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Old 11-03-2019, 00:48   #1
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Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

I spilled a liter of diesel into my bilge as I was filling uo the other day. I tried to dilute, wash with detergent, soak it up, wipe, dry but the smell is still pretty bad. I have a rats nest of cables and hoses that I cannot move without an invasive procedure that I am not willing to do (cut cables and hoses, cut fiberglss etc). The designers did not consider this area to be cleanable I guess.

Are there any household remedies (with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, tea or anything else) that you would recommend to use in this situation? Reason I ask for household remedies is vecaus etye boat is not in the US and I don’t have access to boat cleaning chemicals.

Thank you!
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Old 11-03-2019, 01:40   #2
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Good morning. At least it is here. I use either Malt vinegar or Vanilla extract. The boat then either smells like a chipper or a cookie bakery! both way better than diesel.
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Old 11-03-2019, 04:29   #3
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Many years ago we had a similar situation when a yard mechanic goofed up the seal on a Racor fuel filter during a filter element change and we ended up with several gallons of fuel in our bilge over night. The yard suctioned out the fuel and used hot water and Dawn dish detergent to wash out the residue but the stench remained. The cure--related to us by an "old salt" in the marina--proved to be a several day soak with a mixture of Lemon Juice concentrate and hot water. Concentrated Lemon juice can be obtained in gallon sized jugs from most food wholesale stores fairly inexpensively (compared with retail grocers)--in our case (USA) "Smart'n Final")--and a good stiff mix (2 parts water to on part Lemon juice) seemed to do the trick although we did have to flush, rise and repeat two or three times. Fortunately, the stuff wasn't in the boat long enough for the smell to get into the cushions and fabrics so we were clear of it within a week (and ended up with a very clean bilge!)

FWIW... Good Luck!
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Old 18-03-2019, 09:29   #4
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Quote:
Originally Posted by svHyLyte View Post
Many years ago we had a similar situation when a yard mechanic goofed up the seal on a Racor fuel filter during a filter element change and we ended up with several gallons of fuel in our bilge over night. The yard suctioned out the fuel and used hot water and Dawn dish detergent to wash out the residue but the stench remained. The cure--related to us by an "old salt" in the marina--proved to be a several day soak with a mixture of Lemon Juice concentrate and hot water. Concentrated Lemon juice can be obtained in gallon sized jugs from most food wholesale stores fairly inexpensively (compared with retail grocers)--in our case (USA) "Smart'n Final")--and a good stiff mix (2 parts water to on part Lemon juice) seemed to do the trick although we did have to flush, rise and repeat two or three times. Fortunately, the stuff wasn't in the boat long enough for the smell to get into the cushions and fabrics so we were clear of it within a week (and ended up with a very clean bilge!)

FWIW... Good Luck!


I will definitely give the lemon juice a try. I need something that will break down the diesel fuel so I can soak it up and get rid of it. The stench is unbearable.
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Old 18-03-2019, 11:57   #5
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Combine hot water, ammonia, washing soda* (sodium carbonate, soda ash, or Na2CO3), and vinegar in a clean empty gallon milk jug. Shake the jug, and then use it to clean the surface where the diesel was spilled. This will clean the area as well as eliminate any odors.

You might also try using Oil Gone Easy Marine S-200*. This contains microorganisms that feed on the fuel, leaving a clean bilge and clear water.
* ☞ http://www.s200oilgone.com.au/
https://www.cen.ie/contents/en-us/d1..._IT_WORKS.html

*Make your own washing soda : Heat your oven to 400 F (or 200 C), sprinkle some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, or NaHCO3) on a shallow pan, and bake it for about half hour, until it changes composition (releases steam & excess carbon dioxide). You should also stir it up occasionally, just so that it bakes more evenly. Baking soda has a silky/powdery feel, and washing soda is more grainy, and not silky. You should wear gloves when cleaning with washing soda because it can cause skin irritation.

Lastly, after taking all necessary measures, let someone else tell you if they smell diesel on your boat. It is easy to get the odor in your head, so that you smell it even after it is gone.
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Old 18-03-2019, 12:06   #6
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Dawn dishwashing liquid is great for cutting grease, diesel, etc.
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Old 18-03-2019, 12:22   #7
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

If it is in your bilge, presumably you can flood the bilge with fresh water.

Diesel floats on top of water. It will rise to the top.

Then you can use "zorb" type diesel absorbing pillows to soak off the diesel and dispose of those. I know, "BligeZorb" is not going to be stocked in remote places, but you can actually make the same thing by taking HAIR CLIPPINGS from any barber shop, stuffing them in mesh bags, and leaving them in the contaminated water. The hair fibers actually will soak up the diesel (or any oil) the same way that other products do.

Yes, it will take a few days. Yes, you may have to repeat it a few times. But no chemicals, just patience. Little cost.

As to having cables or wiring running in the bilge spaces...that's not so good no matter how it is done.
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Old 18-03-2019, 12:49   #8
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Pressure wash with detergent water. A low pressure electric pressure washer ought to work. Spray up under the floorboards either side of the bilge opening etc. Do it soon if any of that wood down there is unpainted as it soaks up diesel and smell.
Just rent one.
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Old 18-03-2019, 12:54   #9
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ct.do?pid=9101

Buy that and you're problems with go away.. I promise. And your boat will smell like an orange grove! It's uses enzymes/bacteria that actually eat the oils and such.
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Old 18-03-2019, 13:06   #10
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

FWIW...following on the heels of the wood comment...newspaper.

Years ago I had a chest freezer full of food die while out of town with the typical aftermath. Amongst the various odor removing methods used I read about and used ordinary newspaper. I can't say that the newspaper was more effective than the soap, lemon juice, vinegar, ammonia, charcoal, soda because I used the newspaper last...but the newspaper took the odor from the intolerable level to the 'have to stick your head down into it' level. Paper works to some degree, though of course remnants left in a bilge can foul pumps.

Of course 1st step with something like diesel is to absorb, absorb, absorb as much as possible before adding any liquids that will further disperse the offending liquid.
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Old 18-03-2019, 13:34   #11
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

After 40 years of working on boats and living aboard, the best product is De-Oil-It. It actually breaks down the oil. Amazing stuff it not cheap; exactly what you're looking for.
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Old 18-03-2019, 15:09   #12
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Re: Household remedies for cleaning diesel from bilge

Any Good citrus based degreaser will remove the diesel, clean the bilge and is biodegradable. They're cheap and available from many hardware stores or supermarkets.

Haven't seen a single household remedy perform anywhere near citrus based degreasers which I first used in the 80s. My dad still uses industrial grade degreasers. They stink, don't clean any better, are not biodegradable and very expensive.

Citrus based degreasers leave a residue that smells great. Others have advised using vanilla or other products. They clean nothing and the bugs and roaches just love those domestic products.

I have just cleaned our engine bilge after our exhaust elbow failed. Wet soot everywhere. The engine room is now spotless and ready for repainting with total boat bilge paint before I fit the new exhaust.

I used simple green degreaser from home depot. I spray it on neat, brush with a cheap toilet brush and hose off. It drains to our main bilge and then is pumped overboard. No oil residue and no contaminants.
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