clean lake scum off lower unit?

[josh6780]

What do I use to get it back nice and smooth?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

Have you tried bathroom cleaner and a green scrub pad?

 

[5150abf]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

When you are messing with something painted always try light stuff before you pull out the big guns like scotch pads or sand paper.

Start with something like 409 and a rag and go up from there but something to keep in mind is the more you scratch the surface the more crevices you are making for new lake scum to grab on and the each time it will be harder and harder to get off.

Whatever you do, do it after the boat has been out in the water, it tends to soften it up, I have seen some pretty nasty lake scum and some of it is very hard to get off but being wet should help.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

I was told to do this.

Get say an 8 oz. spray bottle.
Put 2/3rds of the bottle full of simple green, along with 2 spoonfulls of white vinegar, fill the rest of the way with water, spray, let it set for a few minutes, and wash it off with soap and water. My unit is still shiny black.

(I spray it as soon as I pull it out of the water, and rinse it down after I load it up.)

Try it, and post back, am curious how it works for you.

 

[josh6780]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/josh6780/project pontoon/IMG_0019.jpg?t=1238247416


This is what I am about to scrub.

 

[mthieme]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

My power washer seems to do the trick every season.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

Too bad it wasn't pressure washed when it was hauled out. When it is wet and soft, the stuff comes off easy. That stuff when dried is about as bad as concrete when it hardens. If it was mine, I would find a barrel and cut it to fit over the lower portion of the outdrive. Let it soak for maybe even a week, then pressure washing should remove about 90%. Then it will be up to scrub brushes and some cleaner. Good luck, you got work cut out for you. As for the toons, try cleaning them after they have been in the water soaking.

I've learned long ago to clean when the stuff is wet. I paid my share of hard work on doing the same exact thing. No matter what the weather is at the time of my haul out, I go to the extreme in getting that stuff off first. Sometimes I have even pressure washed it off at the ramp as the drive home tends to cause it to dry out making it even harder to remove.

 

[kandil]

Re: clean lake scum off lower unit?

Wow this is hard to clean when dry like this I would put it back in the water for a week or two and then try the pressure washer as soon as you take it out.