Cleaning with oxalic acid

woodster · Nov 18, 2013

merlinuxo said:
Picked up a pretty dirty (stained), but in great shape, dinghy last weekend.
Yesterday I finished removing the 32 year old striping and glue and gave her a scrub with "wood bleach".
Mixed a heaping table spoon in a quart of hot (tap) water and applied with green 3m pad, scrubbing the real bad spots a little and doing one side at a time, 2 applications and about 10 minutes of "soak" per application.
No sweat and both sides took about an hour working casually. Rinsed thoroughly afterwards.
In the pic, a little trail of clean where the mix slopped over the skeg.

nice looking dinghy you have there form the looks of the motor mount area it has not been used much under power....what kind if dinghy is it and how big if i may ask......you can come clean my deck anytime

you are ready

regards

woody

woodster · Nov 18, 2013

merlinuxo said:
No problem as long as you buy the beer Woody!
It's a "Reef Runner", 1980 version and 9'. The guy I bought it from had bought it from his neighbor that had sold these out of his shop.
I'll bottom paint and polish the topsides and then take it for a ride.

i got beer in the cooler as i type.....i like that boat ...sorta paralles the pippin or puffin not sure of the name..... that Rodger Long uses.......

regards

woody

watercolors II · Nov 18, 2013

I’ve used wood deck cleaner from Lowes on my hull stains for years, it contains oxalic acid.
Less than half the cost of hull and deck cleaner from the marine stores.

flatlander · Nov 18, 2013

Barkeeper's Friend (right next to the Comet in most hardware stores) is oxalic acid based.
Comes in a liquid form as well. Been using it for years.
Buy an extra can for the wife and you'll never run short

Joe Blizzard · Nov 18, 2013

merlinuxo said:
The stuff I used is "Savogran Wood Bleach" 12 oz. of dry crystals < 9 bucks at Ace Hardware.

That's what I use. Those little tubs last me a couple of years apiece, and they're easy to store.

Steve Dion · Nov 18, 2013

Another option is to purchase pure Oxalic powered acid. It is available on eBay.

Joe · Nov 18, 2013

Anything with acid will quickly dispatch the organic pond scum or algae... on my Nacra I kept a bottle of inexpensive commercial toilet bowl cleaner in the boat box. You can squirt a line across the hull and literally watch the algae disappear.... or .... simply squirt a few capfuls in a bucket of water and apply with a long handled pot brush... rinse down with fresh water and you're good. You can waste a lot of time and elbow grease using soap and water on algae stains.

The key is buying a product that has acid in it... thus the commercial toilet stuff, which is about 5% hcl acid.... it's very cheap at janitorial supply stores like Smart & Final. A quart will go a very long way.

Another hint on keeping that beautiful dinghy clean is to use acetone for the inorganic stains like rubber dock bumper marks, shoe scuffs, etc.

Really like the boat, how does it tow? Did it come with oarlocks?

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Nov 19, 2013

Steve Dion said:
Another option is to purchase pure Oxalic powered acid. It is available on eBay.

That's what Savogran Wood Bleach IS- crystal form Oxalic acid. Probably THE least expensive way to purchase it, bar none. Barkeepers friend is just a diluted Oxalic, and costs much more per quantity.

I keep it on board always. Works well in salt water also, gets rid of the "waterway Frown" very easily. Also removes rust stains from stainless steel (rust? on stainless? yep

)

Oh, and my hull is painted with a 2-part linear poly- does well there too

woodster · Nov 22, 2013

merlinuxo said:
Wonder if coke would work?
http://consciousnewsmedia.blogspot....ic-uses-for-coca-cola-proof.html#.Uo9w1CQo63v

i remember when i was a kid in the post Korean war days my dad stopping at a service station when we were on trips and it was raining at night ....buying a coke cola and pouring it on the windshield of the car to clean the road film and grease of so he could see......i have also see it boil a beef stake .......

regards

woody

Brian S · Nov 22, 2013

I have seen the coke windshield thing before. Knowing what I know now about acids, and vinegar for cleaning glass, my guess is part of the coke trick is the carbonic acid formed by the carbonation. And, yes, sugary beverages are bad for you, and the acid doesn't do anything good for the teeth.

Brian

woodster said:
i remember when i was a kid in the post Korean war days my dad stopping at a service station when we were on trips and it was raining at night ....buying a coke cola and pouring it on the windshield of the car to clean the road film and grease of so he could see......i have also see it boil a beef stake ....... regards woody

Kermit · Nov 22, 2013

Brian S said:
I have seen the coke windshield thing before. Knowing what I know now about acids, and vinegar for cleaning glass, my guess is part of the coke trick is the carbonic acid formed by the carbonation. And, yes, sugary beverages are bad for you, and the acid doesn't do anything good for the teeth. Brian

Ah, but sometimes an ice cold CocaCola (or Coke-Cola as some of us in the South say) is good for the soul.

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Nov 22, 2013

Kermit said:
Ah, but sometimes an ice cold CocaCola (or Coke-Cola as some of us in the South say) is good for the soul.

Particularly with a largish slug of rum added

RichH · Nov 23, 2013

Be cautious with oxalic acid in any concentration / strength, as it will quickly absorb through your skin and can 'settle out' in the nephrons of your kidneys as very sharp crystals.

Oxalic acid is a very good bleach/cleaner for organic and iron staining; but, be sure to not get the solution on your skin - wear gloves, etc.
The Savogran™ crystals are probably the least expensive form of 100% oxalic acid.

;-)

Cleaning with oxalic acid

.

Attachments

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.