I suspect this has been a topic of conversation before, but as the new season up north approaches I'm looking for your wisdom on the best products and methods to clean fiberglass decks. My non-skid seems to get especially grubby at times. I also seem to have better success with the old "rope" mop rather than the standard deck brush. And on the topic of deck brushes .. should I going stiffer or softer if I choose to use one? Does anyone use a power washer at the start of the season on their decks ... I'm nervous this might mess up sealants on bedded deck fittings. Any great tips? John
Tips on how best to clean decks?
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Stiff brush with Simple Green...
...works for me. (Like a whitewall brush). To get a spectacular job try Soft Scrub, but be prepared to wax after that. I prefer a long handle on the brush for leverage.
...works for me. (Like a whitewall brush). To get a spectacular job try Soft Scrub, but be prepared to wax after that. I prefer a long handle on the brush for leverage.
Soft Scrub w/Bleach
My favorite is Soft Scrub w/Bleach. You don't need much elbow grease, let the bleach do the work. Maybe a stiff brush on tough areas but my old rope mop does good.
My favorite is Soft Scrub w/Bleach. You don't need much elbow grease, let the bleach do the work. Maybe a stiff brush on tough areas but my old rope mop does good.
Judicious use of power washer
Another option - As long as you take care not to blow away any caulking or other seams, a low pressure power washer has always worked well for me although I keep it to the non-skid only. Don
Another option - As long as you take care not to blow away any caulking or other seams, a low pressure power washer has always worked well for me although I keep it to the non-skid only. Don
tide!
powdered tide and a stiff brush (and a friend who owes a favor
)works well for me, plus that stuff will make suds with saltwater.
powdered tide and a stiff brush (and a friend who owes a favor
)works well for me, plus that stuff will make suds with saltwater.Non-skid cleaner.
John: I really like the non-skid cleaner that they sell at West Marine. Wet the decks, squirt this stuff on, scrub with a brush and let it sit for 10 mins. If it starts to dry out, moisten it up and scrub again. Then rinse well. We get some type of an alge that grows in our non-skid. Sometimes it takes a little more hand work to clean up these areas. You may also want to try the Island Girl Non-skid sealer once they are clean again.
John: I really like the non-skid cleaner that they sell at West Marine. Wet the decks, squirt this stuff on, scrub with a brush and let it sit for 10 mins. If it starts to dry out, moisten it up and scrub again. Then rinse well. We get some type of an alge that grows in our non-skid. Sometimes it takes a little more hand work to clean up these areas. You may also want to try the Island Girl Non-skid sealer once they are clean again.
Meguiars
I saw a survey that rated Gaguiars non skid at the top. The survey claimed to be independent but I don't know who did it (could have been Maguiars for all I know). It also said to never use Softscrub on any type of gelcoat. I emailed Maguiars to check on availability and they offered free shipping. I haven't used it yet but plan to in the spring.
I saw a survey that rated Gaguiars non skid at the top. The survey claimed to be independent but I don't know who did it (could have been Maguiars for all I know). It also said to never use Softscrub on any type of gelcoat. I emailed Maguiars to check on availability and they offered free shipping. I haven't used it yet but plan to in the spring.
Sodium Silicate detergent
Sodium silicates usually are best to clean non-skid decks, etc. Most the 'black specks' you find on a boat is usually 'artillery fungus', a fungus that comes from trees: OR, the residuals of 'air pollution'. Caustics such as sodium silicates will 'dissolve' the artillery mycelium, penetrate down in to the porosity of the exposed gelcoat and kill it there to prevent a regrowth. This will also remove all the old dead wax thats been pushed into the pores over the years. (You can also use it to easily clean white dacron sails.) Get it in a janatorial supply or sometimes even WEST carries it: "Tuff-eNuff". The stuff is STRONG so use precautions. Any remaining staining from tannins, etc. can be bleached with oxalic acid - hardware store stuff ('wood bleach'). Keep these away from bare teak ... unless you want to clean that too.
