Cleaning your Aluminum Hull ...

[EZM]

was looking online to find a product to quickly and easily clean my aluminum boat hull - grime, grease, oxidized water .... all the typical stuff ...

And being lazy, was looking for something quick and easy - I didn't want to spend hours scrubbing, washing and polishing .... and I came across this on the internet (sounded to good to be true) but thought I'd give it a try - so mixed up a cup of 50/50 white vinegar and water ....

So, I dipped a paper towel in and gave the dirty hull a swipe ............ it was amazing - one swipe and the hull was squeaky clean, the painted aluminum was bright, spot free, clean, no haze and mirror like ....

I went to the transom (where there's some grease, hard water, etc..) and it cleaned up with a quick wipe like brand new.

It's cheap, easy, and works unbelievably ..... a quick rinse and wipe (as it's an acid that reacts with aluminum) and the test areas look great. Now to pull the boat out of the garage and get the rest done ...

Plan is to mix up a spray bottle, wipe it down, then hit it with the hose to get the vinegar off .....

Amazing results so far in my test areas.

Thought I'd pass it along to those interested.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Mario - I really could've used this tip about two weeks ago

Whatever you do - do not buy an entire polishing kit, compound, and go to work on a dirty hull. What a mess. Yes it's shiny, but it took 6 hours.

I will definitely try your tip instead next time!

[EZM]

Originally Posted by The Fisherman Guy

Mario - I really could've used this tip about two weeks ago

Whatever you do - do not buy an entire polishing kit, compound, and go to work on a dirty hull. What a mess. Yes it's shiny, but it took 6 hours.

I will definitely try your tip instead next time!

Trust me - I used to do the same darn thing ...... spend hundreds of dollars and hours of back breaking scrubbing ..... then I kinda "stopped doing it" because it was such a pain in the butt.

Came across this on the internet and IT CHANGED MY LIFE ..... lol

I might actually have a clean looking boat now next time people see me out there !!!!

[Dewey Cox]

I'd clean my boat, but I'm afraid the shine will scare away the fish.

[Penner]

Vinegar and water is touch to beat particularly at getting those dried up hard water spots off the paint.

I’ve also used Spray 9 and a brush on my older tinner. The fish needed sunglasses afterwards.
.

[Tungsten,]

It also kills ants,wasps and gets rid of the pee smell in your dogs bathroom.

[old dog]

A friend put me onto vinegar and water years ago but we add a bit of fantastic or spray9 to help cut the grease. I use the heavy duty vinegar that home hardware sells

[fish99]

we use vinegar and water to clean the boat swell it shines like after cleaned

[honker_clonker]

If you have a ton of water spots on your fish finder screen, you can mix 10:1 water:vinegar solution for cleaning those off. I saturate a microfibre cloth and lay it on the screen for a couple minutes (no scrubbing). Pull it off and wipe it with a clean dry cloth and its like factory again.

[Coiloil37]

I’m to cheap to use salt away so I also use vinegar. I mix it in a chemical sprayer. A lap around the boat and trailer and then I hose everything off.

[Cross Eyed Cowboy]

This solution works pretty well on aluminium without any adverse pitting of the aluminium.

Your results may vary depending on the condition of the hull and the technique used.

You might try pressure washing the hull first to get rid of any obvious dirt and grime, then with a garden style pump sprayer coat the entire hull with the Simple Green solution and let the solution do its thing on the aluminium, make sure not to let it dry out on the hull, so you will have to keep the hull wet.

Rinse thoroughly afterwards.

Cost of the solution on Amazon.ca is about $39 for a gallon container.

Diluted this stuff works very well on aluminium alloy firearm parts.

[barbless]

Originally Posted by old dog

A friend put me onto vinegar and water years ago but we add a bit of fantastic or spray9 to help cut the grease. I use the heavy duty vinegar that home hardware sells

Is that the industrial stuff they use for concrete floors and mixed in a zamboni type floor cleaning machine?

[old dog]

Originally Posted by barbless

Is that the industrial stuff they use for concrete floors and mixed in a zamboni type floor cleaning machine?

No it’s just a household kitchen use but slightly stronger when I read the info

[Walleyedude]

Simple vinegar and water works great on fibreglass too, been using it for years.

Just spray it on, give it a quick wipe on the stubborn spots, and rinse thoroughly. Then spray on some Hot Sauce or Lucas Slickmist and give it a quick wipe with a microfibre towel.

Just that quick and easy and you’ve got a showroom looking boat.

[stob]

you can use cheap tooth paste or Vim for lite abrasives... Muriatic acid also works well on barnacles and salt stains etc

[Fily Clark]

Originally Posted by EZM

was looking online to find a product to quickly and easily clean my aluminum boat hull - grime, grease, oxidized water .... all the typical stuff ...

And being lazy, was looking for something quick and easy - I didn't want to spend hours scrubbing, washing and polishing .... and I came across this on the internet (sounded to good to be true) but thought I'd give it a try - so mixed up a cup of 50/50 white vinegar and water ....

So, I dipped a paper towel in and gave the dirty hull a swipe ............ it was amazing - one swipe and the hull was squeaky clean, the painted aluminum was bright, spot free, clean, no haze and mirror like ....

I went to the transom (where there's some grease, hard water, etc..) and it cleaned up with a quick wipe like brand new.

It's cheap, easy, and works unbelievably ..... a quick rinse and wipe (as it's an acid that reacts with aluminum) and the test areas look great. Now to pull the boat out of the garage and get the rest done ...

Plan is to mix up a spray bottle, wipe it down, then hit it with the hose to get the vinegar off .....

Amazing results so far in my test areas.

Thought I'd pass it along to those interested.

Thank you.. I noted your all advices...

[flydude]

Lloyds Aluminum Magic - can get it at Gregg's Distributors for $20 / 935 ml.

https://greggdistributors.ca/cleanin...aners/llo77816

Put some in a bucket, wipe it onto boat with a sponge, leave for a minute or two, spray off. You want to put it on evenly all at the same time. Environmentally safe.

I used a sponge mop to do the whole boat. Approximately 1.5L did inside and outside of very dirty boat. Made it look like new again.

AMAZING STUFF!

[flydude]

Do not use on high polished aluminum

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by honker_clonker

If you have a ton of water spots on your fish finder screen, you can mix 10:1 water:vinegar solution for cleaning those off. I saturate a microfibre cloth and lay it on the screen for a couple minutes (no scrubbing). Pull it off and wipe it with a clean dry cloth and its like factory again.

Thanks for that. Just cleaned my finder and all the spots are gone.

Great Tip

[EZM]

Originally Posted by flydude

Lloyds Aluminum Magic - can get it at Gregg's Distributors for $20 / 935 ml.

https://greggdistributors.ca/cleanin...aners/llo77816

Put some in a bucket, wipe it onto boat with a sponge, leave for a minute or two, spray off. You want to put it on evenly all at the same time. Environmentally safe.

I used a sponge mop to do the whole boat. Approximately 1.5L did inside and outside of very dirty boat. Made it look like new again.

AMAZING STUFF!

Exactly how I ended up doing my boat - except used vinegar - 50/50 with warm water, sponged it on, let it sit for a few min, the hosed it off - shined like brand new and brightened the aluminum. Did the transom / engines twice as it was grimy and needed a wipe down, but was quick and easy and the results were fantastic.

My hands were a little red and irritated after for a few hours, but I guess I shoulda worn gloves - but no big deal.

Works great. Just made sure I sprayed it down very well after with fresh water and sprayed the driveway down for a while (not sure what vinegar does to concrete if it sits there for a while) so gave it a good rinse.