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Cleaning Metal Surfaces |
| Metal |
How to Clean |
| Aluminum |
Trying mixing 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar in one quart of hot water. |
| Brass |
Try a paste made of equal parts salt, vinegar and water. Otherwise try Worcestershire Sauce |
| Chrome |
Wipe with cider vinegar to clean, rinse with water. Use Baby Oil to polish. |
| Copper |
Try using a paste of Lemmon Juice, water and salt |
| Stainless Steel |
Clean and polish with a baking soda/water paste or a cleaner with Bon Ami |
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General Cleaning |
| Surface |
How to Clean |
| Dishes |
Use vegetable oil-based soaps/detergents near the ocean. |
| Fiberglass Stain Remover |
Try using a paste of baking soda and water. |
| Floors |
To clean vinyl tile and linoleum, use 1/4 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water (add 1/4 cup washing soda if available.) |
| Glass |
Use 1/4 cup of white vinegar in 1 quart of water. |
| Hands |
Use baby oil or margarine, then clean with soap and water to remove grease, fuel, etc. |
| Mildew Remover |
Make a paste of equal parts of eiterh lemon juice and salt or vinegar and salt and scrub. For more severe problems, scrub mildew spots with a borax/water mix using a nylon scouring pad. |
| Scouring Powders |
Try using baking soda. Otherwise, try non-clorinated cleanser like Bon Ami |
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Tips for Wood Treatment |
| Surface |
How to Clean |
| Teak Cleaner |
Use a biodegradable soap to remove the dirt and saltwater. Try using a mild powder and scrub with bronze wool. |
| Wood Preservative |
Avoid products which contain pentachlorophenol (PCP), cresote, tributyltin oxide or folpet. Water-based presevatives that seal the wood and protect it from water rot and insects are readily available. Look for borax-based wood presevatives. A water-based sealer or polyurethane can help to prevent wood rot. |
| Wood Stains and Finishes |
Use finishes derived from natural sources, such as shelac, tung oil and linseed oil. Use water-based stains. Try new less-toxic wood working compounds. |
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Tips for Painting and Stripping |
| Products |
How to Use |
| Paint and Antifouling Products |
Try epoxiated vinyls, Teflon, Silicon or hard copper paints as alternatives to traditional bottom-sloughing paints. |
| Paint Stripper Alternatives |
Avoid strippers containing methylene chloride and trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), xylene or toluence. |
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