[FlyFishDive]

Ok, hopefully someone can help.

I am trying to clean my bilges out. Previous owners apparently never did. I have, in addition to a standard nasty bilge, is what appears to be oil and grease that has reverted back to crude oil form and refuses to be cleaned by anything.

I have tried simple green, liquid tide, dawn, super clean, industrial super degreaser from rubbermaid, TSP, and a variety of lesser cleaners.

The cleaners get 95% of it but there is still a thin film left on the surfaces that I can't seem to cut through.

Does anyone have an "end all be all" cleaner or trick that they can recommend to cut the greasey film?

Thanks,

 

[canyonfvr]

put a few of those bilge oil soaking mats in there add genorous amount of dawn dish wasking soap add water matts will soak up oil and grease

 

[FlyFishDive]

I have already matted out the floating stuff and have it pretty well cleaned, I'm just trying to get the remaining thin film off of the surfaces, but nothing seems to cut it. No matter what I scrub it with you can still feel it. I am going to try powdered tide, used to use it years ago to clean the gas station gargage floor to cut the grease.

 

[MACKS]

Try some engine cleaner,the stuff you buy in aid auto in the spray cans,spray it on and let it sit awile and than hose it off.If you can get to it with a brush it would be even better.

 

[CaptPaul]

Vacuum the bilge out, and use a fine brush w/ mineral spirits. Then mop it up, and scrub w/ Dawn and hot water. Twice.

Paul

 

[outrageous21]

FlyFishDive wrote:
Does anyone have an "end all be all" cleaner


I have your answer it is called "On and Off" made by Marykate, it comes in a red and white bottle. Wear gloves, dont get it on your hands, or inhale it. I use it for the bilge, dont use it on the hull it will take away the shine of the gel kote.

 

[Fishbust]

Cleaning...

Please do not spray your fiberglass with auto engine cleaner.

Please do not use 'On and Off' INSIDE the boat. Phosphoric Acid fumes will put you down. "On and Off' is for outside the boat, cleaning the waterline and below.

What I would do is buy that Bilge Cleaner that is like syrup in texture. You leave some water in the bilge and this stuff sloshes around cleaning while you are boating and doing everything but thinking about your bilge. Over time, it will emulsify the rest of the oil. Your bilge just needs to soak in something that will emulsify oil for awhile. The stuff really works.

This post edited by Fishbust 07:19 AM 03/30/2008

 

[outrageous21]

If it doesnt kill you it works great though. Full face mask with filters.

 

[FlyFishDive]

I thought about the engine cleaner, but wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. Might give it a shot if nothing else works.

I am pretty familiar with the "on & off" (and it's fumes) that stuff is bad, be aware if you are using it. For cutting the overall film it doesn't work that well, but definately takes care of the rust stains and isolated heavy pockest of crud.

I've been trying to stay away from the mineral spirits, acetone or mek because of the fumes.

It looks like I just have to keep working it with multiple cleanings. Hot water would probably help a lot as well, maybe I'll take the fryer burner down and heat up pots of water.

Thanks for all of the replies. Now it's time to go clean some more.

 

[MakoMike]

Fishbust wrote:
Please do not spray your fiberglass with auto engine cleaner.

Please do not use 'On and Off' INSIDE the boat. Phosphoric Acid fumes will put you down. "On and Off' is for outside the boat, cleaning the waterline and below.

What I would do is buy that Bilge Cleaner that is like syrup in texture. You leave some water in the bilge and this stuff sloshes around cleaning while you are boating and doing everything but thinking about your bilge. Over time, it will emulsify the rest of the oil. Your bilge just needs to soak in something that will emulsify oil for awhile. The stuff really works.

What he said, a clean bilge isn't worth your lungs of the danger of an explosion.

 

[Leprechaun]

To cut grease you need a strong alkaline cleaner - On and Off will have very little effect on congealed grease, being a mixture of several fairly potent acids.

Save that stuff for cleaning outside the hull tannin stains and either go with Capt Paul's high-effort, but highly effective method - or Fishbust's lower-effort, but still good method.

You'd be wasting $25/gal On and Off, with little if any effect on this particular problem.

What I did when I had a similar issue due to a bad oilpan - I poured a half-gal of Castrol Purple in the bilge, added a few gallons of FW and went out fishing for the day.

Next morning I wet-vac'ed the resulting cruddy mess out of the bilge and brought it to my local auto repair garage for disposal.

Then I did the straight Simple Green and stiff scrub brush deal on what was left - the bilge cleaned up as new.

best, Lep

 

[bluezone]

Citriclean(a citrus based degreaser),hot water,and a pressure washer will clean any bilge.Be carefull with the pressure washer,there's alot of stuff not designed to withstand a high pressure blast of water.

 

[FredyFluke]

waht paul said before it goes in the water

what fishbust said after its in..

get as much out of there before you put the boat in because your pumping that stuff into the water.

 

[FlyFishDive]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

So far the best cleaner has been this stuff called "Super Clean". It comes in a purple bottle and is available at auto parts stores. It is better than simple green or anything else I have mentioned.

A stiff scrub brush and 2 or 3 good scrubings and rinses then a final scrub with comet seems to be the ticket.

Thanks,