Bilge cleanliness remedies?

[duggybuggy]

What do people do to keep their bilge sweet and clean? I just sponged mine clean and sprayed a bit of bleach around the job. But I wondered about other remedies there may be like dropping a water purification tablet into it. It is always a worry that I might try something and then someone knows better and says something like, 'That is the worst thing you could have done'.

[Sailmonkey]

I clean it out about once a year....but it stays dry, some tablets would just sit there and look dumb.

[a64pilot]

I flush mine out and use a little pine sol, mostly because I like the smell

[duggybuggy]

A64pilot. That is a good idea. I,d not been thinking in terms of adding a smell, but now you mention it I can see it is something I will do. Thanks.

[zeehag]

as i have allergic reactions to pine sol i use m exican flower scented soap. in usa they have bilge soap. that stuff works.
if your shower empties into bilge, vinegar into bilges works fine-- prevents the stink of body cell breakdown. i pour vinegar into my shower sump episodically. no steeenk.

[SV Windrush II]

I use Persue disinfectant cleaner from Amway, kills all the backteria and smells good.
I've tried all the bilge cleaners and for the price they want it's a joke. Especially the ones that claim it cleans while the boat rocks back and forth.

The vinegar sounds like a good idea

[rwidman]

Bleach does nothing at all for oil or grease.

I use Dawn dishwashing detergent, water and a brush. I pump it out and then rinse with fresh water, pump that out and leave the hatch open for it to dry.

Oil stains I can reach directly, I use a spray cleaner like spray nine or fantastic.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I use Dawn dishwashing detergent, water and a brush. I pump it out and then rinse with fresh water, pump that out and leave the hatch open for it to dry.

Use machine dishwashing powder or one or two of the "pills" , just toss them into the bilge and leave them, it really will clean the bilge from just regular motion of the boat.
Now before any one gets upset with me, I am not advocating emulsifying grease and oil and pumping it overboard, just keeping your bilges clean from the scum that will build up over time.
You use dishwasher machine soap because it will not suds up, but will clean.

Don't let your shower empty into the bilge, that is a bad idea, even if your the cleanest person on earth your bilge will get covered in soap scum

[wrwakefield]

We have great success using TUF-ENUF BILGE Natural Bilge Cleaner bacterial bilge cleaner [Eats oil, fuel, etc. Deodorizes. Pricing varies. ]

We maintain a page of cleaners, deodorizers, etc. that we have found to work well mainly for our own use so we can click and order.

Cheers! Bill