anyone know an easy way to remove topside moss

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A

aa.aunins

I am getting an unloved boat back into shape for this summer. The boat has sat out for so long that it has that gray/green moss ,that you see growing on treebark, on it's topside. If I soak it with a hose for a very long time and put in a ton of elbow grease with a scrub brush it will come off. I just don't like to run the hose for hours on end. I've tried a pressure washer to no avale. It might work if it rained for a few days to soften up the moss. Anyone know of something that will make this easyer?
 

grigs

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Jan 2, 2007
37
Catalina 25 East Greenwich
Clorox

1 part bleach to 3 parts water takes it stucco and bricks. if the pressure washer didn,t do the job,it may be stained. Is this wood or fiberglass? Grigs
 
J

Jacques Leblanc

Zep Pine Disinfectant & Cleaner

I just bought a Mac 25. The boat had been sitting for three years and it had the same moss you are talking about on it about 10 of them to be exact and they were about 4 inches in diamiter. and I used a Craftsman 1300psi electric pressure washer to get it of and then went over it with the Zep and a brush like the one you use on car tires.Came right off.
 

muised

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Aug 17, 2005
97
- - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Try On and Off

I don't know if this stuff works on moss, but I bought some yesterday to try to eliminate the brown scum line from the waterline of my boat. Just poured it onto a damp sponge, almost no elbow grease, just move the sponge around and it worked perfectly. Please read the safety precautions as it is hard on the hands so wear gloves while using. I'll never use anything else now that I found this stuff.
 
Feb 12, 2007
259
Ericson 25 Oshkosh, WI
*** BEWARE ***

AA- One product that I have used to clean everything on, below, and inside is Greased Lightning. I would think you can get it at Lowes or Home Depot and surely at Menards. It will remove any wax so use before you have done that. Just a word from the wise, Pressure Washers can surely do a heep of work fast, but have no place on the topsides of a sailboat without extreme caution. You can or hopefully you didnt, blow-out your hardware bedding. Trust me I learned the hard way. You will see your actions when it rains. Just try Greased Lightning it only cost a couple of bucks. Rob hessenius P.S Dont buy the one with GL/bleach, just get the regular one.
 
Jun 8, 2004
3,009
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Besides blowing all the bedding out of

fittings I've seen gelcoat pitted beyond redemption by overaggressive pressure washers. Bleach (clorine, Clorox etc.) is the only thing I've ever found effective for killing mold etc. Lot of detailers like to use TileX ( a bathroom cleaner with lots of bleach) for this. I've also used dilute Simple Green and Bon Ami to clean really stubborn stuff then wash down with bleach.
 

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Alkali based soaps/detergents will 'destroy' it.

Strong caustics will actually 'dissolve' fungus and mildew, as well as 'moss' etc. cells., wont harm gelcoat but may lift most 'paints' and definitely will disolve the surface cells of exposed bare woods. I use a caustic product containing sodium silicate (Tuff-eNuff ... used to be available from Worst Marine .... also good for cleaning white dacron sails). Caustics will also dissolve any wax thats on/in the gelcoat (which should probably be 'stripped of wax' every few years anyway). hope this helps.
 
A

aa.aunins

Thanks!!!

I'm working on an O'day DS2 that is solid fiberglass. Comit was going to be my next step. I thought if the weather is warm enough that I would get my 3 & 4 year old boys out in there swim suits with a hose ,scrub brushes, and some comit. I'll try it with the bleach solution. The hardest part about getting this boat back on the water is going to be getting it clean.
 
A

aa.aunins

No scratch comet with bleach

My wife came home from the store this morning with some " No scratch Comet with bleach disenfectant cleanser". She bought this on her own with out me talking to her. This is a big step from her wanting to kill me for buying a boat, and telling me to sell it any time I remotely mention it! WELL IT WORKS GREAT plus it was on sale for $.99 what a deal now I just need a bag of scrub brushes to finish cleaning the boat
 
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