A good formula to clean hull after season.

[Old Ironmaker]

Since most of us lucky folks are taking the boats out or will soon I after many years and $$$ have found the best solution to clean the grimy hull. It is simply 1 part Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner and 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide. Wet the area and spray on with a chemical sprayer. Let sit for a minute or 2 and scrub. If left on longer it doesn't work as well. Power wash or simply hose off to rinse, repeat. Plus some elbow grease. I made an attachment for my drill which is a round scrubby brush I stole from under the sink which gets to the hard to detail areas like around the transducers etc. I wasn't sure if it was too strong on plastics etc. so I masked anything like that off. I have invested several bucks in cleaners and this has seemed to work best. I'm almost positive I read of the formula here on iboats. It works on Aluminum and Fibreglass. We get a terrible skunge from the slow moving Lake Erie feeder creek where I have a slip as well as copious amounts of Zebra mussels. I used to trailer it home once a month or so to stay on top of it but didn't last year and it was a mess and the only thing that worked was that. I do the trailer as well and the 23 year old trailer looks like fresh paint.

If you guys know of a better solution please advise.

Thanks
Johnny D/ Ontario, Canada

 

[Dave-R]

Thanks for the tip. The wife is always experimenting with home made shampoo or soap. We will give it try. Dave-R

 

[wahlejim]

As a cleaning professional with over 20 years of experience cleaning, I can tell you that you are on the right track, but have a pretty major mistake in there. Toilet bowl cleaner is acidic, hydrogen peroxide is basic. They will neutralize each other, which is why it stops working after too much time.

The cheapest way to clean the hull without having to mix chemicals and getting into powders and such is to buy dollar store toilet bowl cleaner. It has the same acid as lysol without the fancy labels. You can then neutralize with hydrogen peroxide. A cheaper way to neutralize is baking soda and water.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

As a cleaning professional with over 20 years of experience cleaning, I can tell you that you are on the right track, but have a pretty major mistake in there. Toilet bowl cleaner is acidic, hydrogen peroxide is basic. They will neutralize each other, which is why it stops working after too much time.

The cheapest way to clean the hull without having to mix chemicals and getting into powders and such is to buy dollar store toilet bowl cleaner. It has the same acid as lysol without the fancy labels. You can then neutralize with hydrogen peroxide. A cheaper way to neutralize is baking soda and water.

Thanks, Buck or Two here I come.

 

[bruceb58]

I use oxalic acid. I bought a huge bag off ebay years ago and I have barely dented it.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I use oxalic acid. I bought a huge bag off ebay years ago and I have barely dented it.

How do you use it Bruce? I Googled it and Homeless Despot sells it here as wood bleach/concrete cleaner.

 

[bruceb58]

How do you use it Bruce? I Googled it and Homeless Despot sells it here as wood bleach/concrete cleaner.

Mix a cup of powder and a couple gallons of water and put it in a garden sprayer. Spray it on and let it do it's magic. I then follow up with a pressure washer to get all of it off the trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IER1gzjLizM

 

[QBhoy]

Bruce B has it spot on....
Oxalic acid is the business. I use a 1l garden sprayer.
Mix 1/10 oxalic acid powder with 9/10 hot water and shake well.
Wet the trailer down first with water to stop the acid dripping eroding
Spray evenly on hull (try to pick a line where he water line is down or masking tape it)
Use a soft brush all over quickly
By the time you have done the above....simply then hose with water all over area and make sure it's all off. Water down trailer too.
100% the best tool for the job and next to no effort required.