Transom Cleaning? What product works best?
 

What works best for cleaning the transom --- carbon stains (exhaust)? And, is that product corrosive to the transom plate and drive components? What works best for cleaning water stains (brown scum line) without being corrosive to an aluminum trailer?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

I have had great luck with Simple Green.


Sam

mop and glow or dilluted simple green in a spray bottle for the transom. The mop and glow will remove wax, so try to use the dilluted simple green.

Vinegar and water works great for scum lines

Have you tried Spray Nine? A more powerful cleaner is MaryKate On-Off. Works like a dream, I brushed it on and rinsed it off a few seconds later...clean as a whistle. It IS corrosive to aluminum but I never had any issues with it since I wetted the trailer first, then applied with a disposable brush that would keep it neat. Hose it off and you're ready to go.

Wesleys Bleach white works great .

Castrol super clean in a spray bottle. I keep one in the truck. Put the boat on the trailer and spray and wipe while its still wet. Removes exhaust scum like its nothing. It will turn bare aluminum white if you let it rest on it though.

Here's a little secret...no matter how dirty you get wrenching on your stuff, what do you reach for when it's time to clean your hands?.....Orange GOJO. The stuff work wonders, and breaks down even the toughest carbon stains and grease, but is safe and gentle on metals and other surfaces. I use it on the transom and it makes it snow white. Just make sure you buy the NON-pumice kind. You don't want to scratch your boat.

The brown water stains.....

http://www.proproducts.com/ourbrands/AmericanHydro.aspx

But the rid o rust powder & mix it in a sprayer.... the stains disappear without any scrubbing

I use bathroom cleaner. Cheap and sprays on. I do not leave it on for more the a few seconds give it a quick wipe with a wet rag and rinse off.

Well I like all the responses, great information. I inventoried what I have in the garage/house.

1. Spray Nine
2. Greased Lightning multi purpose cleaner
3. Clorox Clean-Up with Bleach
4. Fantastik
5. MaryKate OnOff (did not use for the transom)

I went to the garage and decide to compare each of the first four spray products on the transom (carbon stains only), and found that Spray Nine (thanks Indy) and Greased Lightning outperformed the Fantastik and Clorox Clean-Up.

I know that the MaryKate OnOff works great on the brown stains (scum line), but is very corrosive, and I am reluctant to use that on the transom with all of hardware, fittings, and hydraulic lines as well as the aluminum trailer below since I did not pull the boat out of the garage and did not have a hose handy to thoroughly rinse down the trailer and metal parts. I did have a of bucket of clean tap water.

The Mop and Glow sounds like a very good idea/product too. My tow vehicle is currently on an errand when it returns I will pull the boat out the garage and see in daylight (good lighting) how much of an improvement the Spray Nine and Greased Lightning did, I used each product on its own section on the transom.

Thanks for all the responses,

Stephen

PS I have too much time on my hands, it is time to go back to work.

And I just found my bottle of Wesleys Bleach White