smelly bilges !

[philhants]

Any suggestions for keeping bilges smelling fresh - pour and forget type i.e without scrubbing out. Regular "bad egg" smell even after flushing and regularly emptying. We have tried most household discenfectants and even jeyes fluid but to no avail. Boat sits on mud at low water

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[Talbot]

you could (carefully) try caustic soda remembering all the safety precautions for handling and really air out the area after.

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[paulg]

Could the problem be the mud you dry out on? Check seacocks/pipes are not holding mud and transfering smell to inside of boat and sinking into bilges.

<hr width=100% size=1>paul

 

[Guest]

Bad egg smell is often related to Sulphur compounds ..... eg Hydrogen Sulphide ........

I would say that somewhere you have something in the bilges that is possibly reacting with seawater / collected condensation and producing this effect.

I would advise that a good scrub out is needed and then consider the 'cosmetic' bit ...... I usually squirt a few cc's of Washing upliquid around the bilges ..... Lemon variety. That then helps break up any 'crap' that gets in and keeps it from sticking to the inner hull. It also slops around with any water that gets down there ...... plus the lemon essence is better than the other smells you can have !!!!!



<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[ccscott49]

I've found dettol works well, after first pouring a bunch of water, strong detergent (industrial type, which says "do not get on skin") or HLB's patented "clean anything ungent" in first, going to sea for a few hours, (rolling about etc.) and pumping the result out, then treat with dettol, regular.

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[Guest]

Not being funny but Caustic is a bit drastic on GRP ????? especially on inner hull where you don't have gel=coat.

OK if you used the foaming Oven-Cleaner style of diluted caustic then ok ..... but still you'd have to rinse down seriously after.



<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[HeadMistress]

I'm afraid there is no substitute for detergent and elbow grease, followed by a VERY thorough rinsiing out of all the dirty water, if you want a clean smelling bilge.

A wet bilge is a dark stagnant pond, a swamp in fact. And it behaves like one, growing a variety of molds, fungi and bacteria—some that thrive in dark stagnant water, others that just like damp dark places. The warmer the weather and water, the faster they grow. Add some dead and decaying sea water micro-organisms, dirt, food particles, rain water, wash water, hot weather and humidity, plus a little oil or diesel, and you have a real primordial soup…no wonder it stinks!

Most people’s approach to bilge cleaning consists only of throwing some bilge cleaner/and or bleach into that soup when it starts to stink and calling it done. I’ve never understood why they think that’s all there is to it. They wouldn’t just add some detergent and bleach to a bathtub full of dirty bath water, drain it and call the bathtub clean. No one would ever even think of skipping the rinse cycle in the clothes washer or the dishwasher...so why would anyone think it’s possible to clean a bilge without rinsing all the dirty water out of it?

I suspect that laziness may be one of the reasons. The directions on bilge cleaners may be another; they don’t mention rinsing, only adding their product and allowing the bilge pump to pump the dirty water overboard, assuming that anyone smart enough to own a boat would figure out for himself that the bilge needs rinsing out afterward. And if you really want to do it right, you need to dry it out completely too... use a hand pump and a sponge to get what the bilge pump leaves behind, and leave the hatches open so that plenty of fresh air can circulate in it. Once a year should be enough to keep most boats smelling fresh (the best time to do it is in the spring as part of full recommissioning), although it may be necessary to clean the bilge two or three times a year in tropical climates.


<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[ianwright]

,,,,,and also,,,,,

,,,,,, on those boats (mine) whose design makes the final sponging hard work or otherwise awkward, let me introduce you to the bilge dryers best friend,,,,,,,,,, disposable nappies. (diapers to you Peggie) The moisture retaining gel in nappies sucks up and holds about a LOT of liquid, any liquid, which makes ‘em a must have for me. I commend them to you lot as well. IanW

<hr width=100% size=1>Vertue 203, Patience