Cleaning narrowboat

[Trina]

Hi. What's the best product to use to clean your boat environmentally friendly. Thanks 

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Trina said:

Hi. What's the best product to use to clean your boat environmentally friendly. Thanks 

It rains often enough, well usualy but this summer its been a bit dry. ?

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

It rains often enough, well usualy but this summer its been a bit dry. ?

Fear not, the canal is full of it (bit like me), but suspect the OP is looking for soapy type stuff

[Trina]

Very witty

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Trina said:

Very witty

Ive asked the boss and she says she uses a tiny drop of stardrops. Ive not been on the boat washing course yet ?

[haggis]

A good car shampoo 

Haggis 

[WotEver]

MucOff do a ‘marine’ shampoo that won’t hurt the fishes. 

[rgreg]

I use Craftmaster "wash and wax" but I couldn't say how environmentally friendly it is. 

Edited October 4, 2018 by rgreg

[ditchcrawler]

24 minutes ago, rgreg said:

I use Craftmaster "wash and wax" but I couldn't say how environmentally friendly it is. 

Same as us

 

[Gareth E]

I use canal water and a bit of washing up liquid.

[Neil2]

For those stubborn rainwater streaks and other staining I have something called ABEX surface cleaner it's gel based and claims to be fully biodegradeable.  Unfortunately I can't remember where I got it and googling the company Rainbow Care products doesn't help so it may be out of production which is a shame as it really works.  International do a similar cleaner but I don't know how environmentally friendly it is.  

[Gareth E]

The way I look at it is that most of us flush fairy liquid or similar into the cut every day when we wash our dishes, so why worry about a tiny extra amount of the same on the odd occasion we wash our boats? 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

The way I look at it is that most of us flush fairy liquid or similar into the cut every day when we wash our dishes, so why worry about a tiny extra amount of the same on the odd occasion we wash our boats? 

I may have read on here somewhere fairy liquid dulls some paints. (I may have dreamt it too)

Edited October 4, 2018 by rusty69

[haggis]

I would be more worried about what washing up liquid does to my paintwork. 

Haggis 

[WotEver]

16 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I may have read on here somewhere fairy liquid dulls some paints. (I may have dreamt it too)

 

15 minutes ago, haggis said:

I would be more worried about what washing up liquid does to my paintwork. 

Haggis 

You’re both correct. Most washing up liquids contain ingredients which will do the paintwork no good at all. Things like ammonia and bleach. 

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, WotEver said:

 

You’re both correct. Most washing up liquids contain ingredients which will do the paintwork no good at all. Things like ammonia and bleach. 

Doesn't sound like a bundle of larfs for humans fish and other pondlife either!

[MtB]

I wash my boat about once every 25 years.

 

whether it needs it or not. 

 

[Liam]

I washed the boat down with something ready available from a chandlers. It did an amazing job, the boat really came up well with it.

A short time after my fingers and palms started to tingle which turned into a stinging pain. Running water over my hands seemed to relieve the pain but came back immediately once I removed them. I checked the cleaning bottle, which had the various warning signs of dead fish and naked trees so promptly binned the bottle. Unfortunately I didn't make a note of the name of it.

 

Now I go for the el-cheapo car shampoo with a similar polish to finish. The same result and less painful! 

 

Running water over my hands for am extended period seemed to work eventually so it must have washed most of the nastiness off.

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by Liam

[RAP]

Canal water. Have done for the last 25 years.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Make sure that whatever you use isn't going to accidentally poison the vegetation growing out of the stern fender.

 

Jen?

[Jennifer McM]

10 hours ago, Liam said:

I washed the boat down with something ready available from a chandlers. It did an amazing job, the boat really came up well with it.

A short time after my fingers and palms started to tingle which turned into a stinging pain. Running water over my hands seemed to relieve the pain but came back immediately once I removed them. I checked the cleaning bottle, which had the various warning signs of dead fish and naked trees so promptly binned the bottle. Unfortunately I didn't make a note of the name of it.

 

Now I go for the el-cheapo car shampoo with a similar polish to finish. The same result and less painful! 

 

Running water over my hands for am extended period seemed to work eventually so it must have washed most of the nastiness off.

 

You were definitely allergic to something in the bottle - profit before the environment at the chandlers; if they sell something that will obviously end up in the water and harm fish.

 

Know some are going to throw their hands up in horror, but I've used a bit (literally dampen the cloth with it) of neat bleach (Melton) on a cloth to remove chimney, and other dirty stains, eg from run-off channels, on our cream coloured paint. It's only on for a few seconds before the bleach is completely washed off. (We've done this twice in two years) and haven't noticed any detriment to the paintwork.

[BWM]

13 hours ago, WotEver said:

 

You’re both correct. Most washing up liquids contain ingredients which will do the paintwork no good at all. Things like ammonia and bleach. 

And some aggressive salts.

[Trina]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I need to clean it ready for painting. It's sanded down so I'll chuck river water on it and dry it with a towel. I'll use white vinegar to clean the windows. 

[rusty69]

12 minutes ago, Trina said:

Thanks everyone for your replies. I need to clean it ready for painting. It's sanded down so I'll chuck river water on it and dry it with a towel. I'll use white vinegar to clean the windows. 

If it is sanded ready for painting, probably not the best idea to chuck river water on it imo (other opinions are available) unless you intend to follow up with some panel wipes or similar prior to paint application.

Edited October 5, 2018 by rusty69

[Stilllearning]

4 minutes ago, Trina said:

Thanks everyone for your replies. I need to clean it ready for painting. It's sanded down so I'll chuck river water on it and dry it with a towel. I'll use white vinegar to clean the windows. 

White vinegar is an excellent cleaner and disinfectant. We use it almost everywhere round the house, work surfaces, sinks etc.