Help- Moron and Steel wool = Stained deck!

Maine Sail · Jan 16, 2012

Joel H. said:
The moron is me of course!
I should have known but just wasn't thinking. The other day on a sunny, dry, unseasonal, day, I used steel wool :bang: to prep before doing some touch-up painting on the topside of my clean, 33 year old, C27. Then to top it off I didn't sweep it up, and, it rained the next day.

Now It looks like hell !!!!!!

I've been working so hard to improve the boats looks and now I've taken a big step backwards.
I tried hitting it hard with CLR but it only "took the edge off", so to speak. Please tell me that there is something out there that's way more effective.
Thanks in advance,
Joel H.

Try On & Off Gel... Or an Oxalic acid..

Vic H. · Jan 16, 2012

Steel wool removal

Maine Sail said:
Try On & Off Gel... Or an Oxalic acid..

I CAREFULLY use muriatic acid. Wear gloves, eyes and don't get on other metals. Note for frp boat only; again be careful and this only an opinion.

Happy Sailing,
Vic H.

Eddie7045 · Jan 16, 2012

Joel, that's why they sell BRONZE wool in boat supply

stores. Simple error. You're not the first one to do that.

Joe Snuffy · Jan 16, 2012

I have seen a product called CLR. Calcium Lime Rust. Not sure how it would work on glass though. Perhaps only try it on a small area.

CalebD · Jan 16, 2012

Just be careful when using On&Off or Oxalic acid as these stronger acids are not good for metal parts OR bottom paint or your skin or eyes for that matter.
I'm pretty sure that oxalic acid is slightly less acidic then muriatic acid which is basically what On&Off is.
Strong acids will easily lift any rust stains off your gelcoat though, as MS suggests.

Stu Jackson · Jan 16, 2012

On & Off as mentioned. I didn't know they made it in a gel. The liquid is really vicious strong...

FSR by Davis is a blue gel that will also work, not so nasty. FSR = fiberglass satin remover

31seahorse · Jan 16, 2012

Bar Keepers Friend is a fine scrubbing powder cleanser that might help. It is a pumice type cleanser that is OK on fiberglass. It removes rust stains with some rubbing. Damp rag and elbow grease also needed.

Of course Bar Keeper's Liquid (beer, wine, etc) might help in this situation too!!!!

rardiH36 · Jan 16, 2012

I posted this some time back about rust stain removal from sails. The #2 product also includes citric acid in addition to oxalic acid. I would expect it would also help get rid of rust stains on a deck.
___________________

"If you've got $1, I've had great success for spot rust removal on my sails with either of the following two products available at my local Dollar Tree Store:

1) http://www.dollartree.com/cleaning-s...6065/index.pro

2) Per the attached picture.

Number 1 is a general bathroom cleaner that contains oxalic acid. Just brush some on. Rust will gradually disappear after several minutes. A few applications might be necessary.

Number 2 is a shower cleaner with a mixture of oxalic and citrus acid. Just spray it on the rust spot. (I did this several weeks ago when the sail was up while out sailing on a calm day ... left the berth with some rust stains, returned with a rust stain free sail.) Same effect as number 1 above. However, citrus acid is the prime ingredient for a marine stainless steel rust remover called Spotless Stainless. The citric acid removes rust but also neutralizes the stainless steel surface. (I've used Spotless Stainless following Maine Sail's good review -- the stuff works great!)

Product No.1 also does a good job removing the brown tannin stains from the water line area of my hull. I just wipe it on with a saturated paper towel. Again, a couple of applications are necessary.

regards,

Tom L · Jan 16, 2012

Joel, I've done this, and I don't feel like a moron. I'm not kicking myself, steel wool is cheap and I needed a lot of it. I stripped a not-so-good paint job from the top side of my h23.5. I used Zip-Strip and steel wool to get the last layer of paint off and didn't always get all the steel wool off before it rained. I know that more steel wool and a little paint remover gets it off. Don't leave the paint remover on very long. Interlux makes a paint stripper that is probably easier on the gel coat. I think I also had success with acetone and steel wool (less harsh on the surface). The trick is to be quick and get it dry (the acetone works great for this), then vacuum and wipe it clean of any steel wool particles (before it gets wet again). I'm not recommending this but if nothing else works, it worked for me.

bffatcat · Jan 17, 2012

There is a scouring powder called ZUD its mostly oxalic acid If you keep scrubbing it will do the trick Next time use bronze wool

Steve Christensen · Jan 17, 2012

My first choice (as an industrial chemist) would be Barkeeper's Friend, which is mostly oxalic acid. This stuff actually reacts with the iron in the stain to dissolve it, much better than just strong acid does. It will etch metal and paint so keep it localized.

My second choice would be Wink, which is hydrofluoric acid at about 5%. Wink is super effective, and also reacts with the iron oxide in the rust - but it's VERY dangerous. Please don't even think about using Wink without good gloves and goggles, as it has very poor warning properties, and can burrow through your skin to your bone marrow without your feeling any pain till it's too late to do anything about it.

Have fun!

rgranger · Jan 17, 2012

Muriatic acid is the old school name for Hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid attacks metals. Oxalic acid binds to iron ions (rust) and makes them water soluble but it does not attack neutral metal. So it is safer to use and will quite frankly do a better job. Other carboxylic acids will also work but not as quickly. So, citric acid or acetic (vinegar) might help. You can get oxalic acid from a number of sources (Amazon) including Walmart in the form of a Ritt Dye rust remover (over in the laundry soap section)

shipwreck66 · Jan 17, 2012

What about Bon Ami? Someone mentioned that a while back and I use it on my boat for cleaning up my whoopsies, of which I have several. It seems to work like Bar Keepers Friend.

Water Runner · Jan 20, 2012

Could you use something like a polishing compound? They're usually 1-5000 grit and I think they would remove any small particles of steel still there.

It seems some people recommend an abrasive (like rubbing compound) and others acid. I think that a rubbing compound would be better to use on gel-coat than an acid.