A newbie to the sport... and now its time to clean ... Is there a standard cleaner Catalina owners tend to use to clean grime off the deck and sides? Also there are a few mussels clinging to the hull. Can they be scrapped with a stiff brush without damaging the paint? Thanks
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I use fairly soft deck brush and boatshine
which is low environmental impact boatwashing soap available West Marine & others. For bird droppings etc. Simple Green with stiff hand brush and Bon Ami if it's really bad for spot treatment. Keep waxed to minimize staining. Get the mussels off ASAP, depends how well they are attached as to what the paint will do, but you should probably expect it to come off with the mussels.
which is low environmental impact boatwashing soap available West Marine & others. For bird droppings etc. Simple Green with stiff hand brush and Bon Ami if it's really bad for spot treatment. Keep waxed to minimize staining. Get the mussels off ASAP, depends how well they are attached as to what the paint will do, but you should probably expect it to come off with the mussels.
what i do
i wet the deck, for several minutes before actually working. sometimes i wait for rainy day. i put on thick hunting socks. i use tide laundry detergent, joy dishwashing liquid or soft scrub.....usually what ever is around. i do not think the soap matters that much. i get my feet really soapy and do the watusi dance all over the cabin top and decks. BE CAREFUL!!! it is very slippery. i take the chance because i do not like to bend over and work on my knees. every so often, i pull all the lines out of the stoppers and put them in a big bucket by the mast to soak over night. i try to do this after a rain so they would be wet for a while to loosen the dirt. 3 or 4 times a year i use a pressure washer to deep clean the deck (i use an additive to the reservoir that is made for recreational vehicles.
i wet the deck, for several minutes before actually working. sometimes i wait for rainy day. i put on thick hunting socks. i use tide laundry detergent, joy dishwashing liquid or soft scrub.....usually what ever is around. i do not think the soap matters that much. i get my feet really soapy and do the watusi dance all over the cabin top and decks. BE CAREFUL!!! it is very slippery. i take the chance because i do not like to bend over and work on my knees. every so often, i pull all the lines out of the stoppers and put them in a big bucket by the mast to soak over night. i try to do this after a rain so they would be wet for a while to loosen the dirt. 3 or 4 times a year i use a pressure washer to deep clean the deck (i use an additive to the reservoir that is made for recreational vehicles.
Boat soap
I like the West Marine's Crystal Boat wash (clear). It's especially easy on newer boats and doesn't take wax off. For Non-waxed or tough jobs, I like West Marine's Boat Soap (pink). It seems to have sort of bleaching effect. I used the latter on my previous boat for 16 years, but use the Crystal on the newer one. But I'm sure there are almost as many different soaps used as there are owners! I use a soft long handled deck brush top and sides. Soft scrub will clean about anything (not on my boat!) because it's abrasive. Detergents will usually remove wax. I also like to keep a coat of wax on at all times to limit oxidation (Collinite Fleet Wax).
I like the West Marine's Crystal Boat wash (clear). It's especially easy on newer boats and doesn't take wax off. For Non-waxed or tough jobs, I like West Marine's Boat Soap (pink). It seems to have sort of bleaching effect. I used the latter on my previous boat for 16 years, but use the Crystal on the newer one. But I'm sure there are almost as many different soaps used as there are owners! I use a soft long handled deck brush top and sides. Soft scrub will clean about anything (not on my boat!) because it's abrasive. Detergents will usually remove wax. I also like to keep a coat of wax on at all times to limit oxidation (Collinite Fleet Wax).
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