Between the paper mills and the marina sanding bottom paint my boat gets a dark coating of I can only guess what. The mill dumps Sulpher Dioxide (by permit) the boat yard sands I guess copper -- I am not a chemist but I guess Copper Sulfate might be part of the coating. Acetone removes the stain but what does it do to the gellcoat?
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Maybe a Calky Coat afterwards
Acetone should not hurt gelcoat but will strip off any wax and may make the gelcoat look calky. Acetone is an organic solvent and probably would not be very good at removing metallic stains. A little diluted hydrochloric acid will usually remove metal stains and dissolve calcium salts. Oxalic acid and citric acid work too. Sulfur Dioxide when mixed with water turns into sulfuric acid!!!! A lot of sulfates make really ugly stains. But if the water has some buffering capacity the acid is usually neutralized rapidly. But in some areas the rocks and soils lack buffering capacity and the water can become very acidic. I have read accounts of water dissolving copper pipes!!!
Acetone should not hurt gelcoat but will strip off any wax and may make the gelcoat look calky. Acetone is an organic solvent and probably would not be very good at removing metallic stains. A little diluted hydrochloric acid will usually remove metal stains and dissolve calcium salts. Oxalic acid and citric acid work too. Sulfur Dioxide when mixed with water turns into sulfuric acid!!!! A lot of sulfates make really ugly stains. But if the water has some buffering capacity the acid is usually neutralized rapidly. But in some areas the rocks and soils lack buffering capacity and the water can become very acidic. I have read accounts of water dissolving copper pipes!!!
Collinite cleaner
I have had very good success with Collinite cleaner. Not the cleaner/wax, the straight cleaner. Did a very good job of removing a grey film that had built up over the years
I have had very good success with Collinite cleaner. Not the cleaner/wax, the straight cleaner. Did a very good job of removing a grey film that had built up over the years
Second Barkeepers friend
Excellent for rust and red wine stains and waterway smile. I use it on fiberglass and stainless steel. Much better than the more expensive FSR or West marines knockoff of FSR. Get it at the supermarket (Publix) or Walmart.
Excellent for rust and red wine stains and waterway smile. I use it on fiberglass and stainless steel. Much better than the more expensive FSR or West marines knockoff of FSR. Get it at the supermarket (Publix) or Walmart.
According to the Collinite cleaner
bottle-CC removes dirt,film,oxidation,discoloration,oil,grease,rust,exhaust stains etc. it is also said to "leave a chemically clean surface to which Collinite's 925 Heavy Duty Fiberglas boat wax will bond perfectly" I found it very good for those greasy film kind of stains that are a b... to remove in our cool weather My guess is that it removes some of the wax
bottle-CC removes dirt,film,oxidation,discoloration,oil,grease,rust,exhaust stains etc. it is also said to "leave a chemically clean surface to which Collinite's 925 Heavy Duty Fiberglas boat wax will bond perfectly" I found it very good for those greasy film kind of stains that are a b... to remove in our cool weather My guess is that it removes some of the wax
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