Best way to clean the bilge?

joernjoern Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
The picture shows how the previous owner kept his bilge...!!! I can`t have it like this, and it needs a good cleaning. But how? What detergent to use?  Can I just spray the engines and the compartment with some oil-dissolving detergent and then with water?
PS! Why didn`t Rinker paint the compartment white?


Comments

  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    Some dawn and maybe a pressure washer.

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    I use purple power then hose it out but somebody found something better recently. I'll find thread, or maybe they will chime in, I think it was @Dude_Himself , yanmar's looking good
    Boat Name : 

  • IanIan Member Posts: 2,774 ✭✭✭✭
    Spray 9, purple power and power wash. Usually done on the hard so I let her drain out. If in the water and I want to drain out what the pump won't I have a small hand pump I use into a bucket to then dispose of (correctly).

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Secretary, Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Star Brite works well. Spray the cleaner in the bilge, let sit, then hose it out. You can also use a long handle brush the get in to awkward places.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The heck with the bilge. I can't keep my eyes off that beautiful engine
  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That must be diesel soot  gas jobby dont do that.lol spray with purple power let sit and hose off. Toilet brush will be best. Buy 2 so you can throw them  Amway when done.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    .....best way to clean the bilge - send the kids down!
  • tk1973tk1973 Member Posts: 120 ✭✭
    I’ve heard of using some sort of cleaner and a few bags of ice and then going for a run. Never did it myself but always wanted too
  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,455 admin
    The ice trick works very well. Soap up the bilge drop a bunch of ice and go have some fun. Come back and hose down the bilge.........
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
  • joernjoern Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
    Interesting... The ice keeps the soap/cleaner from evaporating?
  • thepriceisrightthepriceisright Member Posts: 92 ✭✭
    joern said:
    Interesting... The ice keeps the soap/cleaner from evaporating?
    I think the ice acts as an abradant to loosen up the crud without leaving anything solid behind.
  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yep. Slides around into all the impossible to reach spots. Use a biodegradable and non phosphate detergent however. Because if your bilge pump kicks in it's going into the water .
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270
  • Dude_HimselfDude_Himself Member Posts: 596 ✭✭✭
    I bought Home Armor Mildew/Mold cleaner from HD - it's used to pressure wash outsides of houses. Poured into a small 1-gallon pump-style pressure sprayer, saturated everything, let it sit about 30 minutes, then applied again to wet and rinsed with a garden hose. It broke most of the crud free. I applied a second time, rinsed again, then put the plug in and added some eco-friendly laundry detergent and 10# of ice before driving it around on the trailer (back to storage). Pulled the plug there and got even more crap out, then hosed it down again (to get rid of suds) and left the engine hatch cracked open 6" to facilitate drying.

    Before:



    After:



    Didn't get everything obviously, but I'm not nick-picking this year. I'll get a small electric low-powered pressure washer this fall and use that, gently, on the tough spots.
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,503 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow, what a difference!  I bet you had your blower on when you were using that Home Armor.
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