Water stains

[jbub1132]

I purchased a boat that looked like they put in water all summer take it out for winter and put it back in The following year without cleaning the bottom of the boat. Needless to say it looks years of neglect. Are there anything that will dissolve else water build-up stains. Or how I can clean the bottom of the boat.

 

[Chris1956]

There is a product called Marykate on and off. It is two kinds of acid and alcohol. Use gloves and a rag.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Toilet bowl cleaners that have oxalic acid work well on stains, too. Just spray on and rinse off.

 

[airshot]

Fresh or salt water ?? On my fresh water boat, simple green normally works well, but when the brown (iron stains) get really bad, I have used Clorox bathroom cleaner in the dark blue/ black labeled bottle. It is designed to remove rust/ iron stains and water scale. I am sure their are lots of products out there, however some stains can be so old, they are beyond removal.

 

[harringtondav]

Assuming you have a fiberglass boat, acid is the cure. ...Not so green, but effective. Above recommendations like toilet bowl cleaner and others contain acid.
Muriatic acid is available in any hardware store. It's basically hydrochloric acid. But take care, it's mean stuff. Dilute 1/4 muriatic into water in a spray bottle to start. Stay upwind when you spray. Only spray the fiberglass, but do not let the solution contact any metal including stainless. Hose off with plenty of water, especially if you are working over concrete. Hydrochloric acid eats concrete.
Give second sprays before increasing the muriatic content.
For clear hard water stains vinegar is a good start. Lime Away or CLR will clean up tougher stains. ...acid again.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

Works toilet bowl cleaner in a garden sprayer does a great job getting the yellow out of a white gelcoat hull. Like already mentioned, don’t get it on a metal trailer or concrete floor. Rinse with plenty of water, use a respirator and safety glasses. It’s pretty potent stuff.

 

[poconojoe]

Oxalic acid. The basic ingredient in a lot of toilet bowl cleaners. I buy it in a powder form and dilute it with water. Spray it on, wait a short while, scrub and rinse. Watch out for anything that is galvanized. It will turn black.
Wear all your personal protective equipment. Don't breathe it either. It's nasty stuff, but it works.

I had brown stains and this was the only thing that got rid of that. I tried power washing and different hull cleaners, but oxalic acid was the only thing that worked.

 

[dingbat]

Oxalic acid. The basic ingredient in a lot of toilet bowl cleaners. I buy it in a powder form and dilute it with water. Spray it on, wait a short while, scrub and rinse.

Sounds like you need to increase your solution strength bit if you have to scrub

I use Atwood biodegradable hull (10% Oxalic acid) cut down 4:1 with water. Spray on with garden sprayer. Start at bow and work my way back. By the time I’m done spraying, 5 minutes tops, the hull is clean and ready to rinse.

To eliminate spotting on the trailer, simply hose trailer down right before spraying your solution and Mimi w over spray where possible. Works well

 

[Scott Danforth]

Buy oxalic acid, mix as needed

 

[crazy charlie]

MaryKate on-off is the best at $29 a bottle.Lysol 2x toilet bowl cleaner $2.99 works 2nd best but at the savings you can do it twice.I use the Lysol.No rubbing or scrubbing needed.Charlie

 

[Scott Danforth]

10# of oxalic acid is $20 and makes 30 galons

 

[crazy charlie]

10# of oxalic acid is $20 and makes 30 galons

I dont think any of us need 30 gallons.Lysol bowl cleaner is much closer in composition to Marykate On-off and is in a gel form which is much more effective for what needs to be clean by staying on the fouled areas without dripping off immediately.My $5 goes for 2 bottles of Lysol 10x toilet cleaner.And I have tried all of the bowl cleaners and this is by far the best.Works instantly on contact.
Product ingredients

• Ingredient.
• SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE. ...
• HYDROCHLORIC ACID. ...
• PEG-2 HYDROGENATED TALLOW AMINE. ...
• BENZENESULFONIC ACID, ((4-(BIS(4-((SULFOPHENYL)AMINO)PHENYL)METHYLENE)-2,5-CYCLOHEXADIEN-1- ...
• PEG-8 TALLOW AMINE. ...
• ALCOHOL ETHOXYLATES (C12-15)
• METHYL SALICYLATE.

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