Best cleaner for river slime
 

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

Best cleaner for river slime
 

sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


I definitely would not use a product like Zud, because it is abrasive
and will scratch the finish. Tidy Bowl might be good, but I would be
concerned with it staining your bottom paint blue. I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html



I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Sno-Bowl works great, and was recommended by a popular (successful)
local fiberglass man.


"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

Best cleaner for river slime
 

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.


What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Canuck57 wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin
We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.


What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.



Absolutely nothing works better than applying Zaino Brothers polish on
the boat every season. It is so easy to apply and remove you can do it
twice a season. Just don't apply any where someone will walk, it is a
slick as teflon.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub
like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html


I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.




ps - after I sent the post, I wondered if Bar Keepers recommended it for
fiberglass boats. Bar Keepers recommend rubbing with the grain, which
to me is a red flag about being abrasive.

While they didn't actual recommend using the product on fiberglass,
"They said " Bar Keepers Friend has been used successfully to clean
fiberglass boats, bathtubs, and showers--especially where water stains
are a problem. Do not use hard rubbing."

If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub
like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html


I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.




ps - after I sent the post, I wondered if Bar Keepers recommended it for
fiberglass boats. Bar Keepers recommend rubbing with the grain, which
to me is a red flag about being abrasive.

While they didn't actual recommend using the product on fiberglass,
"They said " Bar Keepers Friend has been used successfully to clean
fiberglass boats, bathtubs, and showers--especially where water stains
are a problem. Do not use hard rubbing."

I would try to use a non abrasive product that did not warn about
rubbing with the grain, and to rub gently.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Gently? Try no rubbing at all. Just put a paste of it on there and let the
acid do the work. If you rub it you'll just be putting more scratches into
the gelcoat. Making it easier for the gunk to attach to it again next
season.

Your best bet is to stay on top of this during the season. Just use a
soft/medium brush on it. Shur-hold makes an attachment with bend in it that
makes this less hassle. If you're in the water you can use one of those
suction cup handles to give you a hand hold to really get a good scrub.

-Bill Kearney

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Bill Kearney wrote:
If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Gently? Try no rubbing at all. Just put a paste of it on there and let the
acid do the work. If you rub it you'll just be putting more scratches into
the gelcoat. Making it easier for the gunk to attach to it again next
season.

Your best bet is to stay on top of this during the season. Just use a
soft/medium brush on it. Shur-hold makes an attachment with bend in it that
makes this less hassle. If you're in the water you can use one of those
suction cup handles to give you a hand hold to really get a good scrub.

-Bill Kearney



I use a brush with a liquid oxalic acid solution. Removes those stains
for me. The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

"sherwindu" wrote
Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?

I use an oxalic acid product called Savogran Wood Bleach from Lowe's. I mix
a tablespoon or so of the crystals with water in a quart spray bottle and
mist it on the stains. A few minutes later they're gone and I rinse with
plain water. No ill effects so far. I have noticed that a recently waxed
surface will make the OA mixture bead up and be less effective. YMMV

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Gene Kearns wrote:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:48:00 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:
Absolutely nothing works better than applying Zaino Brothers polish on
the boat every season. It is so easy to apply and remove you can do it
twice a season. Just don't apply any where someone will walk, it is a
slick as teflon.

Great product and advice.


The only difficulty I have found is that finding this stuff in a store
is like trying to buy a medium size tin of hen's teeth....


Gene,
I just order it online:

http://www.zainostore.com/

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:12:54 -0400, HK wrote:

Bill Kearney wrote:
If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Gently? Try no rubbing at all. Just put a paste of it on there and let the
acid do the work. If you rub it you'll just be putting more scratches into
the gelcoat. Making it easier for the gunk to attach to it again next
season.

Your best bet is to stay on top of this during the season. Just use a
soft/medium brush on it. Shur-hold makes an attachment with bend in it that
makes this less hassle. If you're in the water you can use one of those
suction cup handles to give you a hand hold to really get a good scrub.

I use a brush with a liquid oxalic acid solution. Removes those stains
for me. The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.

Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

Best cleaner for river slime
 

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.
Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

Which is still an abrasive and will not help your gelcoat.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:49:02 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.
Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

Which is still an abrasive and will not help your gelcoat.

Really?

Hmmmm - well, no.

Here's a image of the interior of the boat which gets all kinds of
crud, blood and stains - see any deterioration of the gel coat?

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger06.JPG

Here's an image of the side of the boat.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger03.JPG

See any deterioration of the gel coat?

We have a fiberglass bath/shower and it's cleaned with Soft Scrub all
the time - no scratches there either.

It does work and work well.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:09:30 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:49:02 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.
Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

Which is still an abrasive and will not help your gelcoat.

Really?

Hmmmm - well, no.

