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Cleaning Pontoons

ILLINOIS AVE

ILLINOIS AVE

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Hello everyone! Just thought I would throw this out there.Has anyone tried to clean pontoons with a toliet bowl cleaner that has a active ingredient that is Hydrogen chloride at 23.00%? Its a heavy duty bowl cleaner and this ingredient is suppose to be fhe secret.If so does it bring them to a shine or just remove dirt and scale.Shall I be the first to experiment?

Jeff
 
If it's "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner, it'll clean the toons but they will be dull. People use that on another forum I belong to.If you want the "shine", you'll have to work.
 
So elbow grease is best for shine? I just purchased a 2009 is it to late to get shine?Or still workable?

Thanks Jeff
 
The only way to get the mirror shine is with metal polish (and a lot of elbow grease). You can go to sharkhide.com which sells everything you'll need and you'll also need a buffer.Some who've done it will probably chime in.
 
I went online and researched cleaning and polishing aluminum. Went on UTube and saw how they polished aluminum diesel tanks on heavy trucks. I then read all the auto/marine detailing websites.

I settled on a Porter Cable Dual Action Polisher/Sander and a hook and loop wool bonnet to apply polish. I tried Mother's Aluminum Polish, and it was unsatisfactory.

Found White Diamond metal polish at Advance Auto Pars in the back room. After a little practice, I can polish a 2 x 2' section in about 90 seconds. Then I use a 9" orbital polisher with a terry cloth bonnet to remove the remaining black oxide. Right at the end of 90 seconds of polishing, the polish suddenly dries up, and a rouge suddenly polishes the aluminum. And the black oxide flies through the air and mostly disappears. I take a towel or rags and wipe off any remaining black oxide.

This produces a nice finish, but not a mirror finish. I figure that it would be impossible to maintain a mirror finish unless I wanted to be a slave to the boat. The shine is very satisfactory for me.

Note; I previously called the polish Black Diamond. It's actually White Diamond Metal Polish. If Advance doesn't have it in their shelves out front, they may have it in their "professional department" in the back room. Otherwise, they can order it in from their warehouse or you can order it on their website to be delivered to your home.
 
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So age on pontoons (2009) doesn't really matter? I will take your advice and give it a shot when the weather breaks.

Thanks to all

Jeff
 
One more question then I will do my homework.How long before pontoons will need to be done again?
 
So after a little more research,I came up with a product called JJV Best aluminum cleaner.Has anyone tried this cleaner? You spray it on let it sit and power wash it off.There is a demonstration on You Tube check it out.

Jeff
 
According to people who've used it, it doesn't work as well as in the video.
 
Thank you Alex.Sounded like a nice product.Well I guess some good old elbow action is safest and best.

Jeff
 
I may use it again next year, however I will put plastic wrap around anything anodized.

It worked really well but will etch anything not bare aluminum.

If you decide to use it, I suggest testing it out underneath somewhere or on an entirely different boat and see if you like the results before committing to the whole boat.

Happy cleaning!

Alex...
 
Ok Still have time before cleaning season,so I will keep up with the forum to see other ideas on cleaning pontoons.

Thanks Jeff
 
We have a 2275 GCW TRITOON. Can anybody tell me how much Sharkhide I need for my boat ? This stuff is expensive
 
1 quart should be plenty. If you call Sharkhide, you can talk to Clint. He's very helpful.
 
Quick question... is it okay to use a pressure washer ( like what they have at those diy carwashes ) to wash your pontoons? Just curious if a pressure washer could cause any kind of issues around the welds...
 
Use one every spring at pre launch and again in the fall to get them clean again. No issues. Put it at a low setting at first and a just the pressure to the wand as needed

Good luck

Todd
 
Pressure washer is fine Rowland.
 
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