Sodium silicates usually are best to clean non-skid decks, etc. Most the 'black specks' you find on a boat is usually 'artillery fungus', a fungus that comes from trees: OR, the residuals of 'air pollution'. Caustics such as sodium silicates will 'dissolve' the artillery mycelium, penetrate down in to the porosity of the exposed gelcoat and kill it there to prevent a regrowth. This will also remove all the old dead wax thats been pushed into the pores over the years. (You can also use it to easily clean white dacron sails.) Get it in a janatorial supply or sometimes even WEST carries it: "Tuff-eNuff". The stuff is STRONG so use precautions. Any remaining staining from tannins, etc. can be bleached with oxalic acid - hardware store stuff ('wood bleach'). Keep these away from bare teak ... unless you want to clean that too.
Use one of the cleaner/sealers
and next year when it comes time to clean the deck... there won't be much cleaning to do.
and next year when it comes time to clean the deck... there won't be much cleaning to do.
You guys are great
Thanks for all the wonderful advice. I have a sense my deck will look great come spring. I have never used a sealer before. Any tips about using it? Thanks gang, John
Thanks for all the wonderful advice. I have a sense my deck will look great come spring. I have never used a sealer before. Any tips about using it? Thanks gang, John
wax the rest, careful with the bleach idea
John, The gelcoat on upper decks takes a real beating from the sun and pollutants and tends to become cloudy over time as that thin shiny outer layer breaks down. I think using a wax of some kind (The Teflon formulas look great) on the non-walking surfaces will help preserve the gelcoat, especially if the formula contains UV protectants. Someone else suggested diluted bleach--be careful here, bleach is powerful stuff that breaks down plastics and rubbers over time. I had to stop using bleach tablets in the home toilet tank because they were making the plastic parts brittle. On my current boat the previous owner had been pouring a little bleach in the water tanks over the winter as conventional wisdom suggests, and the fumes from the bleached water over the years turned the plastic deck fill caps white and made them brittle.
John, The gelcoat on upper decks takes a real beating from the sun and pollutants and tends to become cloudy over time as that thin shiny outer layer breaks down. I think using a wax of some kind (The Teflon formulas look great) on the non-walking surfaces will help preserve the gelcoat, especially if the formula contains UV protectants. Someone else suggested diluted bleach--be careful here, bleach is powerful stuff that breaks down plastics and rubbers over time. I had to stop using bleach tablets in the home toilet tank because they were making the plastic parts brittle. On my current boat the previous owner had been pouring a little bleach in the water tanks over the winter as conventional wisdom suggests, and the fumes from the bleached water over the years turned the plastic deck fill caps white and made them brittle.
Get some FSR
The best thing I have found is a product from W/M called FSR. It is a blue gel and works wonders when used with any type brush. I have both a solf and hard bristle depending on the degree of cruddiness. After you brush it on, leave it set for a few minutes, then wash off with lots of water. FSR won't hurt your wax. It's somewhat expensive, but worth it. John Richard s/v Jack's Place.
The best thing I have found is a product from W/M called FSR. It is a blue gel and works wonders when used with any type brush. I have both a solf and hard bristle depending on the degree of cruddiness. After you brush it on, leave it set for a few minutes, then wash off with lots of water. FSR won't hurt your wax. It's somewhat expensive, but worth it. John Richard s/v Jack's Place.
