Bilge Cleaners, Protectants, and Degreasers

Bilge Cleaners, Protectants, and Degreasers Resources and Information

If left untreated, your boat’s bilge will gather scum and buildup that smell unpleasant and clog pumps. Bilge cleaners dissolve and eliminate this harmful buildup. Protectants help prevent these issues before they occur. PartsVu stocks a complete selection of bilge cleaners, protectants, and degreasers from boat cleaning product manufacturers like Star-brite, Orpine, Seachoice, Bio-Kleen, Sudbury Boat Care, CRC, Marpro and others.

Looking for more boating and marine products? Check out our complete selection of Products and Accessories or Cleaning and Care products. Or, browse our broader category of Boat Cleaners, Protectants, and Degreasers.

Bilge Cleaners, Protectants, and Degreasers FAQs

Why should I clean my bilge?

Keeping bilge areas free of debris will lessen the likelihood of a float switch becoming stuck and the pump running until it flattens a battery or burns out. This can be especially problematic for new boats as debris from the initial build process is often trapped inside the hull until the boat goes into use.

With a clean bilge cavity, water is free to travel to the pump and be discharged overboard. Periodically inspect the pump and activate the float switch by hand to assure it is working as intended. If the float switch is internal, washing out this area of your boat will allow the pump to activate and thereby test its readiness. You might also have an override switch on the dashboard that lets you manually turn it on. This is also a perfect opportunity to assure that the overboard discharge hose is free from defects and secured with hose clamps on both ends.

For boats with plastic thru-hull fittings, look for cracking or dry rot on the fitting itself as they can easily break away and leave the bilge discharge hose hanging inside the hull. A working bilge pump is still worthless unless the water has a clear path overboard.

How do I clean my boat bilge?

Chances are that if your boat is more than a few months old, your bilge area is likely home to a few foul odors, mold, and mildew. The good news is that these areas are very easy to clean up with very little effort. Step one is to have a good look and identify any oil or oily residue that might be in the bilge. Use an oil absorbent pad or sock to capture the oil before starting any cleanup work as the discharge of oil or oily water overboard is strictly prohibited. At this point, you may want to find the source of that oil as well, as this is usually indicative of another problem.

Once the bilge is oil-free, begin by adding some freshwater – maybe 1-2″ in total. Introducing large amounts of water will likely cause your automatic bilge pump to activate, so only a small amount of water is required as the rest will be pumped out anyway. Biodegradable bilge cleaning products are perfect for this application. Simply add some cleaner to the standing water and agitate slightly with a hose or brush. This sudsy mix will literally eat that nasty residue from your bilge area without a bunch of elbow grease.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for letting the product sit a few hours and then go run your boat. Moving the boat through the waves as well as on and off of a plane will cause the cleaning product to reach the full length of the bilge and clean up some areas you could not otherwise see. At the end of the day, activate the pump and fully rinse the bilge with plenty of fresh water. Leaving a few hatches open to allow the area to air out will also do wonders.

A few hours into your day and your bilge is clean and dry. This is a perfect time to run all the equipment on the boat and check for any leaks. Boaters with inboard engines are especially susceptible to problems here, but livewells, pumps, and cabin plumbing can all contribute water to the bilge area if not operating properly. By flipping a few switches while at the dock and monitoring the water level in the bilge area, boat owners can quickly identify any sources of additional water inside the boat. This also provides a perfect opportunity to inventory any pumps, lights or switches that are not operating as intended and mark them for future repair. While you are at it, drain and flush your freshwater tank if you can’t remember the last time this was done. The next person to use your shower or sink will thank you!

How does a boat cleaner or boat soap help to protect my boat?

Buildup of salt and dirt interferes with a metal’s ability to resist corrosion. Gelcoat and marine vinyl are porous surfaces, meaning they have the ability to absorb water, dirt, and grime from their surroundings. Unprotected vinyl seats are more likely to develop mold and more likely to fade and crack with frequent sun exposure. Lastly, fiberglass that is uncared for will stain and discolor more easily over time, notwithstanding simply degrade through oxidation and literally chalk away.

These are all reasons why cleaning your boat’s many surfaces is the single most important step in protecting them. It’s important to understand that there are different types of cleaning solutions for different parts of your boat. It’s a dangerous belief that household bleaches and cleaners are OK to use on your boat; they might appear to do the trick at first, but in the long run they could end up causing unwanted deterioration.

To make protecting your boat a lot easier, PartsVu has assembled a list of recommended boat cleaner products from leading brands like StarBrite, 303 Products, 3M, Meguiar’s, and more.

What are some of the most popular bilge cleaners?

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. 

What are some of the best boat cleaners?

Star Brite Instant Hull Cleaner – Remove scumline, rust stains, and grassy marine growth quickly and easily with this cleaner. You don’t even have to do any rubbing, simply wipe on and rinse off the solution to reveal spotless fiberglass.

Star Brite Instant Black Streak Remover – This popular spray-on cleaner instantly removes unattractive streaks caused by water run off. It can also be used to lift dirt and grime on metal and painted surfaces in addition to fiberglass.

Marine Spray Nine – Another convenient spray bottle cleaner, this product is an excellent degreaser. It also eliminates odors, kills germs, prevents mold, removes streaks and stains caused by food or drink. It’s safe to use on almost any hard surface.

Orpine Wash & Wax – This environmentally friendly boat soap and wax comes in a highly concentrated formula so a little bit goes a long way. It’s an excellent product for removing salt and dirt from fiberglass as well as metals, wood, and plastic.

Star Brite Sea Safe Boat Wash – This boat wash is very concentrated and powerful against stains, dirt, salt, grease, and oil. In addition to fiberglass, you can use it on metal, glass, or rubber. 

Orpine Bilge Cleaner – This heavy duty, concentrated cleaner dissolves oil, grease, and fuel from your bilge. With its fresh scent, it also effectively removes mildew odors from bilges.

Star Brite Non-Skid Deck Cleaner – This is a high quality deck cleaning product that is used by the pros. It’s safe to use on textured fiberglass, painted decks, vinyl, teak, and metal. The cleaner leaves a protective coating that repels dirt, stains, and UV damage.