Serious cleaning agent required.

[Richard Shead]

Ok need some help.

I have a 14ft day boat that has spent the summer on the Thames without any antifoul. She came out in Oct and was power washed which as you can imagine had little effect.

The build up appears to be mainly limescale and I am planning to attack it this weekend.

What if any product have the good folk of this forum used to remove this build up? Some say a plastic scraper to start with but if there is any magic cleaning agent out there can someone please suggest it?

Answers on a postcard please, and apologies if this type of post has been placed before.

Thanks

 

[sailorman]

Brick Cleaner ( Hydrocloric Acid ) from local builders merchant dilute as req

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Add a teenaged boy who likes boats and wants pocket money as scraper operator while you focus on your part of the task which involves a pint glass and comfortable chair

 

[Richard Shead]

Unfortunately the credit crunch has forced me to do such work myself...

Any advance on brick cleaner? Its at my mothers house and acid may not go down to well in her garden. but if thats what it takes....

 

[Nick_H]

Hmm, teenage boy and hydrochloric acid, don't say I didn't warn you ...

How about Calgon, that's supposed to remove limescale. Also there's stuff you can buy to remove calcium pitting from glass, but can't remember the name, but it does involve some elbow grease

 

[[2068]]

You don't say what the boat is made of.

You could try something like Harpic Limescale Remover, but keep it well away from any metal fittings. Also your boat might end up a shade of blue.

 

[Richard Shead]

Sorry 14ft Fletcher, white with decals way above the water line.

 

[alandee]

For what it's worth, I use one of the spray on lime scale removers like Viakal or Cilit Bang; useless in the kitchen but great on boats. I spray it over a small area and leave for five minutes and then wipe off. It usually needs a couple of goes. It will all depend on how thick the scale build-up is but for me it works every time. As with any cleaning product, try a small area first to get used to it.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I use a power washer - a 3000 psi power washer. It strips anything, scale, barnacles and even last years anti-foul.

Petrol powered - one inadvertant pull on the trigger and you end up flat on yer ar*e
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

EDIT - you can hire them

 

[KevB]

Another for brick cleaner here. works a treat with no hard scrapping. Must wear gloves and a face mask cause it stings and gives off an nasty smell.

 

[Richard Shead]

I have an option of one of those but cant get it to it!

And as I said this is credit crunch cleaning...so no hired power tools

 

[powerskipper]

try one of the lime scale removers like cilit bang, or limeate

 

[LAMBADA]

I'll give a second vote for Cilit-Bang.

 

[RobWales]

"Serious cleaning agent required."

You need 007 James Sponge! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[RIN]

Well if you want to do it Credit Crunch style, then by a bottle of Astonish (probably no more than a quid) from your local cheapo household goods shop