# Cleaning nasty greasy bilges?



## Zogumwesterly (Jul 24, 2007)

Does any one have suggestion on how to deal with greasy bilges? or does any one Know the ill effects of steam cleaning fiberglass?
thanks


----------



## kale (Sep 21, 2008)

Steam Cleaning Dosnt Have Any Effect On Fiberglass That I Know Of But Thee Question Of Cleaning A Bilge Im Interested In As I Got One Scummy Bilge Id Like To Know Of Any Short Cuts But Probly Arnt Any But Good Ol Elbo Grease


----------



## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

*one thing that works*

Purple power or super clean. (one's by castrol and comes in a white jug with purplish label, and the other is in a purple jug) Both work about the same.

Very good on grease and oil, first tried it on a realy trashed sailboat I bought a few years ago. The boat had water over the berths, that I pumped out a few weeks before I brought it home, and the oil in the engine had floated out and covered everything with a nasty oily crusty stuff that resisted scraping pretty well. Threw a 1:4 mix of castrol and water into a garden sprayer, and sprayed everythng down, then went on deck to grab my scrub brush, when I came back in all the oil and crusty stuff was flowing into the bilge. Only had a few small spots that needed scrubbing, the rest was clean enough that it only took a hose to get rid of the residue.

The purple jug stuff comes in either a square jug (anti-freeze type) or a round jug that's a bit cheaper, but the round jug is 'ready to use' and prediluted.

Normally not so happy with cleaning stuff as they're all the same for the most part, but the purple stuf is great, use gloves, or rinse your hands right away though as it's will de-fat your skin. I do use some (highly diluted) in a spray bottle for washing my hands when I work on engines. Don't leave it on aluminum too long as it will stain it. (but beats the crap out of any 'purpose made' cleaner I've ever used for getting the varnish out of carburettors)

Ken.

Edit: Just checked, it used to be castrol super clean, now it's just 'super clean' and purple power by clean-rite
Ken


----------



## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

Have a nice big net handy.

Then you gather up all the fish that float to the surface after you've pumped the resultant bilge water over the side.


----------



## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

Actual both claim to be non-toxic, with rapid break down.

Realy wouldn't expect anyone to pump oily bilge water overboard anyway.

Ken


----------



## timebandit (Sep 18, 2002)

Johnson's SCRUBBING BUBBLES works wonders.

Works on car engines, motorcycles, outboards, inboards.

The best part is that you don't need high pressure to rinse the gunk away so no splashing on every thing.

Rick


----------



## knothead (Apr 9, 2003)

merc2dogs said:


> Edit: Just checked, it used to be castrol super clean, now it's just 'super clean' and purple power by clean-rite
> Ken


I like this stuff too but I've seen it remove paint.


----------



## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

knothead said:


> I like this stuff too but I've seen it remove paint.


It must be diluted, I used to work with the stuff every day. It's nasty straight but properly diluted it can work miracles.


----------



## Brezzin (Dec 4, 2006)

The folks at Mack Boring told me that Dawn dishwashing liq is the best thing removing oil and other resulting engine muck. They actually use it in the employee wash rooms. It's cheap, smells nice and you can use the remainder to wash your dinner plates


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Dawn dishwashing liquid is also used by wildlife rescue officials during oil spills to clean off wildlife, mainly birds, that are coated with oil. So, it does work quite well.


----------



## SteveInMD (May 11, 2007)

Dawn, a scrub brush, water, and a wet/dry shop vac are the tools you need.


----------



## Zogumwesterly (Jul 24, 2007)

Thanks for the input. I'll try to work up the nerve to get goin on it soon


----------



## poopdeckpappy (Jul 25, 2006)

Find a product called Oil Eater, I used to get it at HD, it is absolutely the best. I have used this for years cleaning up the shop after breaking down the race bikes.

far better and enviromentally safer then purple power

Oil Eater Brand - Industrial & Household Cleaners, Absorbents, & Cleaning Equipment


----------



## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

merc2dogs said:


> ... as it's will de-fat your skin.


Wouldn't many people see this as a benefit?


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

No, because it damages the skin and causes it to look much older and makes it less resilient. If it could de-fat the head, it would help a lot of people IMHO though... 


jarcher said:


> Wouldn't many people see this as a benefit?


----------



## pvenkat (Aug 8, 2008)

'Tide Regular Scent' - it works great!. I will first take care of the Oil - separately and dispose it safely. Then a spoonful of Tide in the bilges. Let the rocking of the boat shake things up and then wash it off with some water (the bilge pump should do the trick). I doubt if any of the cleaning fluids harm epoxy+glass, but they sure will harm the water where the boat stands. Tide is relatively safe and leaves the insides smelling good.
Good luck!
Venkat


----------



## flee (Oct 10, 2007)

*Bilge de-oiler*

The most amazing product I've used is TKO, a brand of d-limonene, the chemical name for orange oil. It isn't cheap but nothing cuts oil better. 
The fact that it is produced only from oranges makes it environmentally friendly. The same caution applies regarding skin contact, though. Gloves are mandatory if using it undiluted. Don't ask me how I know! I buy it by the gallon. And of course it smells great if you like oranges.

Lee Stone
s/v Aurora


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Some of the purple cleaners are LYE based, be vrey careful about that. Even diluted, lye is caustic and may remove paint and varnish and soften or discolor fiberglass if it is not neutralized (dilute acid washed) when you are done with it. 

A friend of mine got too enthusiastic, I believe with the original Castrol purple cleaner, and years ago took the varnish off his kitchen cabinets. "OOpsie."

Steam is great, but for some of us it is impossible to locate or rent a steam genny, you need to be in farm country to find them!


