First off, I have tried everything from a pressure washer to Tilex to Zit Cream heck you name it, to get stains out of the hull and vinyl seat covers and nothing works like this stuff does... Some words of caution and tips though, this stuff is harsh on your hide, and God Forbid if you get it in your eyes, I do not think they would last long enough to wash it out!
As such you will need and should wear...
Rubber Gloves
Clear shooting/safety glasses or something along those lines to keep it out of your eyes "even if" diluted.
I would not recommend wearing shorts while you use this stuff, but if you have a garden hose handy you might be fine and can rinse it right off you. đ
Water hose, and bucket filled with car washing soap/water handy for your brush.
And a soft bristle car washing brush (stiff is not needed and is counterproductive)
As many here know, inside the console (usually the worst) parts of the deck like under the gunnels, etc. Just gets nasty black not from dirt as you might first suspect. But from junk growing on and inside of it and household bleach is not strong enough and just does not work well. Here in Florida with our warm temperatures and rain much less, even being undercover, the boat can just become a living swamp, and that last time I opened the console hatch, I fully expected to have a Gator drag me into it!
Well let me tell you the boat now, even inside that console, has not been this white since the day it popped out of the mold... And just when you were thinking it was dirt stains on the hull, trust me I suspect it is /was some kind of crud "growing" in those little scratches, and this stuff just "Thumps" it big time!
You can now order some and have it delivered to your door by clicking on the picture above or Here
But you must be MOST careful using it! It will chew on your hide just like it does the Mold and Mildew and is not something that you need to work real hard with, for it will only fleck/spray back on you and then it will commence eating on your skin like a Bull shark does a Tarpon 𤨠Trust me, it only took a few minutes for me to go and grab a pair of my wife's dish-washing gloves for my hands were already on fire when I first started using it! đŽ
You do not need to rub hard or be in a rush to use it... Just spray it on, scrub lightly with a long-handled brush, have a drink, and let it EAT đ The MSDS for this product shows Sodium Hypochlorite in a 10% level so (as I remember my chemistry) is higher than household bleach if I am not mistaken. You can click here to download and review the file which pretty much states what I was saying about it chewing on you also...
My hull, trolling motor, seats (which now look almost new) and I know some of those stains that were there for a while are now "gone" on stuff that even a 3000-psi pressure washer or other Magical chemicals we all have tried, would not even put a dent on many of them in the past.
Again, the best tip I can give you is to spray it on and then work it into all the little joints and stuff with a soft car-washing brush on a stick. Just be careful and do not be in a rush and rub hard so it does not land back on you! Nasty stuff indeed but does one **** of a job and I am impressed and so have others that I have recommended it to over the years.
Afterward, as I did this and as time progressed, the more I applied it to sections and locations on the bow, working my way backward. Rinsing with the hose also lifted more crud as it was "killing" stuff while I progressed further and further towards the stern. I was also very mindful, to make sure I used the shower setting on the hose "inside" the console so it would not wipe out any wiring. Make sure to rinse it all well afterward and that you get it off everything as you wash. And I say a second run all over again with just boat soap to help neutralize the effects of this chemical is not a bad idea either.
And from what I saw draining out of the bilge as I progressed from Bow to Stern, I do not think much is "alive" down there now. The fumes from this stuff flushed more than one critter out of there like a covey of Quail for sure!
Again, my best advice is to take it slow and enjoy your newfound "white" boat. No need to be in a rush or rub it hard since that will only get it flicked back on you which "Trust me" is not fun and no, flip flops should not be worn for this party either! đ
So, enjoy your new boat that you "already" now have after using it for a super cleaning session đ
Brother Blair (which we had on ) has worked with Start Brite for years now and still has posted up an older video on using this and other related products which you also may find useful.
I will say though, the Rust Stain remover discussed above, I was not all that impressed with and Bar Keepers Friend that my sweetheart turned me onto, simply sticks and works better! And you don't have to pay big bucks at West Marine for something special and usually found in most grocery stores OR you can click here or the picture below to have it shipped right to your door.
Just make a paste of it (let it set some) and rub it until it is gone. I find this product works well on both Metal and other boat surfaces. I had a bad rust stain when I took the Trolling Motor off the mounting puck on the deck, and it worked great in getting rid of it! Hope these tips help yours look great again!
In the Meantime,
We invite you to take in a few Flats Nation Podcast Episodes to help "Scratch that Fishing Itch" when working or traveling and you just cannot hitch up the Skiff and go, on these links:
Our main podcast page works great for your mobile device since they will stream right on your phone/tablet can be found by clicking Here
Our new Flats Nation YouTube Channel can be found by clicking Here and sharing them with family and friends if you find them Entertaining and Educational! We have some great guests in the works and planning stages on a wide range of topics and product coverage soon.
Also, The "Flats Nation" Merch and Swag collection has some new works now (just click on each Design or Picture to view that collection) and can be found by clicking Here or just click on our Flag below to take you to that section to land some for yourself and family/friends that enjoy their time here on Flats Nation.
Lastly, we just launched our new lineup of Flats Nation stickers which turned out just awesome!
You can see all eight Flats Fish Species we now have (more on the way) and order some of those cool combos and show (them) just how good you are or looking to target by clicking Here đ
Tight Lines and God Bless!
Dave and the Team
