Yellow hull stains
 

What's the strongest cleaner to rid this yellow stains?
It's under my swim platform around the drives and steering rams.
I have tried Sno Bol, Ring-Go, and buffing/cleaner compound. None of that stuff does anything.

Simple Green lightens it's a bit.

It comes right off with 2000 grit sandpaper, so it is just some type of crud on the surface. Don't want to have to sand it off just because can't get a buffer into most of the areas to rebuff.

So, what's the strongest: On-Off, Slimey Grimey, Or FSR?

Thanks
Jerry

Shower power

On-Off works well,but wear old clothes when using it.

Try Flitz. Light rubbing and it's gone.

bleech white
 

some bleech white tire cleaner does the trick for me!! be sure to wax after!!!

FSR works well for what you describe.

If FSR doesn't work well enough, then go with the wet 2000 paper. Don't need to chase it with a speed buffer: just hand buff with white polishing compound and then a finishing wax.

Orange Blast Wheel Cleaner(not degtreaser)

Spray on and in seconds it's white. Rinse off:)

And it's cheap because nowhere on the bottle does it say "marine";)

50/50 mix muriatic acid and water or Castrol Super Clean at about 3 to 1. Use the acid in a spray bottle and follow with water. The acid is already a .05 mix so I guess you are using at .025.

Like BadDog says, muriatic acid works well. Spray in on with a plant mister. You can use an old toilet cleaning brush to scrub if necessary. But it usually works by just letting it sit for a few minutes.

Be SURE to stay up wind of the stuff, it's very caustic. The fumes are real nasty. Wear gloves and a mask if you have them. If not, be sure not to get the acid on your skin, and again the fumes are caustic.

Rinse it off real well, then wax.

I've used the green hull cleaner from west marine. That stuff has the muriatic acid I believe and works very well. Have also used lime-away on the tips to take off the chalkiness and it cleans the white very nicely if you let it drip down the transom....as others have said be careful of fumes.....gloves and a mask are in order. Of course a very thorough rinse is in order when using these products also :)

Jerry,
You can get a product called RUSTAID from Home Depot that will take most stains off. You can just spray it on with a pumt-up lawn sprayer, let it stay on for about 5 min. then rinse it with water, no more stains.

Good luck,
Dail

FSR Fiberglass Stain Remover. I get it through Overton's. Best stuff on waterline stains I've tried to date. Wipe on, let sit a few minutes and rinse off.

I do my hull with FSR when it starts to look stained from going through dirty channels.............
The FSR is easy on the stainless hardware.

I use a cocktail of 1 part Muriatic acid, 2 part Super Clean, and 6 water for regular cleaning when pulling out. I only use this on the water line. For general cleaning of the hull sides have a separate bottle with 6 to 1 Super Clean. The first bottle is not bad to smell, the Muriatic acid just gives it a little kick.

Okay, one of us is gonna cause an explosion with all of these home made mixes !!

:) Product called: Zing ........which has hydrochloric acid in it. Used it on my old Fountain. However, since it is an acid derivative, you will need to immediately wax the area you use this on, or the area will become more yellow. InXS

I do have the recipe for aluminum foil, Borax, acid, well never mind. Kids and I sent up one of those weather balloons with acetylene and used a flare gun to shoot at it, and well, never mind... And one time I mixed diesel, with charcoal and gas and put it in ground hog hole with a smoke bomb for a fuse, you get the idea.

Oh, the potato guns with ether is fun. And Tranny fluid and kerosene in a can with an ice cube or two...

On the other hand my hull stay shiny.

ground charcoal, sulfer & potassium nitrate is fun too :D

That will definitely leave a stain on the boat though....if there's a boat left ;)

I need to make me another tater gun. I gave the last one away. :cool:

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Well, 120 mile round trip to West Marine for some On-Off. Had FSR, but salesguy talked me into the On-Off.

It did nothing also! Then also tried laundry bleach, Bleach White, .......notta.
So back to the full strength Simple Green that at least lightened it.
Soaked an area then used a soft scrub brush and followed with 3000 grit paper soaked with the Simple Green, It's Gone!!:D :D $60 worth of specialty cleaners and the cheap stuff is what works.
Not sure what the yellow was that the harsh chemicals wouldn't touch, but it's off. Going to hit it with the buffer then a couple good coats of marine wax.

Tim, I have gotten this before. Each time was from our trip to the river when we stay overnite in Admirals Anchor Marina for the boat burning. I hear the boats can just pump out their holding tanks right into the river, maybe the yellow is just plain ol' piss?? I think since the boat went into the shop a couple days after the river trip and was there for over 4 months, it set in more than before when Sno Bol would take it right off.