Deck Cleaners
This has been posted before, but here it is again (note the comment on Soft Scrub): Practical Sailor...a magazine that constantly tests various products, mostly for sailboats, ran a test in the Feb 15, 2005 issue on non skid cleaners. Stuff included in the test (put on the decks of boats) were mustard, sunblock, two stroke oil, grease, coffee, ketchup, Bud, cranberry juice, and blood and guts from 27 pound Kingfish. Here are the results: Excellent: Meguiar's and 3M...both very expensive ($16/$20). Very Good: West Marine, Star Brite, Nautical Ease. Good: Mary Kate, Sea Bowld, Aurora Boat, Fantastik. Fair: Orange Clean, 409. One note...Soft Scrub was rated as 'excellent', except they said not to use it on fiberglass, especially those with gelcoat. You can get a copy of the test at: http://www.practical-sailor.com/
This has been posted before, but here it is again (note the comment on Soft Scrub): Practical Sailor...a magazine that constantly tests various products, mostly for sailboats, ran a test in the Feb 15, 2005 issue on non skid cleaners. Stuff included in the test (put on the decks of boats) were mustard, sunblock, two stroke oil, grease, coffee, ketchup, Bud, cranberry juice, and blood and guts from 27 pound Kingfish. Here are the results: Excellent: Meguiar's and 3M...both very expensive ($16/$20). Very Good: West Marine, Star Brite, Nautical Ease. Good: Mary Kate, Sea Bowld, Aurora Boat, Fantastik. Fair: Orange Clean, 409. One note...Soft Scrub was rated as 'excellent', except they said not to use it on fiberglass, especially those with gelcoat. You can get a copy of the test at: http://www.practical-sailor.com/
baking soda
i have used baking soda, little water to make a paste, and soft doobie pads or soft bristle brush. the baking soda is slightly abrasive and works well on guano in the non skid. it's also cheap enough
i have used baking soda, little water to make a paste, and soft doobie pads or soft bristle brush. the baking soda is slightly abrasive and works well on guano in the non skid. it's also cheap enough
Whatz up with Soft Scrub?
I would love to find out what the negatives are about Soft Scrub. I have been using the two Soft Scrub varieties (bleach and no-bleach) on my decks, in the cockpit and whereever I need to remove dirt, oxidation, algae, etc., for years. I have never experienced a fading of the glass, nor any other problem aside from occasional residue by not rinsing enough. Just what did Practical Sailor say about it? It seems to work fine for me. Regards Bob
I would love to find out what the negatives are about Soft Scrub. I have been using the two Soft Scrub varieties (bleach and no-bleach) on my decks, in the cockpit and whereever I need to remove dirt, oxidation, algae, etc., for years. I have never experienced a fading of the glass, nor any other problem aside from occasional residue by not rinsing enough. Just what did Practical Sailor say about it? It seems to work fine for me. Regards Bob
Soft Scrub
I personally wouldn't use soft Scrub anywhere on my boat that I can think of. "Soft Scrub Liquid Gel with Bleach" seems to be the only one of their products that won't scratch. I think the other versions have got a fine scouring agent in it, similar to Comet, but not quite as bad as fine sandpaper. I try to get just the offending dirt off a surface, but not degrade the finish. So I try to use gritless(?) products. I did use it on my last boat to brighten up the blue gelcoat stripe, but I should have just used a rubbing compound.
I personally wouldn't use soft Scrub anywhere on my boat that I can think of. "Soft Scrub Liquid Gel with Bleach" seems to be the only one of their products that won't scratch. I think the other versions have got a fine scouring agent in it, similar to Comet, but not quite as bad as fine sandpaper. I try to get just the offending dirt off a surface, but not degrade the finish. So I try to use gritless(?) products. I did use it on my last boat to brighten up the blue gelcoat stripe, but I should have just used a rubbing compound.
Power Washer for decks!
John, Several times a year, I use a small power washer on the decks and get excellent results. The one that I use is a small upright with only 1500PSI. You need to be careful to keep the nozzle no closer than 6" or so. Although it is not much more effective for surface dirt than a brush, it seems to flush out grit and dirt that you simply can't get to easily with a deck brush. Soft Scrub is great for stubborn stains, but only gentlt scrub as it does have abrasive in it. Jon McClain
John, Several times a year, I use a small power washer on the decks and get excellent results. The one that I use is a small upright with only 1500PSI. You need to be careful to keep the nozzle no closer than 6" or so. Although it is not much more effective for surface dirt than a brush, it seems to flush out grit and dirt that you simply can't get to easily with a deck brush. Soft Scrub is great for stubborn stains, but only gentlt scrub as it does have abrasive in it. Jon McClain
Soft Scrub
PS says that Soft Scrub gets it cleaning power from abrasive particles. Also, it says on the bottle: "ATTENTION: To prevent scratching...fiberglass...surfaces, use sparingly and rub gently."
PS says that Soft Scrub gets it cleaning power from abrasive particles. Also, it says on the bottle: "ATTENTION: To prevent scratching...fiberglass...surfaces, use sparingly and rub gently."
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