----------



## TG29 (Jun 24, 2007)

Sugar soap. The stuff you use for cleaning surfaces before house painting. Works a treat. I wouldn't pump the resulting slurry overboard, however.


----------



## SteveInMD (May 11, 2007)

That's where the wet/dry vac comes in. Vacuum up all the nasty stuff and flush it down a toilet (on land).


----------



## alaskaboy (Oct 30, 2007)

Some diesel fuel was spilled by a friend of mine and it ran down the inside hull of the boat into the bilge. Time was short before I had to catch a flight. I quickly bought some powder that used to digest oil. I came back a week later and all the diesel was just magically gone. The hull didn't smell like diesel. I had a 5 gal bucket of water with a small amount of diesel in it that I was having a difficult time finding a place to dispose of safely. I powdered it and left it securely on the deck with the lid loose. I checked it several days later and all the diesel was again gone. I really like the stuff because it is so environmentally safe.


----------



## jimmyb514 (Sep 9, 2007)

I've had very good luck with 'ZEP 50' a foaming degreaser. We degrease aircraft engines with it and it doesn't affect plastics, wiring, fiberglass etc. Wear glasses and gloves. Spray it on, work it in with a brush, let it sit a bit and rinse it off with water. Even if it dries it rinses right off. If you need contact info let me know.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Degreasers continues*

As a long time mechanical person i used to use Easy Off oven cleaner (very toxic) until I discovered Super Clean-- you get about two gallons of diluted (one part water/ one part S.C.) product for what two itsy cans of Easy Off costs you-- lately I have also used the Dawn dish soap-- and there too if you geta little in the harbor waters you will only have helped to dilute /break up and get rid of the "oil scum" on the water-- (I live in a "working boat" harbor and there is always a little "sheen" on the water)-- I have used Dawn also to clan up hands, interiors, seats, etc when oil has been the culprit-- I will be glad to let you come and try it out on my currently less than bristol bilge if you would like the practice LOL!!!!:laugher


----------



## greentechman (Apr 24, 2009)

*How To Clean a Greasy Bilge*



Zogumwesterly said:


> Does any one have suggestion on how to deal with greasy bilges? or does any one Know the ill effects of steam cleaning fiberglass?
> thanks


Hi There, I am a Green Consultant and my boating clients have been using a new product called Oil Gone Easy Marine. You just pour the stuff into the access points of the bilge and it uses bioremediation to literally eat any oil or fuel in your bilge for a few months. It is safe to use on all surfaces and is a green product. Good luck -Greentechman


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Greentechman—

I am just curious as to what your relationship to the Oil Gone Easy Marine product is.


----------



## greentechman (Apr 24, 2009)

I know the company, have tested and reviewed their products. These guys cleaned up the Prestige Oil spill off Spain. The product is recognized by the EPA.


----------



## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

conky joe, that you?


----------



## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

xort said:


> conky joe, that you?


hee hee !!

Now look Mr GreenTechMan,

First up, having had a squizz at it I think the OGE product looks pretty good and quite useful as a bilge cleaner soooooo.....given that you didn't specifically link to a commercial site I'm letting this stand.

I am taking you at your word that you are not in any way benefitting financially from oge...cos if you are that's naughty and we don't like naughty.....not one little bit.....not one teensy weensy little bit....

That you spruik OGE on only your second post is I must admit somewhat suspicious, indeed you may well concede the point yourself, that doubts might be raised.

ergo......

if we were to find out that you were telling us pork pies (how's your ryhming slang ?) we would just have to ban your lying arse.......cast you into the pit as it were.

OK ?


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Oooh... Fuzzy laid down the law... 


tdw said:


> hee hee !!
> 
> Now look Mr GreenTechMan,
> 
> ...


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I cleaned the very greasy bilge of my sailboat with OIL GONE EASY MARINE S-200. Nothing I have ever used before has worked this well. All the foul smell from my boat has complelety vanished. It works by attracting the bacteria to break down the oil, so it also harmless to the environment also.You can read all about it at oilgoneeasy.com


----------



## HatterasJack (Mar 31, 2004)

I have always found that Dawn dish soap workes well with a little elbow grease and hot water. Jack


----------



## bheintz (Jun 14, 2001)

Please do not pump any oily bilge water over the side:

All bilgewater discharges must be in compliance with the regulations in *40 CFR Parts 110* (Discharge of Oil), *116* (Designation of Hazardous Substances), and *117* (Determination of Reportable Quantities for Hazardous Substances) and *33 CFR §151.10* (Control of Oil Discharges).

In addition: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) *2.2.2 Bilgewater* - Vessel operators may not use dispersants, detergents, emulsifiers, chemicals or other substances to remove the appearance of a visible sheen in their bilgewater discharges.

Sure these regulations are mainly for larger vessels: over 65 ft / 400 gross tons, however the EPA is on the watch for "point source" violations. If it can be proven that the small boat operators are responsible, they will have the impetus to broaden the scope of the enforcement.



SteveInMD said:


> Vacuum up all the nasty stuff and flush it down a toilet (on land).


Many (most?) municipalities are quite specific on what chemicals can not be dumped into the sewer. Such as, one location specifies "non-toxic and phosphate free cleaners and detergents. Furthermore, cleaners and detergents should not be caustic or only minimally caustic and should be biodegradable."

Basically oils, grease, and chemicals are not conducive to the sewage treatment process.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Oily bilge water can usually be dumped totally legally in the "waste oil" tank that most marinas and service stations keep for that purpose. The waste oil is then usually sold and refined.

Oilzorbs and other absorbent pads usually just go in the solid trash.

Getting bacteria to eat the stuff, so it is no longer oil, is a nice idea if it works.


----------