Jerry,
Pumping the tanks is not legal but remember where you are and that no one is really watching. I think the yellow is ab algae type stain. Seems more prevalent the closer you get to the dam. Up around the islands or closer to the middle of the pool you will not get any yellowing at all. The closer you get to Louisville at times of the year the yellow will appear. I have also got the yellow from Marinas at Cumberland when the water is warm. Might be exhaust and oil from generators. I tend to believe the algae as the Simple Green works.

The Muriatic acid 50/50 in a spray bottle takes it right off. Just use it on the stain and hit it with a 10 minute wax job. Waxing the water line with a synthetic type wax such as Nu Finish helps prevent it. I will often do a quick wax before going out and if I miss a small spot it will yellow there but nowhere else.

What are you doing for tunes on the boat? Have you seen these?
http://www.ssiamerica.com/products/neo35/index.shtml

Tim T.

Tunes? Not sure. I hope to get my new Spark-O-Matic
8-track player installed this weekend. I got a great deal on one. Just gotta finish making the cardboard mounting box so I can get it covered with some shag or velvet material. It should be real groovy. :D

That radio is awlsome. I'm WAY behind on technology today. Being the big stero guy that I am, I'm pretty content with my new Babbs speakers, MTX amp and 8" sub. Would like to install a bigger sub, but that one is built in from Fountain under the rear bench seat, fiberglass and all, and just no room for bigger w/o a major rework.

See Ya!
Jerry

If you or anyone else want the Neo35 in the above link I have a 60 GB library I could load for you. Covers all Genres. That is about 1200 CD's. Just Format and Partion the drive and load the directory. My library is legal as well.

Iron Out cleaner it is powder that you mix with water and it is really cheap,and sold at walmart and every other store.

Ring-Go didn't work. I truly find that hard to believe if it was used correctly. Did you wipe it on with a damp rag and let it sit for 5 minutes before spraying it off???

Answering your question; anything with muratic acid is going to be on the "strongest" stuff list. If you want straight Muratic just go to the hardware store and buy it cheap. Dilute it 2:1 and it will take off anything. Just be careful of your metal parts and be sure to thoroughly rinse every crevice or you'll cause a lot of damage. BTW, the same goes for any of the cleaners listed here...

Show us some pics

Ring-Go has been the best thing to take off the river scum for me. Nothing else would touch our stains except snobol and I won't use that on my boat. I had a couple of friends use snobol and the more they used it, the more often they needed to use it.

Ring-go is the best stuff I have used to clean off stains
35' boat sat in lake for 3months wiped it on with a wet rag gave it a rinse and shazaam back to new once again .
In a 32oz bottle I used less then a 1/8 of a bottle.
I am telling you this stuff works.
I own a auto dealership and have all kinds of cleaners
available .White wall cleaners ,wire wheel cleaners.
Nothing works as good or as clean as Ring-go.

No, Ring-go did not phase this yellow stuff. I left it on for 15 min, applied with both a damp and dry rag. Even scrubbed it.
I tried Iron Out last fall before taking the boat to the shop for bottom repairs. Didn't want them matching the stains, but it didn't work either. Iron Out did work on the previous couple of times when I boated at the same place. Don't know why it didn't work this time.

I got it off with Simple Green and a soft brush. I started by wet sanding with 3000 soaked with SG until I tried a brush. Anyways, it is white as can be now. Just gotta give it all a couple good coats of wax still.

Got a brand new bottle of ON-OFF that is going to go down the drain. Just the fumes from that stuff should have removed the yellow. Got a new trailer and ain't taking no chances of messing up the paint.

Save your money and try every day Lime-Away.
Where rubber gloves, wipe it on with a sponge, walk away and have a beer.
Magic!

I'm surprised the Ringo didn't do the trick. As Vype says and proven by many locally, the stuff works great.

But while on the subject of off-beat remedies, Mequires Tire/Rim Cleaner in a clear spray bottle with pinkish liquid found at your local Advance Auto for just under $4, works great for your run of the mill yellowing without any caustic ordors. The thinbg about ON/Off is it contains three acids and is highly caustic. I used it a few years ago on my 230SX Stingray after it took forever to get yellow. After On/Off it apparently etched my clearcoat, because it started yellowing everything d*mned weekend. I'll never use the stuff again.

My rule of thumb is if I can'r apply it without using a full body suit with respirator to apply it doesn't go on my hull. Would you use something like that on your new car finish? Maybe that's the litmus test...

Me too! I am one of the proven by many. ;)