Getting the haze off- what am I missing?

OK, I have been doing the wax-on, wax off with the Crestliner trying to get the dull hazy whitish film off of it and the Merc.
I washed thoroughly with soap and water, then wiped down with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and deionized water and a microfiber towel. The microfiber just seems to smear the water around without actually taking it off. It just isn’t absorbing it!
After 3-4 times working the same spot it made a little bit of improvement. (it’s a black boat which doesn’t help; Told the wife my next one isn’t going to be black, then got a funny look…)

What am I doing wrong? What am I missing?
I know there are stronger chemicals out there to clean this, but I’m really gun shy about using them.
Seems to me there are 2 things going on here;
1 the 50/50 mix isn’t cutting it.
2 the microfiber isn’t working.

I know, I know…. I need to wax it, but I need to get the white crap off first.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Don

Sounds like oxidation that needs to be polished out. Try a light rubbing/polishing compound in a small spot and see if that works.

Get on YouTube and watch some videos on how to properly compound/polish oxidized gel-coat. Then wax it. Keep in mind though, maintaining a gel-coat finish on a boat isn’t quite the same as maintaining a clear-coat finish on your truck. Different products for different applications. Getting a buffer (if you don’t already have one) seems to be in your future along with some better quality microfiber towels. Having a black paint job doesn’t help matters either.

I wash my vehicle weekly along with monthly detailing (by myslef) and let me tell you, not all microfiber is created equally. Washing them in stain-defending hydrophobic detergent can make microfiber do exactly what you’re experiencing as well. Making microfiber hydrophobic defeats the entire purpose of microfiber to begin with (just giving you some tips that I learned while educating myself on vehicle detailing).

I also use a vinegar mix to remove very hard water spots left by my apartments sprinklers. 50/50. Sometimes more vinegar. Seems to work pretty good. For drying, a leaf blower actually works rather well in lue of a drying towel and many people use that technique.

Whether it’s oxidization, really bad micro-marring, or water stains, compounding/polishing then waxing really should get you back to a showroom finish. Just learn how to do it correctly and you’ll ave a great looking boat again.

My advice….don’t be gun-shy about a stronger chemical.

Pick up a bottle of “The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner”

Wearing gloves, apply to a sponge and wet an area down. Keep the area wet for about a minute and rinse with fresh water.

It doesn’t harm paint, decals, or gelcoat.

$2 worth of chemicals can save you hours of work and risking burns from a rotary buffer.

If you still don’t like that idea, try straight vinegar first, but The Works is really the ticket! Just avoid letting it sit too long on bare metal (like an unpainted hull, or galvanized trailer)

Softscrub

I forgot to mention, my boat’s only 2 years old; oxidation already? I suppose it’s possible. But my engine has the same look as the hull.
Toilet bowl cleaner?! Yikes!
I did a bit more research, it looks like it’s hard water spots. I’ll go with the straight vinegar for now, yes I know it’s an acid…

Thanks for the input guys!
Don

Ryan Wilson wrote:

Washing them in stain-defending hydrophobic detergent can make microfiber do exactly what you’re experiencing as well. Making microfiber hydrophobic defeats the entire purpose of microfiber to begin with

Ryan, can you explain this a bit more?
Thanks,
Don

Try Bass Boat Saver. I had the same thing from letting my boat sit in the water at Devil’s lake for a week and it took the white film off easily. Got it at skeeter boat center in Chippewa Falls.

If your 50/50 vinegar water mix isn’t working try a little more household chemistry.

Add a couple drops of Dawn dish detergent as a surfacant. This breaks down the surface tension of the water to make it wetter.

Add about 10% denatured alcohol. This helps the liquid evaporate with out leaving spots.

Wash your micro-fiber towel in Dawn and bleach, rinse it thoroughly and line dry before using it. This removes most household chemistry that is left in the towel from manufacturing and machine washing.

Good luck.

Autogeek.net; search for microfiber and microfiber cleaner.

B-man wrote:

My advice….don’t be gun-shy about a stronger chemical.
Pick up a bottle of “The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner”

X2

<Previous Boat Cleaning Thread

This was my post:

I’ve mentioned it before but if you want professional results with no scrubbing and not as strong as straight acid… try “The Works” toilet bowl cleaner. It’s absolute magic! I wash my boat with it every spring.

It will clean fiberglass or aluminum boats without issue. I use it on my trailer and exterior only… discolored hulls, waterlines, calcium build up and so on. I try to wear gloves and I should, but I don’t. This stuff will take years of neglect and make the boat new again. I just cleaned a pontoon that spent it’s life on the Mississippi sitting in the water for 15 summers. The motor had a severe water line and there was calcium build up that was pretty impressive. It took me less than 10 min to make it sparkle like NEW.

After using the cleaner just spray with water to neutralize the cleaner. I recommend being outside and on the grass or driveway to prevent fumes and possibly discoloring your cement? Also spray the rags, then throw them in a plastic bag. The stuff has a vapor and it will continue to “clean” as it evaporates from the rag.

Every friend that has tried this has said “why didn’t you tell me this years ago”!