Here's a image of the interior of the boat which gets all kinds of
crud, blood and stains - see any deterioration of the gel coat?

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger06.JPG

Here's an image of the side of the boat.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger03.JPG

See any deterioration of the gel coat?

We have a fiberglass bath/shower and it's cleaned with Soft Scrub all
the time - no scratches there either.

It does work and work well.

I was a little harsh on that reply - my apology. A little tired
today.

I've used it for a long time and never had a problem. I'll admit it
did hit the boat with Finesse-it II three years ago, but I still use
Soft Scrub with no swirls or fine little scratches.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 06:16:05 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

"On and Off" works extremely well. It should, the main ingredient is
hydrochloric acid. It does not seem to harm fiberglass but it will
damage some kinds of paint and take wax off the hull. I wear rubber
gloves and glasses when I use it, wet everything down in advance, and
rinse well afterward. The best way to avoid slime build up is a good
coat of wax. Zud and Soft Scrub are two of the worst things you can
use on a fiberglass boat, try everything else first.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:22:52 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.

It will destroy the gloss finish just like Zud and Soft Scrub. If I
need an abrasive to remove scratches, I start with 3M Finesse It and
work up from there. Less is better.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:12:54 -0400, HK wrote:

The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.

Yes. There is also a reaction that takes place between salt water and
air which leaves a tannin like stain even when the water is clear. The
only way to avoid it is lots of wax on the hull.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:52:10 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

I use a brush with a liquid oxalic acid solution. Removes those stains
for me. The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.

Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

On and Off is quicker and requires almost no rubbing. It is much
easier on fiberglass than Soft Scrub. Wear eye protection and old
clothes.

Sno Bowl works just as well and is cheaper, same ingredients
basically.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:10:25 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:52:10 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

I use a brush with a liquid oxalic acid solution. Removes those stains
for me. The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.

Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

On and Off is quicker and requires almost no rubbing. It is much
easier on fiberglass than Soft Scrub. Wear eye protection and old
clothes.

I've never had a problem with Soft Scrub - ever.

And the finish on my boat is damn near perfect.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

John H. wrote:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:39:12 GMT, "Canuck57"
wrote:

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin
We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.

What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.


You can buy oxalic acid powder at hardware stores. $5 will get about a half
pound which will make enough solution for several years. I use about two
tablespoons per gallon of water, put it in a spray bottle, mist it on the
brown stain, wipe with a sponge, and then rinse. The stain is gone.

This is much cheaper than Off and On, it is worth a try, even if I lose
the rest before i need to use it again. Maybe we can just buy a half
pound for the whole dock.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:56:12 -0400, " JimH" ask wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:09:30 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:49:02 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

I've always used Soft Scrub - non bleach, non scented.
Works and not a lot of "elbow grease".

Which is still an abrasive and will not help your gelcoat.

Really?

Hmmmm - well, no.

Here's a image of the interior of the boat which gets all kinds of
crud, blood and stains - see any deterioration of the gel coat?

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger06.JPG

Here's an image of the side of the boat.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Ranger/Ranger03.JPG

See any deterioration of the gel coat?

We have a fiberglass bath/shower and it's cleaned with Soft Scrub all
the time - no scratches there either.

It does work and work well.

I was a little harsh on that reply - my apology. A little tired
today.

I've used it for a long time and never had a problem. I'll admit it
did hit the boat with Finesse-it II three years ago, but I still use
Soft Scrub with no swirls or fine little scratches.

I have used Soft Scrub when cleaning the anti slip areas on my boats. It
cleans on the surface only.

When trying to clean set in stains like the original poster has oxalic acid
(Bar Keepers Friend) is a far better solution. ;-)

Could be I've never had that kind of stain.

I do fish in a lot of areas that are tannin stained though and that
can be a pain.

I tried Never-Dull once on a stain on a fiberglass boat- that worked
really well, but it strips off the wax.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:10:30 -0400, " JimH" ask wrote:

Nope. I used it and it did not destroy the finish. It did remove the water
scum stain though. ;-)

Did you rub it in? It is an abrasive if you do.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:59:57 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

This is much cheaper than Off and On

Sno Bowl is cheaper also, same stuff.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

You might try this stuff:


http://lat43.com/marine.html


Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:39:12 GMT, "Canuck57"
wrote:


"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.


What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.


You can buy oxalic acid powder at hardware stores. $5 will get about a half
pound which will make enough solution for several years. I use about two
tablespoons per gallon of water, put it in a spray bottle, mist it on the
brown stain, wipe with a sponge, and then rinse. The stain is gone.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

You might try this stuff:


http://lat43.com/marine.html


Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.


Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:39:16 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.


Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?

Or brown mustache?

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:39:16 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.

Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?

Or brown mustache?

I don't want to know what you are talking about. ;)

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:59:57 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:39:12 GMT, "Canuck57"
wrote:

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin
We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.

