How to clean nonskid?

Doodles · #1 (**permalink**) 09-30-2008

What's the best way to clean my nonskid? I've picked up a 20+ year old boat which is in bad need of some TLC. I'm compounding and waxing the smooth surfaces but I'm hesitate to do the same with the nonskid. The nonskid is not very heavy, pretty light actually. So far I've just washed and scrubbed, but there are lots of spots that need something more.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 09-30-2008

Get this stuff... works great and helps keep dirt from sticking to the non-skid in the future... has PTEF in it...but the non-skid ends up stickier to the boat shoes than before you cleaned it... no idea how it works.

A pressure washer could also be used, with extreme caution. Another, less agressive solution is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser... These things rock...

k1vsk · #3 (**permalink**) 09-30-2008

A high pressure washer, if used carefully, is usually very effective at removing impeded grime. Just be careful to use a low pressure setting and stay away from any caulked joints or you can easily remove the caulk and create leaks where none previously existed.
The problem with using any cleaner aggressive enough to be effective is that it inherently is strong enough so as to also remove any wax as well from the surrounding areas.
The people who have problems after using a high pressure washer are the ones who are careless where they point it.

Quickstep192 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008

I used to use Star Brite non-skid cleaner and it's good stuff, but I've more recently found Meguiar's non-skid cleaner to be even better. At first, Meguiar's seems to be ridiculously expensive, but you use a lot less of it because it's sprayed, not squirted on. It requires less scrubbing thatn the Star-Brite brand. I've heard great accolades for using Woody Way for protection afterward; I've purchased it, but I haven't tried it yet.

jarcher · #5 (**permalink**) 10-02-2008

I went looking for Star Bright non-skid cleaner and found it, but I also found regular cleaner (as in non-non skid). What's the difference? What will happen if I use regular cleaner on non-skid deck, and/or non-skid cleaner on smooth deck?

I guess what I am asking is, what makes the non-skid cleaner special and what does it do?

Quickstep192 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-02-2008

The non-skid cleaner foams a lot and has some oxalic acid in it. The foam gets the crud out of the nooks and crannies in the non-skid and the oxalic acid bleaches stains.