Advice for deep cleaning interior?

[TheNomadicAspie]

Recently bought a 40' that we've been living in for the past few days. The previous owner smoked in the cabin and had a pet, so the interior is really dirty.

The walls are yellow and the floor is a rubber type material that's really sticky from the dirt and grime. We've been cleaning it with rags and soapwater but are making slow progress because of the extent of how dirty it is.

Was wondering if anyone had advice on cleaning the interior? We are not sure how careful we need to be about getting the floor wet as we don't want to cause any mold.

It's a Searunner trimaran which is a wooden boat with a fiberglass hull.

[kencruise]

Originally Posted by TheNomadicAspie

Recently bought a 40' that we've been living in for the past few days. The previous owner smoked in the cabin and had a pet, so the interior is really dirty.

The walls are yellow and the floor is a rubber type material that's really sticky from the dirt and grime. We've been cleaning it with rags and soapwater but are making slow progress because of the extent of how dirty it is.

Was wondering if anyone had advice on cleaning the interior? We are not sure how careful we need to be about getting the floor wet as we don't want to cause any mold.

It's a Searunner trimaran which is a wooden boat with a fiberglass hull.

Avoid pouring too much water and cleaner on the material, and only use a mild detergent – harsh chemicals, solvents or acids can erode the rubber flooring, so avoid using such products. When mopping, change your water and soap frequently to ensure you're getting the floors very clean.

[Celestialsailor]

Elbow grease...Ozonator...more elbow grease and more Ozonator.

[TheNomadicAspie]

Thanks for the advice.

Also I looked up ozonator, is it the dehumidifier or is there a cleaning solution called that I'm not finding?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Elbow grease...Ozonator...more elbow grease and more Ozonator.

Not sure what Ozonator is but I have a 60watt UVC light that creates Ozone. You can get them on Amazon. Ozone is nasty stuff that will kill you, and almost anything else including COVID-19, mold, critters, and smells. UVC means it is a double whammy in death to smell and other stuff.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by TheNomadicAspie

Thanks for the advice.



Also I looked up ozonator, is it the dehumidifier or is there a cleaning solution called that I'm not finding?

Neither

It’s an ozone generator. Creates O3 to kill odors.

It, in concert with lots of elbow grease and a dehumidifier can work wonders.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Elbow grease...Ozonator...more elbow grease and more Ozonator.

Ozone (O3) is very aggressive to rubber and all things organic. Be careful.

We acquired our boat from Ft Lauderdale and trucked it to Michigan. It was a black mold paradise. We used a lot of strategically applied bleach. Rubber gloves, bleach tolerant sponges and an all plastic pump bug sprayer. Rinsed it all to the bilge with a hose and pumped out. We were on the hard and everything was stripped out. No reoccurrence for a long time.

We removed and painted all of the crappy stained and faded headliner. Ten years and its still looking good.

I used Sherwin Williams Tile Clad 2-part gloss white epoxy in the cabinet interiors and any place I could see the inside of the hull. It had been battleship gray.

[barnakiel]

Sticky plastics and rubber tend to remain sticky no matter what you do.


I think this is due to ageing.


b.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Sticky plastics and rubber tend to remain sticky no matter what you do.


I think this is due to ageing.


b.

This too..once the plastics start getting sticky they’re done

[Celestialsailor]

Ok...Let me get more specific...Of course you do not hang out with the ozone generator. It will harm you and it states that clearly when you buy one. They come with timers. Most recently I used one for my 34ft. Avion camping trailer after it sat in the Redwoods for 10 years while hosting rats and other vermin. Initially, cleaned up the nests, poop and damage then made a solution of Jomax/bleach/water as per instructions. Then using a garden sprayer with respirator, sprayed it down and came back 15 minutes later for a clean water rinse. Then timed ozone generator for 1 hour. Then Jomax mixture again, this time scrubbing anything that was on surfaces. A clear water rinse again. then fans on for 24 hours. Lastly, another 1 hour ozone treatment.



Trust me...nothing lives through that. we let it sit with doors and windows closed for a week and went back in. It smelled really clean. We then painted and now are installing new appliances.
I should not have to tell people that you need to exercise caution when doing any of this. Please don't think you can go down to your local hardware store and buy a spray solution of "smell away" and you're done.

We also did this to a 1700 sq. ft. 1945 home we restored that had 70 years of smokers in it. The walls were coated that sick yellow. Gallons of Jomax solution and hours of ozone.

[Chotu]

I third or fourth the ozone generator.

Wow do they work!!

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I third or fourth the ozone generator.

Wow do they work!!

Wow have the prices exploded since I got mine. I have a 60w UVC light with an ozone generator; seem to remember it was about fifty bucks a year or two ago. With COVID-19 the supply and demand now seems out of whack. Now price is double for half the power.

But mine works like a charm. As others have mentioned you need to be careful and follow the instructions.

[Phisher]

There is not anything you can do with the rubber. As previous replies stated its an age thing. On salty Dreams we use white vinegar for much of our cleaning. For odor get dryer sheeets and put them all over, in all compartments.

[Marathon1150]

We had a boat neighbour for a couple of years who post-retirement as a small cruise ship captain, bought and refurbished high quality boats that had been allowed to deteriorate by owners. His approach was to rip out everything and then hose down the entire interior with a high concentration bleach solution and let it sit (not sure how long). He then rebuilt the interior and ditto for the exterior. The final product was amazing - they were like new boats.

Also, I agree, once rubberized plastics have gone sticky, I have not found any approach that will restore them to original condition.

[George DuBose]

Dometic makes a small air cleaner that I leave running when I am away from the boat. I am also a smoker, so besides washing the cushion covers and curtains, I clean the inner hull liner, the overhead and cabin sole with Windex or Simple Green.

In the spring, I use Lysol soap and a pressure washer to blast areas I can't reach by hand, ie. behind the built-in water tanks.

I regularly spray Lysol where mildew would like to live. The Lysol spray sets off my propane detectors, but that is a good test for them anyway.

Skylark has no odors from the head, engine or mildew...or smokers.