Steam Cleaning

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Boater54

Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
RO Number
23673
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123
Has anyone out there ever steam cleaned their bilge?

I recently changed the risers and manifolds on my Cruisers, and can't handle the rusty mess thats left behind.

Any problems or precautions I should be aware of before or during the cleaning process?
 
If you have engine(s)with electronics steam will give you more problems than a dirty bilge. If the boat is out of the water use a spray detergent and then a pressure washer and let it drain out the transom plug. Otherwise get the spray cleaner & scrub brush and then a roll/box of scott towels.
 
What are we calling a steam cleaner? I used a McCulloch steam cleaner on a bilge. It's like the units you see on TV for cleaning kitchens and such. I bought it after I had a problem with losing a piston and an oil soaked bilge. Nothing worked better than steam. In fact, steam and a little simple green really worked well. Wipe up with paper towels as you go.

A steam cleaner such as this puts out less than a gallon of water in an hours time. Much much less than using a pressure washer, or even a mop.
 
Thanks Ghost,
good idea, I have one of those, never thought of using it on the boat.

walter
 
I used the one advertised on TV The Shark. It did a great job on a built in grill on the bridge.
 
There is the small ones and the ones with a canister and a hose. Get the canister/hose deal so you can get into tight spaces.
 
My thought was you were thinking of using a steam cleaner as if you were steam cleaning a car engine. If you keep the steam concentrated on the bilge surface its another story. A long time ago here they talked about cleaning marine engines and everyone frowned on the process. I use cold water directed on the bilge surface and then a wet vac to dry up after (I don't have a transom plug in my boat). I use a spray bottle degreaser to hand clean the engines.
 
I've never actually seen an engine steam cleaner. Heard about them yes, but seen one no. Thus my original question. I will say that I used the type of unit I described directly on my Volvo's and related parts quite often. When I sold that boat, those engines were clean enough to eat off of. I would clean and then paint touch up anything that was not perfect. Paint sticks a whole lot better when applied to a clean surface. I never had a corrosion problem, in fact just the opposite. I received many comments about the cleanliness of my engine compartment, and if anything was wrong you could spot it immediately.
 
I want to steam clean the bilge because I need to repaint it. After changing the risers & manifolds, I have rust stains everywhere. Being a "CLEAN-FREAK" , the bilge needs to be clean before applying paint. I'm not cleaning the engines, just the bilge area around them. Has anyone done this? Anything i should be aware of?
 
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