Rubrail fillowup (Marykate's a good-ol'-girl)

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George Kornreich

I tried Marykate Inflatable Boat Cleaner on the rubrail grunge, to compare it to acetone, etc. It's just about as good. This stuff seems to be esentially WhiteWall tire cleaner in another package, though. I think I'll continue to use it for a while, as it takes much less effort, and doesn't evaporate quickly. As acetone evaporates, it redeposits the residue that you haven't been fast enough to wipe off back onto and into the rubber rubrail. The only concern here is that, like other strong cleaners, as it dribbles down the side of the boat, I'm sure it's stealing some of the wax I worked so hard to apply! Acetone evaporates before it can run down. World's full of tradeoffs, though!
 
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Sam Lust

Why acetone?

Acetone is most likely leaching plasticisers from your rub rail. Will probably lead to premature embrittlement. Cracking. Breaking. Nasty, Nasty. If you must use a solvent instead of a detergent, why not Stoddard solvent? (Varsol, Paint thinner.) It.s a lot more benign.
 
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George Kornreich

Not detergent because...

Sam, Read your reply with great interest. Detergents do not work on the discolorations common to these rubrails because apparantly they are not due to buildup of surface contaminants but more likely changes in the uppermost surface of the rubrail material itself, and thus it seems that removal of the outer surface itself with solvents is needed. I doubt that acetone will penetrate and effect more than the layer being removed (few nanometers of that much at all) due to its rapid evaporation rate. I'll try your idea of Varsol or paint thinner, though (or is "stoddard solvent" a combination of the two?).
 
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Tony Wilcox

As new rubrail

I have owned a 376 for two years. Always had a dirty rail, I've tried many different cleaners. I have never liked the idea of acetone.I have just cleaned the rail with" Fantastic". My rail now look like new,it took about an hour each side to compleat. Method used. Light spray of "Fantastic", rub with green scotchbright pad,wash off with well soaked rag. The good wash off got rid drying residue and Fantastic off the side of boat. Happy cleaning Tony Wilcox
 
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