# Removing brown water stains on a boat hull and inside the livewell



## jphunte (Nov 11, 2020)

I recently purchased a 2001 Mako Inshore skiff, and I have been working to fix the electrical and clean the skiff up. Its in decent shape and the motor runs great, it has just been sitting in a barn for a few years. I have pressure washed the hull twice, but there are some brown water stains on the hull and in the livewells. What causes these, and what cleaning products and techniques I can use to try and remove these stains? I want to get the hull as clean as possible before I wax it. 

Thanks in advance for the help!


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## FisHippie (Jul 31, 2021)

Get some rubber gloves and use toilet bowl cleaner. Lysol gel works the best for bottom of hull.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

Got full pics of the boat?


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## Skeetershick_c4 (12 mo ago)

Definitely get some rubber gloves. I used ez on ez off hull cleaner after having to leave my boat in the water for a few months waiting for my lift to get built. The brown stain will come right out after a few treatments and lots of serious scrubbing. If you zoom in on the pic, look on the starboard side to see how it looked before.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

I recently purchased a 2001 Mako Inshore skiff, and I have been working to fix.......

mako pic?


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## TxSalt (11 mo ago)

Look for products containing oxalic acid. Barkeepers Friend is a low-cost source. Make a slurry and apply. It has an abrasive material in it so don’t over do the scrubbing.


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## Frank Ucci (Jan 20, 2019)

I've had good luck with Rust-Aid from Home Depot. Use gloves and safety glasses in case you splash it. Use a sponge to wipe it on your hull, give it a couple minutes and go back and hit the spots you missed. After that, rinse the hull thoroughly with water, let it dry and apply a good wax. For stubborn stains in your compartments, let it sit for a while. If it starts to run, soak a paper towel with Rust-Aid and let it sit for a few minutes. These rust spots are STAINS and you can scrub till the cows come home trying to get rid of them. It's much simpler to let the chemical do the work.("Better living through chemistry")


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

FSR gel or Fiberglass Stain Remover from West Marine is another good product. Also contains acid. Be sure to rinse the live well thoroughly afterwards, then wash with soap and rinse before adding bait. Congrats on the new ride.


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## Mike Haydon (Dec 19, 2019)

TxSalt said:


> Look for products containing oxalic acid. Barkeepers Friend is a low-cost source. Make a slurry and apply. It has an abrasive material in it so don’t over do the scrubbing.


Like TxSalt said oxalic acid. You can use Behr paint #63 deck cleaner. Can get at any HomeDepot just follow the directions on the back. You can dilute it or use it full strength for tough stains. It will clean them off easily. Hope this helps, Michael


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

Star Brite hull cleaner...it's oxalic acid also....use rubber gloves


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

Don’t get any on your trailer!


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Don’t do the livewell. Bait don’t care about stains. They do care about oxalic acid though.


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## matt_baker_designs (Nov 27, 2012)

FSR. Fiberglass Stain Remover. I use it in my livewell and the hull. Works great. It’s a blue gel, and you can dilute it 50% at least. I usually put it on with a 1/2 nap mini-roller. Though rust stains may need another spot treatment. I usually rinse everything, then apply the diluted FSR, then scrub, then rinse well.


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## TxSalt (11 mo ago)

iMacattack said:


> Don’t do the livewell. Bait don’t care about stains. They do care about oxalic acid though.


Oxalic acid is soluble in water and can be easily rinsed from your baitwell. Always rinse any cleaners (soaps, bleach, stain removers) from all surfaces of your boat.


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

Second the FSR


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## gulfcoaster (Aug 8, 2019)

We used to use ospho cleaner diluted to clean running rust on boats. It might work but with all chemicals be safe.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

All that's needed is Sno Bowl (or something similar) very cheap and available at any grocery store... Like the extra cost marine rust or stain removers it's a blue gel, comes in a squeeze bottle and is an acid based cleaner.... Use rubber gloves and apply it with a sponge, roller, or wetted down cloth - allow to sit for 20-30 minutes then rinse off - Easy Peasy.... The real problems with products like this are the side effects... Don't allow any to drip down onto a galvananized trailer - you won't like what happens... I use plastic sheeting (or an old shower curtain to protect my trailer when using this stuff... Afterwards, of course, the area you treated will need to be waxed properly since it also strips off any wax protection. I also use it on the lower unit of my motor (nice white E-Tec that really shows rust stains if you fish the backcountry day after day...) and it cleans those brown stains right off.... Don't want to patiently wait for the chemicals to do the job? just work the area over gently with a cloth or sponge loaded with that toilet bowl cleaner and it will pull off the stains pretty quickly... 

Hope this helps, and "Aren't boats fun?"


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Amazon.com



After trying everything I could find Mary Kate on-off is the best. Wipe it on and the brown stains disappear after a couple of minutes. Its nasty stuff but really works when nothing else will.


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

FSR $15 at West Marine. Sno Bowl $3.98 at Publix. Capt. LeMay for the win.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Water Bound said:


> Don’t get any on your trailer!


All this stuff works....and like said before: don't get it on the trailer or trim tables, if possible. I usually just wet the trailer down good with the hose before I apply these chemicals. They work very quickly and then rinse the trailer again liberally along with the hull.


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## jphunte (Nov 11, 2020)

Thanks everyone for all the tips! I'll keep y'all posted


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

https://www.amazon.com/Softener-Rem...ocphy=9011521&hvtargid=pla-503013325432&psc=1

removes iron from water softener resin tanks. Also removes Ramon stains from gel coat instantly. Just mix some in water and pour


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## Bmgfish32 (Apr 25, 2020)

Do not use the chemicals all the time. Hydrogen Peroxide will take off any brown water stains in the future, and is a lot easier on the hull.


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## Naturecoastfly (Mar 26, 2019)

The works toilet bowl cleaner. Then wax behind it 

don’t get it on your trailer


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## Capteasterling (Mar 10, 2021)

When possible, try to buff or polish. The acid in the cleaners eat away the gel coat making it porous and prone to even more stubborn staining.


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## Earle Waters (5 mo ago)

SS06 said:


> Star Brite hull cleaner...it's oxalic acid also....use rubber gloves


Just make sure to rinse with baking soda or you might find your live well clean but your bait dead🥱😎🇺🇸


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## Earle Waters (5 mo ago)

Capteasterling said:


> When possible, try to buff or polish. The acid in the cleaners eat away the gel coat making it porous and prone to even more stubborn staining.


Be careful the residue will kill your bait😳😎🇺🇸


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## JT2 (5 mo ago)

Booyah


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## [email protected] (Mar 3, 2015)

Any thoughts on a product to keep the stain away once cleaned ? Have been using Star Brite Premium wax and the stain seems to come back fairly quickly. I do fish a lot in the marshes around Galveston where there seems to be more tannins in the water.


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## beabra (5 mo ago)

this stuff works great and it is non-toxic. wont hurt trailer or metal on boat and environmentally safe. BOOYAH CLEAN® - Award-Winning & Patented Cleaning Products


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

I cringe at all the harsh stuff people suggest for cleaning their boats. Save that stuff for the last resort

Booyah will clean all your tannins and isn't harsh. No need for gloves or having to worry about metals. Just apply and watch the tannins melt right before your eyes. It's pretty satisfying.


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## jonboy (Sep 4, 2020)

Bar Keeper's Friend is oxalic acid with a little grit to it. I've found it doesn't necessarily scratch polished gelcoat, but I'd be careful with it. That being said, it is great for stains and I use it to prep before any heavy compounding. It helps remove some oxidation. It doesn't work well for mildew, but that's a better job for bleach.


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