I know I have raved on this product before but I'll say it again!

Yesterday afternoon I pulled my boat from the slip after 6 weeks or so in the water to clean the bottom. As you can imagine, most of her hull was stained a deep brown, especially towards the waterline which also resembled a Chia Pet.

A couple years ago, I found a product called "instant rust out" at our local home center, Menards. About $3-4 a bottle. You spray this stuff on and watch the staining and growth disappear. I usually spray and use a soft bristle brush to spread around and then hose off. I cleaned the whole bottom and transom with 2 1/2 bottles.

This stuff is amazing and relatively inexpensive compared to products described as "hull cleaners".

I have heard the Oxalic acid is the key ingredient which is present in most bathroom cleaners. I have tried other bathroom cleaner products but have not had as much success with the staining as Instant Rust Out.

No affiliation here at all. Just passing along my product review.

Roc...the last year our cruiser was in the water all summer we used this product with great success. I had a little scrubbing to do but I really liked having it in a spray bottle. Our bowrider will have a slight brown stain by the end of the summer and I will use this stuff to clean the hull. Again...no affiliation...just like the way the product worked for the cost.

Thanks for the tip guys! The PWC floats in the water all year and I'll be picking up a bottle of this stuff to try.

Thanks, I'll add that to the list.
I use "The Works" from Walmart. It is a toilet bowl cleaner, 15% HCl. I used a different one once from there, it was 10%. Put it in a spray bottle and go to work. It only takes me about 8-10 ounces to clean my boat (21').
There are many off the shelf products to do the job, no doubt.

Thanks for the tip. Even after just one overnight on our boat, it has a brown stain on the waterline.

Thanks, that'll be a stop @ Menard's on the way home. My hull develops a yellow-ish bathtub ring too.

I just buy inexpensive shower cleaner for water spots and general cleaning, but it doesn't get the yellow off. (And yes, "wax-it-continually-types", I know...)

I like that product too Rocnat. I have had two issues with it though. I have broken the spray handle on every bottle I have used. And I am not a real strong guy. Also, I must have bought some really old bottles once, because some of the product "crystalized" in the bottom of the bottle. So anyone who buys this stuff, shake the bottle to make sure it's all liquid.

After being in the water for 5 days my boat now has the usual yellow water line. I don't want to wait and I want to wash my boat while it's on the boat lift.

Any good biodegradable cleaners that would work for the hull out there? I'm guessing any of these product will strip the wax from the hull so I'll have to wax again.

Phatboy:

Here is a biodegradable product that I started using this year.

THIS STUFF IS MAGIC!!! The first time I used it was to remove the water stain build up from the entire last year (got lazy and did not clean it). It had sat all winter and I don't know the last time the boat was waxed (it has been more than 4 years). At any rate, this product took the buildup off with merely the wipe of a towel. Did our 22' deck boat with 1/4 of a bottle.



http://captchrisms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BB8116

It's $7 for a 16oz bottle for $25 for an entire gallon! Great stuff..plus it's biodegradeable!

When my boat is still in the water - been on the lift for 2 years straight now - it gets a little water line.

I just go around it while we are anchored and wipe it off in the water. That usually takes care of it.

I'm going to look for some of that Rust out stuff at Menards.

Thanks D-Rod, I'll get some.

Took your recommendation and went to the hardware store. The Rust Out does work well. No scrubbing, it comes off by itself. Thanks for the tip!

What section in Menards is the rust out stuff in? Think it would work to remove some small growth on the hull? I've got a little bit left on the outdrive/bellows/bottom of the hull from when my boat was slipped last year.

It is the home cleaning product section. Near where you find Comet and CLR and that kind of stuff.

My boat had the Tn. River bathtub ring and last time out I went to a very clean lake, bathtub ring gone. Friction does wonders as long as it's clean water.