Recent 228 and pressure washer OK?

luckydude

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I've already got some stubborn stains that I'm pretty sure a pressure washer will clean off. Up until now, I've used a nozzle on a hose and a brush and that is getting old.

Are there any issues with using a pressure washer on a 228? I'm Mr Idiot, but not so much that I'd use the solid stream, that will take paint off. I'm thinking the 25 degree fan of water, can I use that everywhere or are there some places that it would strip stuff off or damage something?
 
I've already got some stubborn stains that I'm pretty sure a pressure washer will clean off. Up until now, I've used a nozzle on a hose and a brush and that is getting old.

Are there any issues with using a pressure washer on a 228? I'm Mr Idiot, but not so much that I'd use the solid stream, that will take paint off. I'm thinking the 25 degree fan of water, can I use that everywhere or are there some places that it would strip stuff off or damage something?

I used a pressure washer on mine, especially the deck had some stains it cleared them right off with no damage to the glass.
 
It may just be me, but I have always been hesitant to use a power washer on the boat. Lots of folks do it successfully though.
 
You will be fine on the gelcoat. Just take your cushions off. You can destroy them in a hurry.

If you have bolsters be careful around them too.
 
interesting to know type of stain? have a picture?
Mine was stains from the previous owner (looked like blood that never got cleaned??)so I'm not sure but I tried a good industrial fiberglass cleaner with a heavy brush and it wouldn't touch them. So I put the power washer right on them and they were gone.
 
You'll be fine with a 25 deg tip on a pressure washer.

Personally I'm a big fan of bleach on boats. It is amazing what a bleach + dish soap solution will clean. That said, any sort of caustic cleaner will "damage" the fiberglass over time and most dedicated boat soap / deck cleaner products are pretty good. But I've doused 20 years of boats with bleach and haven't regretted it yet. (but similar to the above cautions, bleach is mostly safe for vinyl but very bad for the stitching on your cushions)

Of course, YMMV.
 
Barkeepers Friend with OXY works quite well.
The question about the pressure washer is not straight forward. The rated pressure of the power washer, especially a gas unit, and the nozzle used are important. A washer rated neat 3000 psi with the narrow nozzle can actually remove gel coat and fiberglass as well as the skin on your hands or feet. ( There is rarely if ever a reason to use the red nozzle!)
For me, I prefer to use an appropriate cleanser/solvent for specific stains. For example, tree sap may require a petroleum based cleaner whereas hull staining near the water line would need an oxalic acid type of cleaner.
My standard inventory has On and Off hull cleaner, Acetone, boat soap, a barnacle remover ( here is where a spatula and a power washer really help), a mold cleaner and a black streak remover.
I also use a very mild polishing compound (Presta Finesses I think its called) to remove hull streaks and smudges caused by rubbing fenders and dock edges.
 
X2 on barkeepers friend that’s good stuff.and available at Home Depot
 
Not sure what surface, but I use starbrite non skid deck cleaner on all stains that soap by itself won’t take out.

I have been impressed with how nice it works with no real efforr
 
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Here are some products that I use.
Woody Wax for decks and metals. Expensive but worth it. Flitz is also very good for metal.

303 Protectant. Good for vinyl and clear vinyl. I use it every fall before the storage of my cushions.
Starbrite water repellent. I used to use 303 Fabric but it is expensive if you want to treat large areas like Biminis, helm covers and the like, the Starbrite is a better deal. If I had new canvas, I probably would go back to 303 for several seasons.
Gary's wax. I have been using this for a decade or more. Maybe there are better waxes but it works for me so I stick with it.
Presta Finesse cream. A very light polish/compound. Good for rub marks.

Water line stains. Mary Kate On&Off. If I have options, I will but the less expensive options as long as they have oxalic acid in them. Note that hull cleaners are not friendly to galvanized trailers.

Black streaks. I haven't found a products that works really well for me. I usually end up just using a cleaner wax for light streaks or a mild polish for tougher ones.

Barnacles. After power washing and some scraping, the remaining pieces can be tough to remove. Muritic acid works very well but is also a dangerous material and probably banned at many marinas. The fumes can do serious damage. I probably shouldn't even have mentioned it. After reading up on barnacles, I am going to try a lime remover like CLR to see if it works.

Barkeepers Friend, the milder stuff ( says it's good for non stick pans)
With respect to diamond non skid decks, I have stated in the past and still believe that for some unknown reason, scrubbing with a cleanser and a rag works much better than the cleanser and a brush, soft or stiff. The trick with the rag is to scrub in one direction of the grooves and then scrub along the other direction of the grooves. For abrasive types of non skid, forget the rag, just brush.
I welcome others feedback
 
Huh, pressure washer did not take most of the stains off. I'm fishing tomorrow but I'll get pics after I wash the decks when we get home. I think it might be tree sap or something like that.
 
Here are some products that I use.
Woody Wax for decks and metals. Expensive but worth it. Flitz is also very good for metal.

303 Protectant. Good for vinyl and clear vinyl. I use it every fall before the storage of my cushions.
Starbrite water repellent. I used to use 303 Fabric but it is expensive if you want to treat large areas like Biminis, helm covers and the like, the Starbrite is a better deal. If I had new canvas, I probably would go back to 303 for several seasons.
Gary's wax. I have been using this for a decade or more. Maybe there are better waxes but it works for me so I stick with it.
Presta Finesse cream. A very light polish/compound. Good for rub marks.

Water line stains. Mary Kate On&Off. If I have options, I will but the less expensive options as long as they have oxalic acid in them. Note that hull cleaners are not friendly to galvanized trailers.

Black streaks. I haven't found a products that works really well for me. I usually end up just using a cleaner wax for light streaks or a mild polish for tougher ones.

Barnacles. After power washing and some scraping, the remaining pieces can be tough to remove. Muritic acid works very well but is also a dangerous material and probably banned at many marinas. The fumes can do serious damage. I probably shouldn't even have mentioned it. After reading up on barnacles, I am going to try a lime remover like CLR to see if it works.

Barkeepers Friend, the milder stuff ( says it's good for non stick pans)
With respect to diamond non skid decks, I have stated in the past and still believe that for some unknown reason, scrubbing with a cleanser and a rag works much better than the cleanser and a brush, soft or stiff. The trick with the rag is to scrub in one direction of the grooves and then scrub along the other direction of the grooves. For abrasive types of non skid, forget the rag, just brush.
I welcome others feedback
The product that I have found works well for the waterline stains Is rust aid from Home Depot. It is much cheaper than on off and works just as well.
For the black streaks, I use oil eater (usually a 50/50 mix with water. It cleans the black steaks and the oily finger marks up great off your fiberglass after working on the engine. Also works well for degreasing your engine and cleaning your tires.
 

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I am going to try the rust aid. I looked up the data sheet and it's active ingredient is oxalic acid with a dash of hydroflouric acid
 
For waterline stains, the cheapest oxalic acid you can get is "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner at the dollar store. Just make sure you continually are rinsing everything with the hose while you use it, especially the trailer.