What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.


You can buy oxalic acid powder at hardware stores. $5 will get about a half
pound which will make enough solution for several years. I use about two
tablespoons per gallon of water, put it in a spray bottle, mist it on the
brown stain, wipe with a sponge, and then rinse. The stain is gone.

This is much cheaper than Off and On, it is worth a try, even if I lose
the rest before i need to use it again. Maybe we can just buy a half
pound for the whole dock.

It was a great find at our local Fischer's Hardware.

http://tinyurl.com/28hgbj

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:57:45 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?

Or brown mustache?

I don't want to know what you are talking about. ;)

Trust me, it's boat related.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:57:45 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?
Or brown mustache?
I don't want to know what you are talking about. ;)

Trust me, it's boat related.

I hope it doesn't relate to the Sanitation System.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

On Oct 28, 6:04?pm, " JimH" ask wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message

ups.com...





On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

You might try this stuff:

http://lat43.com/marine.html

Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.

It is not about cleaning........it is about removing a built in stain. ;-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Maybe I misread the description. Sounded like after be blasted the mud
off with pure water there was some "gunk" remaining on (rather than
imbedded into) the hull.


"After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on."

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Oct 28, 6:04?pm, " JimH" ask wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message

ups.com...





On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with
all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is
used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.
Sherwin
You might try this stuff:
http://lat43.com/marine.html
Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.
It is not about cleaning........it is about removing a built in stain. ;-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Maybe I misread the description. Sounded like after be blasted the mud
off with pure water there was some "gunk" remaining on (rather than
imbedded into) the hull.


"After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on."


Well if you use an abrasive cleaner for a few years it will be embedded
in all of the scratches. ;)

Best cleaner for river slime
 

sherwindu wrote:
Thanks for all the replies.

As far as wax, I give the hull a good coating of high quality boat wax before the
spring launch, and it doesn't seem to help protect the boat. This fresh water river

must have some nasty chemicals in it. I certainly wouldn't go in this water to try
and
clean the boat during the season. I have tried various products containing bleach,
oxalic acid, etc. and haven't found an effective cleaner yet. I am still wondering
if
using these acid products full strength might do damage to the fiberglass, so maybe
they should be diluted (how much?). If they use muriatic acid to etch concrete,
that
sounds scary. I will check out the 'on and off' product. I eventually got most of
the
stain off using a heavy duty liquid cleaner, but it took a lot of rubbing. I have
used
most of the commercial products mentioned in this thread, with not much luck.

Sherwin

sherwindu wrote:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Check out Zaino Brothes before you put your boat back in the water.
Make sure you order enough for your cars. It is the best, highest
gloss, longest lasting showroom finish you will ever use. I tried this
because someone told me it was the easiest wax to apply and had a great
shine and long lasting protection. While it is easy, it makes my 7 yr
old car look brand new.

Best cleaner for river slime
 

Thanks for all the replies.

As far as wax, I give the hull a good coating of high quality boat wax before the
spring launch, and it doesn't seem to help protect the boat. This fresh water river

must have some nasty chemicals in it. I certainly wouldn't go in this water to try
and
clean the boat during the season. I have tried various products containing bleach,
oxalic acid, etc. and haven't found an effective cleaner yet. I am still wondering
if
using these acid products full strength might do damage to the fiberglass, so maybe
they should be diluted (how much?). If they use muriatic acid to etch concrete,
that
sounds scary. I will check out the 'on and off' product. I eventually got most of
the
stain off using a heavy duty liquid cleaner, but it took a lot of rubbing. I have
used
most of the commercial products mentioned in this thread, with not much luck.

Sherwin

sherwindu wrote:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

Best cleaner for river slime
 

My experience with waxes are the easier they apply, the less protection. I only use
waxes with Carbona. It isn't easy to apply, but it lasts a whole season.

Sherwin

"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote:

sherwindu wrote:
Thanks for all the replies.

As far as wax, I give the hull a good coating of high quality boat wax before the
spring launch, and it doesn't seem to help protect the boat. This fresh water river

must have some nasty chemicals in it. I certainly wouldn't go in this water to try
and
clean the boat during the season. I have tried various products containing bleach,
oxalic acid, etc. and haven't found an effective cleaner yet. I am still wondering
if
using these acid products full strength might do damage to the fiberglass, so maybe
they should be diluted (how much?). If they use muriatic acid to etch concrete,
that
sounds scary. I will check out the 'on and off' product. I eventually got most of
the
stain off using a heavy duty liquid cleaner, but it took a lot of rubbing. I have
used
most of the commercial products mentioned in this thread, with not much luck.

