]

Have recently tried using Patio Magic to clean green algae from leach and foot of furling genoa (the UV strip is white). Mixed it at 4 to 1 and applied liberally with brush. Have left it for four days but there has been little or no effect and the green remains. Any ideas please on why it's not working.
Have done the treatment with sail spread out in garage so that it's not diluted by rain or blown away by wind. Garage has window in wall and back door but not as much daylight as outdoors. Don't know if this or temperature is relevant.

My guess is that the algae will have been killed but that the chlorophyll remains .. l think it would disappear quickly if the sail had been exposed to the weather or washed.
Ive often used it to treat algae on rope ends on deck. All signs seem to have gone by the time I've next visited the boat.

Put the car in the garage and sail on the drive for a few days. ?

 

[thinwater]

Exactly. That type of product kills it but does not remove it. Give it a good scrub. If that does not satisfy, treat with Oxiclean (soak of leave wet for 4+ hours).

 

[VicS]

Exactly. That type of product kills it but does not remove it. Give it a good scrub. If that does not satisfy, treat with Oxiclean (soak of leave wet for 4+ hours).

Or Vanish or a supermarket own brand "oxy action" laundry bleach., but don't use a hypochlorite bleach on sail cloth. It sometimes turns it yellow irreversibly

( I don't think Oxiclean is widely available in the UK )

 

[thinwater]

Or Vanish or a supermarket own brand "oxy action" laundry bleach., but don't use a hypochlorite bleach on sail cloth. It sometimes turns it yellow irreversibly

( I don't think Oxiclean is widely available in the UK )

Yes, this. Oxiclean is dominant in the US oxygen bleach market, so that is what I mentioned. Any brand that is based on percarbonate. Chlorine bleach will weaken the fabric. Pro sail cleaning chemicals are all percarbonate, including one I tested from the UK.

 

[VicS]

Or Vanish or a supermarket own brand "oxy action" laundry bleach.,

 

[Jmc1764]

Had the same with my sail last year, gave up as could not get rid of the green staining, after a few good sunny days sailing it disappeared, not sure if it just washed away or the sun bleached it away, anyhow it has gone and the sail is still bright white !

 

[Momac]

Have recently tried using Patio Magic to clean green algae from leach and foot of furling genoa (the UV strip is white). Mixed it at 4 to 1 and applied liberally with brush. Have left it for four days but there has been little or no effect and the green remains. Any ideas please on why it's not working.
Have done the treatment with sail spread out in garage so that it's not diluted by rain or blown away by wind. Garage has window in wall and back door but not as much daylight as outdoors. Don't know if this or temperature is relevant.

It may simply need more time.

 

[thinwater]

Had the same with my sail last year, gave up as could not get rid of the green staining, after a few good sunny days sailing it disappeared, not sure if it just washed away or the sun bleached it away, anyhow it has gone and the sail is still bright white !

And THIS is a common factor. Anything kills the organism will allow UV to do the rest. The corollary is not to try to hard to remove the last bit of stain; the sun will often do the job.