450: Remove wax from non-skid deck

[Millerslocal]

Does anyone have some suggestions as to how to remove surf wax from the non-skid fiberglass deck?

We are surfers and despite trying our best to keep the surf wax off the boat it gets on board on our feet and booties, and makes really unsightly marks all over the back deck when we come back from a surf.

It is proving really hard to remove. Normal washing & scrubbing (even a high pressure washer) doesn't budge it, and short of sitting there with a toothpick and scratching it out of the gaps I don't know what else to try.

Is it safe to pour hot water from the kettle on the fibreglass? As this would at least melt the wax and let us wash it off.

[atoll]

acetone works for cleaning off mold release wax,you might give it a try.
don't smoke or use power tools with it as highly inflammable.
evaporates very quickly.

white spirit might work as well,but not as effective as acetone.

boiling water might be quite dangerous to work with,and not stay hot enough once it hits the deck

[atoll]

apparently orange,citrus based hand cleaner works as well,you might try with this first, then with acetone for any residue

[Millerslocal]

Thanks Atoll - will give it a try! Further googling has revealed that paraffin might work similarly to acetone, whilst being slightly less harsh on the deck.

[ebsail]

Order a qt of MEK from Home Depot. About $10 It does the job of acetone but evaporates slower. Removes all wax. Use paper towels and discard with the wax very often to avoid putting the wax back on the surface. Or use a rag that you are constantly re folding to a clean area. Just did my 25' sailboat's entire hull on less than a quart. Easy to do. Allowed me to compound after, for a mirror shine on a 34 year old boat.

[ebsail]

I forgot to tell you that you need to use chemical proof gloves, as this stuff can be absorbed through your skin. $5 from Home Depot.

[GreatLakesCapt]

This works well for all marine-grade wax/polish removal...

https://boatbrite.com/collections/bo...e-wax-stripper

[Cadence]

I'd guess, I doubt what you have is petroleum based, probably paraffin. Your idea of hot, not boiling, water is probably spot on. Try it with some soap in the water.

[woc]

Cover the spot or area with an old towel and press a hot iron on top or blow on it with a hairdryer. As the wax melts it gets soaked up by the towel. Good luck

[Go Wildcats]

Parafin wax removal requires HOT water (just about boiling) to be removed. We ship Class7/8 trucks across oceans and spray paraffin all over them to prevent saltwater corrosion (BTW, works like a champ). Once at the destination, it's removed with high pressure, HOT water mixed with soap.

Originally Posted by Cadence

I'd guess, I doubt what you have is petroleum based, probably paraffin. Your idea of hot, not boiling, water is probably spot on. Try it with some soap in the water.

[Darksyde]

I have the same problem
And I think it´s not wax

It´s silikon taps from the factory

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Darksyde

I have the same problem
And I think it´s not wax

It´s silikon taps from the factory

i always thought DR.SEX WAX for surfboards was genuine organic bee's wax.

[Millerslocal]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions - going to try them out this week! Holding thumbs at least one of them works (and doesn't remove my fibreglass whilst removing the wax!)

Surf wax is about 60-70% paraffin wax, and then some oils, petroleum jelly and beeswax mixed in for the rest.