An Old Trick To Keeping Your Brite Work Clean!

, ,

Varnish cleaner – a 50 /50 mix of Vinegar and water.

One of the wonderful things about having a nice Woody Boat is how beautiful the brite work looks in the glimmering sun. The depth and luster of glowing wood grain makes even the most boring ride, exciting. BUT, in our area in brackish water I need to clean the boat after every use or its full of ugly water spots. So I have tried just about everything to keep her clean. Just plain water, Murphy oil soap watered way down, and the latest and best is a viniger water mixture. 50/50 mix. It’s old school for sure and my boat smells like a salad. BUT, she shines like a new penny, with 20 coats of perfect Katz’s finish and when its time to refresh, all the oils and resedue the oil soaps and treatments is gone. It works perfectly. And if you mix a pre made spray water bottle, you can even touch up while out on the water. It also works great on glass. Just a tip of the day for your weekend fun.. And for those of you that see the obvious joke. I give you this.

 

21 replies
  1. Randy Rrush-Captain Grumpy
    Randy Rrush-Captain Grumpy says:

    Good to know as im looking out the window and its pouring, thinking about going out and detailing my boat in the rain for the boat show tommorow.

  2. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    I also found aout about the 50/50 vinigar and water potion a few years ago and have been using it ever since. It works great. The funny thing is that I was told about this great cleaner by the classic glass guy in our club that has been using it on his fiberglass boats for years. Go figure!

  3. Rick
    Rick says:

    So during a show while the crowd is watching you can clean the boat AND watch their reaction when you top your salad with it. Does it have to be white vinegar or can I upgrade to a nice balsamic?

  4. matt
    matt says:

    maybe when you all are in Clyaton you can use thousand island dressing on your boat. That might work

  5. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    Gee Guy, thanks for taking such deep interest in a deep finish…I just love looking at your boats while riding in mine, dings, dock rash, gull poop and all!

    Different strokes…..,like I prefer “lord and Lady Plushbottom”….without vinegar and just a dash of 5200 if you please….

    John in Va.

  6. rabbit
    rabbit says:

    My boat currently has dock rash and a dirty diaper under the seats. But I’m thinking I might try to clean up my act. Maybe.

  7. Randy
    Randy says:

    … and I suppose the best trick for rubbibg out minor scuffing on these varnished surfaces is to use a large leaf of lettuce?

  8. Tyson K.
    Tyson K. says:

    @Matt, I probably won’t be able to ever eat ranch dressing again………………..just sayin…….

  9. Phillip Jones
    Phillip Jones says:

    Heck with the vinager/ Grumpy you have rain where you’r at, I’d love to have some of that. See there is always a silver linning.

    Hey Matt will you be personnelly bringing my Sons-Of-Varnish T-Shirt to Clayton that I ordered from the Woodyboater website shits store.

    OOPS did I mispell something.:)

  10. Allen
    Allen says:

    Hey a woody boater store sounds great……run by the Woodie Boobie Gals as a fund raiser…..hats , t-shirts “sons of varnish”, burgees etc……

  11. Alex
    Alex says:

    Damn near gave me a heart attack when I saw that spritz bottle! On my tiny iPhone screen, it looked like scotch. “Noooooooooooooo…!”

  12. DENNIS MYKOLS
    DENNIS MYKOLS says:

    I learned about what I call my “VO” bottle, from an old classic car detailer, been using it on both our classic cars and both out boats. Our Sea Ray hull sides where always dull from water spots, until I tried vo. spray on, wipe off. HINT, just dont spray it on and be standin down wind, kinda burns the eyes, believe me, I know…

  13. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    On your linoleum – if it is truly linoleum and not a vinyl product – the basic component of the stuff is linseed oil. So believe it or not, a good grade of clear linseed oil rubbed in will do wonders for the old battleship linoleum. It brings back the color, and softens it a little so it feels almost new.

    • doug p
      doug p says:

      Yep, to linseed oil, as far as chrome, more for protection against water staining, salt water etc….light coating of vaseline…..or wax paper.

  14. Bosun
    Bosun says:

    A 50-50 ratio? Seems rather excessive. A “3” second vinegar pour into your washdown bucket ought to take care of most waterspots when washing down. At this ratio you’ll have no worries about softening up any caulking or causing cloudy spots after repeated washing over time. I’ve always kept the 50-50 or stronger ratios for the really sunbaked salt.

Comments are closed.