All solutions are for cleaning unless noted otherwise.
| Problem | Solution | |
|---|---|---|
| General cleaning | Washing soda*/vinegar (1:1) Lemon juice/borax paste. | |
| Scour | Washing soda* | |
| Clean & polish | Stainless steel | Washing soda*/salt (1:1). Mineral oil. |
| Chrome | Apple cider vinegar. Polish with baby oil. | |
| Copper | Lemon and salt, 10 min. | |
| Aluminum | 2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar in litre hot water | |
| Brass | Worcestershire sauce | |
| Vinegar/salt/water paste, 10 min. | ||
| Fibreglass | Water (use optional phosphate-free detergent). Remove stains with Washing soda* paste. (Silicone polish cannot be removed; wax can cause permanent fogging.) | |
| Fibreglass stains | Washing soda*/salt scrub | |
| Lexan windows | Vinegar/water, soft cloth. Toothpaste. Non-toxic rubbing compound. | |
| Lexan scratches | Aircraft canopy polish available from a flying club. | |
| Stainless Steel | Washing soda/water paste | |
| Vinyl stains | Mix: 1 tsp. ammonia, 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, 2/3 cup water. | |
| Wood (interior) | 3:1 Olive oil/vinegar to polish | |
| Teak (exterior) | Mild soap, scrub with bronze wool pad. (Commercial cleaners damage the wood and seam compounds.) | |
| Sails | Wash in cool or tepid water, rinse in fresh water, dry. Remove stains with cold dishwashing liquid in water, rinse immediately. | |
| Lines | Soak in fresh water and dry. Washing machines clean better but tangle lines, even inside a 'bag'. | |
| Rust | Lemon juice. Oxalic acid/water 1:10 solution. | |
| Mildew, mould | Vinegar/salt paste. Lemon juice/salt paste. Scrub spots with borax/water. | |
| Prevention: Vinegar, borax, or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) | ||
| Bacteria, mould | Borax. Hydrogen peroxide. | |
| Bilge bacteria from icebox/shower | Borax. (Bleach is toxic). | |
| Bilge algae with rotten-egg smell | Copper Sulfate (blue-stone) | |
| Cooler, fridge | Baking soda/water paste. | |
| Fridge odours | Put open box of baking soda inside for 4 weeks. | |
| General odours | On cotton ball: Vanilla extract. Essential oils. | |
| Head | Baking soda scrub | |
| Vinegar soaked overnight | ||
| Drain clog | Plumbers snake. Baking soda + vinegar, then boiling water. | |
| Hand-cleaner | Baby oil. Butter. | |
* You may substitute baking soda for washing soda.