Sherwin

sherwindu wrote:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Check out Zaino Brothes before you put your boat back in the water.
Make sure you order enough for your cars. It is the best, highest
gloss, longest lasting showroom finish you will ever use. I tried this
because someone told me it was the easiest wax to apply and had a great
shine and long lasting protection. While it is easy, it makes my 7 yr
old car look brand new.

Best Wax for boats and cars.
 

sherwindu wrote:
My experience with waxes are the easier they apply, the less protection. I only use
waxes with Carbona. It isn't easy to apply, but it lasts a whole season.

Sherwin


Sherwin,
That was my opinion for 25 years, and is the reason I always used
Carnauba Wax also and didn't even bother to try the new finishes
available at the auto store. I tried Zaino after someone recommended it
in rec.boats and I did a Google Search and found it was considered the
best finish and protectant by all of the car clubs and auto enthusiast.
The first year I tried Zaino Bros, (I think it was 4 yrs ago). I did
an A/B experiment with my wife's car and my car. I did a complete
detail on both cars, including using detail clay and the complete
Meguiar's Car Care 3 step Carnauba Wax Program and the Zaino Bros. 3
step Polish. After I finished both cars were as slick as glass. While
the Zaino Bros looked better initially, what I was really interested is
how well it would last after 6 months, since I would always wax my car
in the spring and fall. In the fall, the Zaino still had large beads of
water on the car, and when I clayed the car, their was no pollution
residual common off on the clay. The Mequiars car was still water
beading, but the beads were smaller, and it the finish definitely had
rough feel. When I clayed the car, I could see where the air pollution
had pitted the finish, and I was getting the pollution residual on the
clay. I also noticed that the Zaino car actually looked better the 2nd
time i applied the finish.

At this point, I gave alway the rest of the Meguiars to a neighbor and
in the Spring time used Zaino on my boat and cars.

I doubt you will try the Zaino, but I went through this explanation
because I really believe in the product and hope that some other people
will try it. It is truly amazing. What I thought was amusing is the
owner Sal Zaino is the guy who answers the phone when you call up with a
question. He has that gruff New York City voice. I think he is semi
retired, but is the "answer line" for people who have technical
questions about the product. It really does apply differently than most
waxes and polishes. Since the Caranuba wax obviously isn't working on
your water line gunk, why don't you try it after you clean off it with
"Off and On"? If you do, you will need to let us know next fall if it
did any good.

Why do I feel like I am doing a late night infomercial?

Best Wax for boats and cars.
 

John H. wrote:
On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:17:12 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

sherwindu wrote:
My experience with waxes are the easier they apply, the less protection. I only use
waxes with Carbona. It isn't easy to apply, but it lasts a whole season.

Sherwin

Sherwin,
That was my opinion for 25 years, and is the reason I always used
Carnauba Wax also and didn't even bother to try the new finishes
available at the auto store. I tried Zaino after someone recommended it
in rec.boats and I did a Google Search and found it was considered the
best finish and protectant by all of the car clubs and auto enthusiast.
The first year I tried Zaino Bros, (I think it was 4 yrs ago). I did
an A/B experiment with my wife's car and my car. I did a complete
detail on both cars, including using detail clay and the complete
Meguiar's Car Care 3 step Carnauba Wax Program and the Zaino Bros. 3
step Polish. After I finished both cars were as slick as glass. While
the Zaino Bros looked better initially, what I was really interested is
how well it would last after 6 months, since I would always wax my car
in the spring and fall. In the fall, the Zaino still had large beads of
water on the car, and when I clayed the car, their was no pollution
residual common off on the clay. The Mequiars car was still water
beading, but the beads were smaller, and it the finish definitely had
rough feel. When I clayed the car, I could see where the air pollution
had pitted the finish, and I was getting the pollution residual on the
clay. I also noticed that the Zaino car actually looked better the 2nd
time i applied the finish.

At this point, I gave alway the rest of the Meguiars to a neighbor and
in the Spring time used Zaino on my boat and cars.

I doubt you will try the Zaino, but I went through this explanation
because I really believe in the product and hope that some other people
will try it. It is truly amazing. What I thought was amusing is the
owner Sal Zaino is the guy who answers the phone when you call up with a
question. He has that gruff New York City voice. I think he is semi
retired, but is the "answer line" for people who have technical
questions about the product. It really does apply differently than most
waxes and polishes. Since the Caranuba wax obviously isn't working on
your water line gunk, why don't you try it after you clean off it with
"Off and On"? If you do, you will need to let us know next fall if it
did any good.

Why do I feel like I am doing a late night infomercial?


Because it was still dark outside?

Nah, it is because it sounded just like their spiel. ;) The only other
product I have tried that exceeded my expecations as well as Zaino is
OxyClean. When that was new, I told everyone how great it was to get
rid of mildew on the boat, to clean the carpet and used at home in the
laundry. I wanted to make sure it stayed on the market.