Cleaning Shore Power Cables

[Tcheairs]

My 50amp SP cables are almost completely black from mildew (I guess) or whatever turns them black. I'm berthed in fresh water under cover. Has anyone found anything that could be applied with a sprayer and rinsed off that would work. I'm too old to go the acetone/scotchbrite/elbow grease route.

I was thinking Purple Power (undiluted) and careful use of an electric pressure washer (multiple applications if necessary)..I understand that I need to keep this stuff away from the fiberglass and polished aluminum...any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

[MicHughV]

try soaking the cable ( but not the plug ends) in a bucket of water with 50/50 bleach ratio. Leave overnight. Hose of the next day with fresh water.
That's what I've done, Works like a charm.

[CharmCityBoater]

Acetone, they make covers for the cables. I plan on getting one to protect the actual cable itself in the future.

[wrwakefield]

The product MDR Krazy Clean works well for cleaning vinyl, rubber, etc.

I’m loath to keep a variety of ‘specialty’ cleaners onboard, but I still have most of a gallon that came with this boat and it does work well.

In case it might suit your needs.

Cheers, Bill

[s/v Jedi]

Makes short work of it: https://www.amazon.com/Tilex-Mildew-.../dp/B07BWMFVD5

[Tcheairs]

Don't think I can get 50ft 50amp cables into a bucket. Ever wrestled an Anaconda?
But thanks for the suggestions on cleaning agents. Looks like the Tilex might be the best bet.

[MicHughV]

Tilex is just bleach in a bottle...will also work, but may have to use a scrub brush to help it along.
The trick to fitting an anaconda into a bucket is to do it a section at a time.
I have found that it helps to "soak" the cable for a period of time.
If you have a plastic trash can you could try use it instead of the bucket...
I've used a plastic kitchen trash container....I believe it is a 13 gallon capacity. Fill it with water and washing machine detergent and add a container of bleach, about one gallon. Leave overnight.

[s/v Jedi]

No, Tilex is more like CIF with bleach added. Use a terry cloth with Tilex and wioe the cord clean, then follow up with dripping wet cloth for rinse.

[Putt-Putt]

I'm not a fan of soaking conductors in water, nor acetone or bleach to clean the PVC jacket. The last thing you want is to remove the plasticizers from the PVC.

I use Go-Jo, the hand cleaner (with pumice) which interestingly says to rinse your hands well after use, as it may cause irritation. Also, you don't want it in your eyes.

It cleans your hands and the cord at the same time, leaving a light mineral oil like coating. Works well on fenders as well.

[MicHughV]

You could always just get a new SP cord every year....problem solved.....write it off as boat maintenance

[brazenarticle]

A Magic Eraser, soapy water and a bit of work should clean up the cable. Chemical cleaners and solvents may create more problems - a sticky power cable will pick up more dirt.

[Tcheairs]

What about my intention to try a power washer on the cord? Not a heavy duty one, just a light duty 115v electric 2200psi (after soaking the cable with "something" for a few hours). I wasn't planning to get close enough with the jet to do any damage to the pvc jacket.

Marine Strip was mentioned. Has anyone tried it? Sounds pretty potent. It's no longer marketed under the name Marine Strip, but this is what I found in a search.

https://www.owatrolusa.com/product/marine-strip

[Hobiehobie]

The super yacht crews use toluene to clean yellow cables

[Senojev]

Originally Posted by CharmCityBoater

Acetone, they make covers for the cables. I plan on getting one to protect the actual cable itself in the future.

Been there but the spiders loved the inside.

[David Mathis]

To clean the black from the power cable, you must kill the mold which is usually the black substance. Don't expect to kill it with one wipe. Patience is required. A couple common easy to find liquids are excellent for this. Bleach, as mentioned in other responses, and hydrogen peroxide. Laundry bleaches have about 5%, sometimes more, sodium hypochlorite which should be diluted to about a half cup to a half gallon to have adequate strength to kill mold. A stronger mixture won't make the mold any more dead but it can cause problems if it gets on anything other than your cable. Add a squirt of dish detergent to the mix to help the cleaning. The process may take several minutes. Just sponge it on and keep the surface wet. After about 5-15 minutes the black should fade. Now wipe the power cable with the mixture to clean it. Rinse and you're done. If bleach isn't available but you have hydrogen peroxide (Drugstores have 3% which is what you need. Never use industrial strength H2O2 as it is a strong oxidizer.) Just sponge it on and watch the black mold fade (die) after a few minutes. Then wash the cable normally.