Engine room bilge cleaning

[Peter3607]

Does anyone know a reliable Canadian company that can come and clean the engine room bilge (boat located on Western Lake Ontario)? I attempted to clean it myself but found it too difficult to crawl around let alone reach those tight areas that only a mini-me could reach. Hoping to clean up the mess the previous owner left behind.

[km1125]

Don't know about that area, so I can't give any suggestions there.

However, if/when you do get it cleaned by someone else, make sure you spend some time after they're finished looking around the compartment for anything that might have been broken or dislodged when they were in there. I had someone clean mine (also a 3607) many years ago and found several things that ended up broke (like the bilge pump float switch!).

Certainly does make it nicer to work in there after it's clean though!!

[Tireless]

I have a hard time getting down there to clean the bilge as well ay 6'4" 265 Lbs.

What has been successful for me, I spray the bilge with a natural spray and let it sit. Then scrub where I can with a brush. I then bring the power washer in and you would be surprised how clean it will get.

Just need to be careful you don't break anything, but so far I have not had an issue. The bilge pumps will remove most water to a certain point, then I get in there with a shop vac with an extension on the end to remove the rest of the water and guck. Leave the floor open till the bilge dries out, doesn't take long.

Works great for me over the years and the bilge is very clean. Just need to stay on top of it. I also put absorbent towels under the engines to catch drippings etc. to help stay ahead of it.

Greg

[Peter3607]

Source of the post I have a hard time getting down there to clean the bilge as well ay 6'4" 265 Lbs.

What has been successful for me, I spray the bilge with a natural spray and let it sit. Then scrub where I can with a brush. I then bring the power washer in and you would be surprised how clean it will get.

Just need to be careful you don't break anything, but so far I have not had an issue. The bilge pumps will remove most water to a certain point, then I get in there with a shop vac with an extension on the end to remove the rest of the water and guck. Leave the floor open till the bilge dries out, doesn't take long.

Works great for me over the years and the bilge is very clean. Just need to stay on top of it. I also put absorbent towels under the engines to catch drippings etc. to help stay ahead of it.

Greg

My only concern to this would be pumping oily bilge water directly into the lake. Major fines if caught. I would have to disconnect the bilge pumps and use the shop vac to suck out all the water and dispose properly. Still a tight engine compartment to move around though.

[Tireless]

Source of the post My only concern to this would be pumping oily bilge water directly into the lake. Major fines if caught. I would have to disconnect the bilge pumps and use the shop vac to suck out all the water and dispose properly. Still a tight engine compartment to move around though.

I can see where you are coming from, for sure. Oil is an issue, if thats what is in your bilge then probably using a shop vac is the way to go. Thats why I use the matts under the engine to grab the oil and drippings.

Under the circumstances maybe hiring someone is the best thing to do, for sure. I am not aware of anyone that does this in Ontario, but I am sure they are out there.

Greg

[Midnightsun]

I always clean mine on the hard after haul out for the season. With the plug removed for drainage I spray a bunch of Mean Green or whatever degreaser I have on hand, brush a little if required and spray it down with a hose. I normally keep the hose in there for quite some time to let it rinse out real good. The marina never says anything or requires us to recoup the water which runs into the gravel which is common practice by all. Not that there are any large quantities of oil in there only maybe a hue on the water. I assume in the coming years they may change this as I am sure there are some that dump rather nasty bilge water into the ground.

[tomschauer]

I do the same as Hans. Also during the season I flush/rinse my bilge areas at least twice. No oil to discharge, just dust, dirt and some pink stuff that i may have splashed when winterizing.

[bud37]

Source of the post My only concern to this would be pumping oily bilge water directly into the lake. Major fines if caught. I would have to disconnect the bilge pumps and use the shop vac to suck out all the water and dispose properly. Still a tight engine compartment to move around though.

Good point nowadays....you put a sheen on the water, that can be grounds for a fine or clean up order. There is an outfit that cleans boats in Ontario, I think they do fire clean ups etc as well....can't remember the name right now, I will post the name if I remember it....maybe someone else can post if they know.

In any case, clean with hot water and the full strength green stuff...towels and broom handles to push the towels around then vac up. I agree about having people climbing around stepping on who knows what....something to avoid there. You don't need tremendous amounts of water, not nearly enough to trigger the bilge pumps if you start with a dry bilge and do bits at a time.

[Viper]

Nobody's going to do as good a job as you, not for a reasonable price anyway IMO. I've been on boats right after they've been professionally cleaned and I wouldn't be happy with the results of most. They make their money by doing as many as possible which means speed is of the essence, that means shortcuts. I guess time is money so if you physically can't do it yourself or don't have the time....

The first project on every boat I've bought was to scrub the bilge. Some were worse than others but all had oil, dried out grease, and caked up whatever. My method for cleaning up such caked up messes and get a sparkling result is to go to the dollar store, buy some scrubbing pads, dish washing gloves, and a few different sizes of brushes with different length handles to reach hard to get areas. The product I use to clean with is just a hand cleaner with pumice like orange scented Gojo. The pumice does an amazing job of cutting through thick grime, grease, etc. Scrub with the brushes/pads and rinse the area, vacuum up then move on to the next section. The boat will smell like oranges for a week! If the bilge isn't too bad, a good product in a spray will do.

After this first time scrub, if you keep on top of it every year or two, it'll be easy to keep clean. Put oil absorbing pads under the engines and transmissions and replace annually after oil changes.

While in the bilge, it offers the best opportunity to inspect and familiarize yourself with your hardware and systems. While you're looking, keep an eye out for mold, you don't want to expose yourself or your family to this stuff. It's not COVID but it's not very friendly either and can result in serious health issues. If you see any, usually black, it's something you need to get rid of but need to take precautions and wear proper protective equipment if doing it yourself.

After cleaning, bilge fluids containing ANY petroleum products need to be disposed of properly. This shouldn't be taken lightly if we're to consider the legacy we're leaving for future generations. Some marinas will have a way to dispose of contaminated liquids. For oil contaminated water, really all it takes is dumping the water into a large clear or semi-clear container and letting it sit for a few days. After the oils separate and float to the top, a valve at the bottom of the tank can be used to drain off the water. The oil can then be dumped into the used oil drums most marinas will have for recycling collection. Most marinas have this type or similar setup, if they don't, recommend it, it's easy to put one together.