Bilge Cleaning in 4 Simple Steps

Bilge cleaning – doesn’t sound fun, does it? While we agree, it is not the most fun part of boat ownership, staying on top of this task will reduce bacterial growth, odor, and rust. Additionally, regular cleaning makes the job bearable, rather than the nightmare of a task that has been delayed too long. How do you clean your bilge? There are just four easy steps.

Step 1—Select a Biodegradable Bilge Cleaner

Use a specially designed biodegradable bilge cleaner like:

• Seachoice's Biodegradable Bilge Cleaner
• Starbrite's Sea Safe Bilge Cleaner
• Starbrite's Heavy Duty Bilge Cleaner
• Sudbury's Automatic Bilge Cleaner

Don’t be tempted to use a generic cleaner. These soaps are generally not biodegradable which damages the aquatic ecosystems we love so much if your plug is loose, or if you make a mistake. Biodegradable cleaners will not leave long-term residue in the water or on your boat itself. You can also use your biodegradable bilge cleaner to clean carpets, seating, and other areas of your boat.

Step 2—Apply Bilge Cleaner

Open your boat’s bilge area and liberally add the cleaner. Additionally, you can mix in some water to ensure the cleaner reaches all surfaces. While you are free to dive right in and start scrubbing, we recommend letting the cleaner soak and do its magic for two-four hours.

Step 3—A Little Elbow Grease Is All That Is Required for Bilge Cleaning

After two to four hours of soaking, it is time to do a little scrubbing. However, unless you have really procrastinated this job, it shouldn’t be too bad. Which scrubber should you use? You can really use anything you like, as long as it has a bit of abrasion. We find that Captain's Choice 8.5" Bottom Scrubber Brush can come in handy.

Step 4 – Safety Disposing of Dirty Bilge Water

After scrubbing, rinsing with clean water can help get rid of other dirt or debris. However, we strongly advise that you don’t allow your dirty bilge water to dump into a lake or ocean. It’s common for some oil to be present in the dirty water. Not only is it not right to dump oil into the water, in most areas you could be fined. Instead, park the boat at the top of a hill so any dirty water and bilge cleaner can easily drain out into the street. Or, if this is not a practical option, use a small hand bilge pump to transfer the dirty water into a bucket. The bilge cleaner will have helped to suspend the oil in the water-detergent solution so that it is easier to dispose of safely.