Rust Stains on Foredeck

[Redcoat]

Mary Kay On Off.

[SVNeko]

FSR works

[HopCar]

Any of the acids mentioned will work. My favorite is Hydroflouric Acid which is sold as Whink Rust Remover. You buy it in grocery stores with the laundry products, also in hardware stores and marine supply stores.

[Astral Blue]

Barkeeper's Friend is golden! Add just enough water to turn it into a paste, generously rub it into the rust stain, let it sit for a few hours, and wash it off. I have used it for years and have had nothing but good results.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Any of the acids mentioned will work. My favorite is Hydroflouric Acid which is sold as Whink Rust Remover. You buy it in grocery stores with the laundry products, also in hardware stores and marine supply stores.

You need to be a little careful with hydrofloric. I think that it can eat away at glass.

[Roy M]

Be VERY careful of hydrofluoric acid in forms other than laundry product strength. And watch out for your eyes, in all cases of cleaning solutions. Only one set issued per consumer.

[HopCar]

"You need to be a little careful with hydrofloric. I think that it can eat away at glass."
Yes it can. Don't put it on your windshield. Whink is a pretty weak concentration so it would need to sit on the glass for some time before it etched it. You've got time to rinse it off if you have to.

If you can find it, Erusticator is a stronger form of hydrofluoric acid sold to commercial laundries for removing rust stains from clothing. Both work like magic when it comes to removing rust stains from gel coat and stainless steel.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by bahamarich

Barkeeper's Friend will clean the rust off, but it is hard on galvanized steel so keep it away from your chain and anchor. Rich

Also, it can scratch polished stainless and cause easier future rusting. Be careful using it on stanchions, etc.

You can buy a large box of pure oxalic acid crystals in US hardware stores for less than $5. Put a few tablespoons in a squirt bottle and dissolve with water. Simply spray on the rust stain and watch it disappear before your eyes.

Mark

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Any of the acids mentioned will work. My favorite is Hydroflouric Acid which is sold as Whink Rust Remover. You buy it in grocery stores with the laundry products, also in hardware stores and marine supply stores.

We have used Wink, applied to a paper towel laid over the stain, to good advantage. Note, however, it will etch the gel-coat so one is advised to lay down a very good coating of wax once the stain is removed. Another solution to the problem is to lay down a thin sheet of stainless steel under the path of the chain, held in place with an adhesive sealant. It's effective and if done carefully, not bad looking.

FWIW...

[Snore]

Guys thanks for all the inputs. I think I will go least aggressive first. My fear is removing the rust stain and messing up the hull! The SS would not blend in with the rest of the boat, but the non-skid is sounding interesting...

Cheers!

[Captain Bill]

I have successfully used Krud Kutter rust remover and inhibitor diluted with 2-3 parts water to one part KK. I spray it on with a garden sprayer and let it sit 30 minutes and then rinse. KK is 20% phosphoric acid. I imagine you would get the same results with any brand of phosphoric acid. At first I only applied it to the area I thought was affected. Once it was cleaned it suddenly became obvious that we had tracked the rust all over the boat, but it was so subtle that we didn't realize it until we had a bright white patch to compare it to. I ended up spraying the whole deck. Now I have to wear sun glasses to look at it. I don't think it has been this white in a very long time.

Good luck

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Snore

Guys thanks for all the inputs. I think I will go least aggressive first. My fear is removing the rust stain and messing up the hull! The SS would not blend in with the rest of the boat, but the non-skid is sounding interesting...

Cheers!

Ah... We had a local metal shop cut us a small piece of 20 Ga stainless to fit under the anchor chain on our foredeck. It was easily matched to the shape of the deck.

FWIW...

[Snore]

I've been meaning to follow-up on this.


First Z was right! I dunked a brush into the water, just scrubbing got some of the rust off. Being a coward, I opted out of the chemicals. However, a good cleaning wax and some arm work got 90% of the stains off.