cleaning zolotone

[SeanD]

What works the best. The inside of my driftboat looks pretty bad. How do you make it pretty again. There is a couple years of mud and egg stains that don't wash off with dishsoap. What do you use- aluminum wheel cleaner? Preferably something doesnt wash off the good fish catching mojo- or something that doesnt put off a bad smell.

[Bobberman]

I pressure wash mine and it works pretty good. You might want to go easy at first to make sure it doesn't flake off.

[Kevin Turner]

Try Simple Green (if it's available in your area) it works well...KT

[GSD]

Helps to leave the boat sit out in the rain a few days to rehydrate & soften the egg-goo and fish blood/guts!

[ICHTHYDEMON]

When I sold my Alumaweld last year I used a paste made of Borax and water. I had all sorts of stains form eggs,herring and smelly jelly that didn't come off with Simple green. The Borax did an excellent job of scrubbing the nastiness off my boat.

[SeanD]

Guess mine is pretty bad. Simple green/scrubbing and a pressure washer didnt get it very clean?

[garyk]

Perhaps your zolatone wasn't sealed with a clearcoat? Unsealed, it allows stains to really penetrate.

Once it's clean enough, consider using an industrial floor wax like Kirklands (COSTCO) Diamond-Shine to wax and somewhat seal your paint. It will also give it a renewed look. Careful if used on floors...makes 'em slick.

[Rescue3]

We use the same materials as the charter fishing boats do in Ilwaco/Chinook...1/4 cup of liquid Tide and 1/4 cup of bleach in a 2 gallon bucket of warm water. Take a boat brush to spread the stuff around and scrub a bit where necessary. Rinse and repeat. If it's really bad leave it on the deck and rinse it off the next morning. Works like a charm and is cheaper than the green stuff.

[garyk]

Sounds like seand with his driftboat won't be using detergant on the water and shouldn't be. Are those Illwaco charter boats really washing Tide & bleach into the bay? If so they should be ticketed. Dumping phosphate detergent into a bay is incredibly irresponsible:

Phosphates - A product used in laundry detergents and contributes to serious water pollution when used.

Chlorine - Used to bleach clothes and household surfaces. Contributes to hazardous water pollution, killing or poisoning fish and plants.

Chlorine is a very STRONG fish repellant as well.

Here's some other cleaners that might be worth trying:

Commercial Detergent Alternatives

Some cleaners that are safer include:

Baking Soda - Cleans and deodorizes, and softens water to increase sudsing and cleaning power of soap; also good for scouring and deodorizing your refrigerator. To deodorize your trash, put 1/2 cup in the bottom of the can. Also is a good fabric softener for your laundry. When turned into a paste with water, you can rub it to polish silver.

Borax - Cleans and deodorizes when mixed with soap and water; also good for disinfecting and softening water, and replacing commercial color enhancers for your laundry (including bleach) and laundry detergent. Can be found in laundry section of your supermarket.

Plain Soap - Biodegrades safely and is totally non-toxic.

Washing Soda - Cuts grease and removes stains, disinfects, softens water. Available in laundry section of supermarket.

White Vinegar - Cuts grease and freshens surfaces. Also good for taking stains out of carpets, dishes, clearing drains, and as a fabric softener for your laundry. Can also polish chrome, if undiluted.

Ammonia - For cleaning ovens. (Do not mix with commercial cleaners or bleach - the mix causes deadly fumes!)

Lemon Oil/Lemon Juice - Polishes unwaxed wood when mixed with vegetable oil or mineral water. (Buff hard after polishing with clean cloth.) Also good for polishing aluminum.

Melted Paraffin and Vinegar - If you soak a cloth in this mix and let the cloth dry, it polishes waxed wood.