DECKHAND DETAILING
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Our Book
    • How To Hire A Detailer
    • 10 Reasons to Hire Us
  • Services
    • Buffing and Polishing FAQ
  • Store
    • Detailing Products
    • Detailing Tools
    • Gift Cards
    • Marine Application
  • Photos
  • Estimate Request
  • Detailing Articles
  • Testimonials
  • Courses

How to Remove Exhaust Stains on The Transom and Stern?

5/20/2015

2 Comments

 
Q: How can I remove exhaust stains on the transom and stern area? They don't come off with boat soap or spray cleaners very well.

A: Exhaust stains can turn a white transom gray and make an otherwise clean boat look dirty. Exhaust stains won’t harm your gel coat, but for cosmetic purposes, it’s something you probably want to keep on top of. However, as many of you know, they don’t always come off in the wash. Some spray cleaners are strong enough to remove exhaust stains, however if they’re strong enough for that job, then they’re probably also strong enough to eventually strip that area of wax, only making it harder to clean the exhaust stains off over time. The only way to remove them at that point is to buff and wax that area. Yes, it’s a vicious circle that you’re on, so how about skipping a step and going straight to the wax.
​
The best way to remove exhaust stains from gel coat is to wax them off. This is something that can easily be done by hand with cleaner wax, such as Meguiars Cleaner Wax. Use any kind of rag to apply the wax with (terry cloth or an old t-shirt) and wipe or rub it in until the exhaust stains are gone. Then use a microfiber rag to wipe the hazy wax dust off. You’ll be left with a nice clean, white surface again and it should be a little easier to wipe exhaust stains off the next time since they’ll be sitting on top of a freshly waxed surface.
2 Comments
Dave Geer link
2/28/2018 02:24:16 pm

Got your book and love it. Noticed this older post - I was just yesterday afternoon looking at the exhaust stains on the transom... Once I get the exhaust stains off is there a product that will look good but will not allow the exhaust to adhere to the transom other than wax?

Thanks,

dg

Reply
Natalie - Deckhand Detailing
2/28/2018 05:01:22 pm

Hi Dave. Good question. There are a couple of newer products you could use in place of wax that do a better job at "repelling" future exhaust stains. Both products use nano-technology in that they bond with the paint or gel coat preventing anything from actually touching or soaking in to where it's applied. If an exhaust stain does form, it can be easily wiped off. The first product is called Restructure Marine. It's applied like wax (just wipe on and wipe off) and lasts a lot longer than wax. It's the most affordable option and we sell it directly on our site.

Another option is a ceramic coating like Ceramic Pro. It's more expensive, but lasts up to three years. It must be sprayed on or wiped on and needs time to cure, so the conditions must be right, but it works amazingly well.

We're moving away from using wax anymore and we're starting to use polymer-based polishes, nano-tech polishes or ceramic coatings. They last so much longer and actually protect much better than wax. Something to look into. Hope that helps. :)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Topics

    All
    Boat Washing
    Buffing & Waxing
    Carpets & Fabrics
    Exterior Cleaning
    Gear & Supplies
    General Boating
    Interior Cleaning
    Metal Cleaning
    Plastic Rubber Vinyl
    Product Reviews

The best way to contact us is through our estimate request form if you're a new customer or via email if you're a current customer.

​[email protected]
425-406-4084
Deckhand Detailing, established in 1990, offers affordable and high quality boat cleaning and detailing services including boat washing, boat buffing and waxing, interior and exterior cleaning and more. We're experienced, friendly and easy to work with because we love what we do! 

Deckhand Detailing Logo
Pay Invoice
Our Guarantee
​
Our Privacy Policy​
Job Opportunities
​Boat Detail Training
Group Detail Training
Detailers Club
Detailing Articles
Product Return Policy
boat Detailing Payment Method
Copyrighted material. 2002 - 2024, Deckhand Detailing. All content on this site, which includes photos, videos, written content and our logo, is copyrighted material ​and may not be copied in any way or for any use without permission. The Deckhand Detailing name and logo are registered trademarks.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Our Book
    • How To Hire A Detailer
    • 10 Reasons to Hire Us
  • Services
    • Buffing and Polishing FAQ
  • Store
    • Detailing Products
    • Detailing Tools
    • Gift Cards
    • Marine Application
  • Photos
  • Estimate Request
  • Detailing Articles
  • Testimonials
  • Courses