How To Remove Rust Stains From Fiberglass | FSR Review

 

If we're not fixing leaks or fighting corrosion, we're cleaning rust stains... and we have a lot of them on our deck {oh! the horror}. Mostly from our stainless steel deck fittings and screws! Wait a minute.. doesn't stainless mean no stains i.e. no rust!? Um... no.. {sighs} Alex was quick to enlighten me that unfortunately stainless just means stain-less i.e more resistant to rust, staining and corrosion than regular steel! {oh.. :( so it still stains.. just less.. hmpf}

One day, on one of his many "shopping" trips to Budget Marine, Alex decides to buy this tub of FSR Fiberglass Stain Remover ($85.50 TTD). A non-abrasive light bluish stain absorbing gel, made in USA. According to the manufacturer, it's safe to use on white painted surfaces even gel-coat; great for exhaust and waterline stains, removes oil, rust from stainless steel stanchions and railings as well as road dirt from RV's and boats. Sounds fantastic!

So I put it to the test. The instructions were simple enough. I used a sponge (you can also use a brush or a cloth) to apply the gel on the affected area; left it to work its magic for about 20 minutes (or more) and wiped it off (you can also rinse off with water). No scrubbing required.
 

Before

Several applications for the tough spots

After - What do you think? Probably could do with another round?

I would say it works, those stains from the cleats have been there for quite some time (as we left Raptor on the hard for 16 months). It took several applications, but remove them it did {well most of it}. The less stubborn or more "recent" stains, came off in one or two applications.  

Besides cleaning off the rust stains, we had to re-bed the deck fittings. This meant digging out rotted wood in the deck core (this happens because the fittings weren't bedded properly the first time), filling it with epoxy, re-drilling the holes and re-bedding them with sikaflex, but that's another story..

If you're looking to clean rust stains without much elbow grease and don't mind spending some money, you can get this on eBay (~$15.47 USD), Amazon (~$13.64 USD) or your local chandlery/hardware store.

This was our experience with FSR. Hope this helps. If you know of any other way to remove rust stains from the deck/fiberglass, we'd love to hear it! :)