Engine room soot removal

[lipets]

The PO blew an exhaust hose and insurance paid a boatyard $600 to have it cleaned up.

Well it wasn't done too well I'm still finding areas that need cleaning especially around the electrical wiring.

What can I use to clean this up better

 

[Comodave]

I don’t know anout easy, but I use Extreme Simple Green to clean the engine room. I get it from Home Depot online. Have to buy 4 gallons, maybe. But it works very well removing oil and crap. You can dilute it, but if the area is really greasy I just use it straight out of the bottle. I spray it on with a garden sprayer and let it sit and then scrub with a brush. Then rinse.

A neighbor had a carpet cleaning trailer with steam cleaning in it. He did part of the engine room once. It was very clean after. His machine sprayed the steam and then vacuumed it right up so there wasn’t much water left over at all.

 

[lipets]

Simple green didn't do it

 

[Comodave]

Simple green didn't do it

I didn’t say Simple Green. I said Extreme Simple Green. It is made as an aircraft cleaner.

 

[lipets]

Sorry it was Extreme

 

[Cigatoo]

I always start with TSP, warm water, and Dawn dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle or brushed on with a stiff brush. That will do a good job of cutting grease if it sits for a while. Never tried it on soot.

 

[sailormike]

i use simple green greased lighting and purple power to clean our bilge and plenty of hot water

 

[Ken E.]

When I had 2-cycle Detroits I used a degreaser called Zep Purple. It worked and I used a lot of it.

 

[RichardM]

I used the Zep Purple Industrial Degreaser. That stuff works. It removes tough grease, soot, oil and diesel. You spray it on the surface, let it soak for 10-15 minutes and rince with water. Even the diesel smell which is hard to get rid of was gone. I used a pump type insecticide or fertilizer bottle to apply. Can be deluded with water. I used a 50/50 mix

 

[jhall767]

Spray 9 marine cleaner works wonders on diesel soot. You'll need a lot of paper towels because it's soot but spray on and wipe off.

 

[Iggy]

Try this stuff. There are many cheaper placed to buy from, but I wanted a link.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/marykate--spray-away-all-purpose-cleaner--127987

I crew on a ferry and one Capt left the oil cap off. After 6 hours of running, oil was every where. We use this stuff, sprayed it on, let set for 30 seconds and hosed it off. Tougher places we used a paint brush, but it all came off.

 

[Dougcole]

I had this happen on our old boat and it happened to my brother as well, when one of his volvo's blew an exhaust elbow 35 miles offshore.


Not to defend the boatyard that did the work, but it is a very time consuming cleanup, much worse than a typical oil or fuel spill, because the soot gets EVERYWHERE. It would be impossible to get it all with one try. You will likely be cleaning soot to a small degree for the next few years, there are just so many little places for it to get into.


I used all of the advice above and found that they all worked pretty well, but the zep purple power was the best, that and Roll Off, which is similar to Spray 9. Some areas I cleaned and then repainted.


Good luck and I am sorry you are dealing with it. I have exhaust gas alarms on our current boat for just this reason.

 

[SeaMoose]

If you're on a budget or just generally cheap dishwasher soap works extremely well.

 

[koliver]

If you're on a budget or just generally cheap dishwasher soap works extremely well.

Whatever my Dress Whites are made of. All I need to do is put them on, and they get soot marks on them. Even from surfaces that I thought were clean.

If I used them as cleaning rags I wouldn't need any of those expensive cleaners.

 

[Tim]

Soot Remover

You might try a soot and dirt remover sponge they do miracle work on sooty walls. See Amazon listing.

 

[AquilaCat]

Alot of engine detailers use these

https://www.amazon.com/Tub-Towels-H...617452469&sprefix=TUB+O+TOWELS,aps,286&sr=8-5

 

[Knot Salted]

I don’t know anout easy, but I use Extreme Simple Green to clean the engine room. I get it from Home Depot online. Have to buy 4 gallons, maybe. But it works very well removing oil and crap. You can dilute it, but if the area is really greasy I just use it straight out of the bottle. I spray it on with a garden sprayer and let it sit and then scrub with a brush. Then rinse.

A neighbor had a carpet cleaning trailer with steam cleaning in it. He did part of the engine room once. It was very clean after. His machine sprayed the steam and then vacuumed it right up so there wasn’t much water left over at all.

Schaeffer’s Citrol.
Oil based residue of any kind dissolved immediately.

 

[RonR]

When I had 2-cycle Detroits I used a degreaser called Zep Purple. It worked and I used a lot of it.

LOL, I just bought 5 more gallons !

Yes it works!

I have also used arm&hammer laundry soap mixed 1/2 cup with 2 gallons of HOT water.