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posted to rec.boats.cruising
Richard J Kinch
 
Posts: n/a
Default Cleaning Hypalon dinghy?

RW Salnick writes:

Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning a hypalon dinghy? Will
bleach hurt the hypalon?


Hypalon (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) is chemically compatible with
many cleaners. However, the question is more, what is it you want to
"clean". "Dinginess" is typically due to structural degradation, not an
foreign substance, so cleaning doesn't help. This can be confusing
since a lot of coatings that get "dingy" (paint and gelcoat) are
restored by "cleaning" that is not so much cleaning but polishing out a
fresh surface. But rubbery stuff like Hypalon doesn't polish out.

Bleach is often inappropriately used as a cleaner, for which it has an
exaggerated reputation. The actual chlorine oxidizing power is
typically not effective in cleaning, if for no other reason than the
dilution is incorrect (needs lowered pH to activate), and most cleaning
tasks require surfaction, not oxidation. Liquid chlorine bleach (sodium
hypochlorite 5 percent in the laundry version or 10 percent in the
swimming pool version) is typically stabilized with high pH via a good
dose of lye (caustic soda, sodium hydroxide) in the solution, which is a
very harsh alkali cleaner, if not diluted too much. The popular notion
that bleach is a good cleaner is misunderstood, because what really is
typically doing the cleaning is nothing but plain old lye.