Cleaning products for a Rib

Uh Oh · 13 March 2020, 17:24

Weve recently bought our first Rib and it needs a clean. It's not too bad but theres a bit of mildew as it's been under a tarp. Parts of the A frame have small rust coloured flecks. We're naturally eager to have it look nice as it's a new to us boat and the previous owner looked after it.

Can anyone recommend cleaning and care products please? I don't want to use anything that might damage the various bits:

Hull
Heytex tubes
Stainless steel
Outboard

Many thanks in advance

Pikey Dave · 13 March 2020, 23:54

This has been covered many many times & a quick use of the search function will prove fruitful. In the meantime, TFR & 303.

Uh Oh · 14 March 2020, 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

This has been covered many many times & a quick use of the search function will prove fruitful. In the meantime, TFR & 303.

Fair comment. Thanks.

boristhebold · 14 March 2020, 11:13

For a geral cleaning product ive found fairey liquid power spray and a soft green abrasive pad works well combined with hot soapy water.

ribber · 14 March 2020, 11:25

Others recommend TFR, but I found it the worst substance to go anywhere near tubes and plastic/vinyl seating. IMO it strips the top layer off the surface. Vinyl becomes brittle and rough.

My old tubes, which were Ribeye 'substitute' PVC where destroyed by it... OK it cleans everything really easily and the dirt falls off....but not for me.

beerbelly · 14 March 2020, 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by ribber

Others recommend TFR, but I found it the worst substance to go anywhere near tubes and plastic/vinyl seating. IMO it strips the top layer off the surface. Vinyl becomes brittle and rough.

My old tubes, which were Ribeye 'substitute' PVC where destroyed by it... OK it cleans everything really easily and the dirt falls off....but not for me.

dries your hands out terrible as well if you are using it wear gloves

ssg · 14 March 2020, 13:18

I tried may products for my RIB when I bought it.
For PVC (Hypertex) tubes the best thing I found was Toolstation UPVC cleaner.
Cheap and very effective.
For stainless steel just use Autosol paste/polish.

_monkey · 14 March 2020, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uh Oh

Weve recently bought our first Rib and it needs a clean. It's not too bad but theres a bit of mildew as it's been under a tarp. Parts of the A frame have small rust coloured flecks. We're naturally eager to have it look nice as it's a new to us boat and the previous owner looked after it.

Can anyone recommend cleaning and care products please? I don't want to use anything that might damage the various bits:

Hull
Heytex tubes
Stainless steel
Outboard

Many thanks in advance

August race products seem to get well recomended. I've used Blue Marine recently, because they are recomended by Orca.

I had mold under the tubes and on the grab handles - this did an excellant job of removing it: Blue Marine - Shmuffex - Tube mould remover

In future, I'll buy the chemicals and make up what I need. e.g. oxalic acid for cleaning stainless and Sodium hypochlorite/Trisodium Phosphate for mildew. Takes a bit of effort to research what's in the retails priduct, but works out a fraction of the cost.

beamishken · 14 March 2020, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by _monkey

August race products seem to get well recomended. I've used Blue Marine recently, because they are recomended by Orca.

I had mold under the tubes and on the grab handles - this did an excellant job of removing it: Blue Marine - Shmuffex - Tube mould remover

In future, I'll buy the chemicals and make up what I need. e.g. oxalic acid for cleaning stainless and Sodium hypochlorite/Trisodium Phosphate for mildew. Takes a bit of effort to research what's in the retails priduct, but works out a fraction of the cost.

This is my approach too find the base ingredient and buy that for a fraction of the cost of a marine branded chemical. MSDS sheets are a good source of base ingredient info but you sometimes have to look on other regions of the world as it seems some countries require more specific information on their msds sheets Australia seems to be a good one to look at in many cases.
Often the proprietary ingredient names panic folk as they are often acids or other caustic sounding chemicals which counjour up images of melted tubes & disintegrated fibreglass. People forget a lot of acids are household products or plant derivatives and not harmfull at all eg citric acid acetic acid oxcalic acid

GuyC · 14 March 2020, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uh Oh

Can anyone recommend cleaning and care products please?

I wouldn't clean it at the moment particularly if you wear any PPE. You might cause panic.

Autosol works well on stainless.

Uh Oh · 15 March 2020, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

This is my approach too find the base ingredient and buy that for a fraction of the cost of a marine branded chemical. MSDS sheets are a good source of base ingredient info but you sometimes have to look on other regions of the world as it seems some countries require more specific information on their msds sheets Australia seems to be a good one to look at in many cases.
Often the proprietary ingredient names panic folk as they are often acids or other caustic sounding chemicals which counjour up images of melted tubes & disintegrated fibreglass. People forget a lot of acids are household products or plant derivatives and not harmfull at all eg citric acid acetic acid oxcalic acid

Ta.

Uh Oh · 15 March 2020, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssg

I tried may products for my RIB when I bought it.
For PVC (Hypertex) tubes the best thing I found was Toolstation UPVC cleaner.
Cheap and very effective.
For stainless steel just use Autosol paste/polish.

Ta.

Uh Oh · 15 March 2020, 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by boristhebold

For a geral cleaning product ive found fairey liquid power spray and a soft green abrasive pad works well combined with hot soapy water.

Boris

A lot of people refer to "hot soapy water" generically. In terms of making water soapy do you mean car shampoo please?

Ferryman · 15 March 2020, 17:55

Autoglym car wash and then wax works great on tubes and hull after you’ve done the major clean. I had a 1992 SR4 and the tubes were as good as new when I sold it last year.

Uh Oh · 15 March 2020, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferryman

Autoglym car wash and then wax works great on tubes and hull after you’ve done the major clean. I had a 1992 SR4 and the tubes were as good as new when I sold it last year.

Thank you.

Ferryman · 15 March 2020, 23:01

By the way, plus 1 for autosol, I asked the question a few weeks ago. I’d forgotten about it - it’s amazing on stainless!

Uh Oh · 15 March 2020, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferryman

By the way, plus 1 for autosol, I asked the question a few weeks ago. I’d forgotten about it - it’s amazing on stainless!

Cheers!

Pikey Dave · 15 March 2020, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uh Oh

Cheers!

Yup, good stuff. Once you’ve got it all nice & shiny with the autosol, give it a once over with a good wax polish.

lakelandterrier · 23 March 2020, 09:22

I don't think you can get Fairy Power Spray any more....haven't see it anywhere for ages

or am I wrong?

Uh Oh · 23 March 2020, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

I don't think you can get Fairy Power Spray any more....haven't see it anywhere for ages

or am I wrong?

In the end I decided to use car shampoo.
I've bought these to look after the various bits.