[poopdeckpappy]

Looking for ideas to attack this issue, I have a old woody that at some point had a nasty diesel leak, the diesel was removed but the smell wasn't.

In the past and in smaller areas I have use a combination of apple cider vinegar and sliced apples. however, my engine room alone is quite large and I'm looking to do everything below the sole.

If you have any ideas, old school or not I would like to hear them

 

[deniseO30]

I've used a powder that I get from my HVAC supplier. Air eventually makes go away but that could be years.

 

[desert rat]

Put her on the hard in a very hot place and use a fan to pump a whole lot of air through.
The solvents i can think of are as bad or worse than the diesel. If all you want is a good cover up, essential herbal oils are effective. They can be opresive and very persistant. Perhaps rub coconut oil all over the exposed wood.

 

[Sailormon6]

I don't know if it's practicable to paint that space, but there's a paint called "Kilz" that is specifically designed to kill bad odors. My friend used it suppress the smell of gasoline fumes that resulted from a spill on her houseboat. It did the job.

 

[JimMcGee]

I had diesel smell in my galley cabinets after a diesel leak (the tank is behind the cabinets).

I took the whole cabinet unit out and washed down the frame and drawers using a bucket filled with dawn and hot water and a stiff bristle brush. Then left everything out to dry in the sun.

I ended up doing it twice to get all the smell out but it did work.

Good luck, I know getting rid of diesel odor can be a bear.

 

[poopdeckpappy]

Perhaps rub coconut oil all over the exposed wood.

Interesting someone suggested vanilla extract as well, but I hoping for something that would absorb/remove the odor

I don't know if it's practicable to paint that space,

This would be really tough to paint but Kilz has been on the list.

Thanks to everyone, I'm going to keep watching this cuz I know someone will have the cure

 

[aloof]

Chlorine destroys diesel, but wood also. Same with lye and such. TSP detergents might be best. As others have said, diesel does evaporate in air.

 

[oysterman23]

Similar problem years ago with wood fishing boat. Bleach is really not going to cut diesel simple ammonia and water or some Dawn detergent with a modest dash of ammonia. Make it up warm and slosh it all over likely areas let it circulate and slosh in the bilges for a day or two then rinse completely and see how it is. Interlux recommends this prior to painting bilge.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[desert rat]

I vote for Oysterman.

 

[RichH]

Detergents mixed with HOT water will eventually 'emulsify' the oil. Dawn is a good one and wont weaken the wood cells nor the cellulose.

FWIW - Hot water soaks on veneer is veneer-no-more.

 

[poopdeckpappy]

Oh crap, why the hell didn't I think of Dawn, it's what they use in a oil spill. If that doesn't remove the odor at least I'll know it's clean without damaging the wood and go with old apple route.

Big thanks

 

[sony2000]

Any dish washing liquid cuts grease because its a detergent. Murphy's Oil is more specific. Its formulated for washing wood floors.

 

[THEFRENCHA]

I used a pool / spa concentrated fragrance to wash everything
Then let some in bilge
Works wonderfully

Odor totally gone

Now use it in head and bilge on a regular base

 

[MarkSF]

When the smell is down to a reasonable level, you might think about painting the areas with something like Bilgekote, which would :

a) Seal in the remaining smell
b) Seal out the diesel in case of any future spill

 

[capta]

When the smell is down to a reasonable level, you might think about painting the areas with something like Bilgekote, which would :

a) Seal in the remaining smell
b) Seal out the diesel in case of any future spill

I might suggest that most paints will not adhere to diesel impregnated wood.
Rich has it right, any good grease cutting detergent and hot water will work in time.

 

[MedSailor]

I've been pretty amazed at the power of Fabreeze. I have a very sensitive nose and a male cat peed on my car's driver seat. I was about to sell the car but after spraying down the seat with a whole bottle of the stuff (the unscented kind) the smell was gone forever.

I've also used this stuff, which is purportedly diesel-eating microbes in a powder form. They eat up the diesel and make the problem go away. If it's in your bilge, I'd give this a try.

MedSailor

 

[captflood]

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS ; I have used flour to absorb the diesel and then vacumed it out then used dry soap powder to brake down the oil and give it a better smell the longer you leave the soap powder in the bildge the better the results then use a good quality bildge paint. if not then re-post. AS ALWAYS GO SAFE

 

[PorFin]

No personal experience yet, but scuttlebutt has it that Calgon's pretty effective as well.

 

[christian.hess]

we used joy all the time...its also best at "cutting" those spills in epa crazy harbors...