Q: How is this different from regular muriatic?

A: For one thing, it won’t burn your skin like generic muriatic or the other boat hull cleaners out there that have muriatic in them. Just make sure you don’t have any open cuts or anything. Also, it doesn’t have the awful odor or fumes that muriatic does. Overall, it’s easier to work with and works as good or better than the other stuff out there.

Q: My boat is painted. Is Boat Magic OK on painted surfaces?

A: Muriatic isn’t a solvent, so the standard paint used as a finish on steel and fiberglass hulls should be ok. Bottom paint is a different story. Some bottom paints are designed to slowly wear off, which keeps barnacles and other things from sticking (it’s like how the layers of a bar of soap peel away over time). Muriatic can wash this kind of paint off. Hard bottom or non-ablative paint probably won’t come off with BOAT Magic, but it could leach the anti-fouling agents from the paint. Long story short, use it before you apply bottom paint.

Question...

Q: I saw something online that said muriatic acid will ruin galvanized steel? The label on Boat Magic says that it’s user friendly. Does that mean that it’s not going to hurt my trailer?

A: The bottle says it has muriatic acid in it and the label says it’s equal to full strength, so I wouldn’t test it. Muriatic acid does react with aluminum by removing the zinc coating on the trailer and making it more rust-prone. What you need to do is either cover your trailer with a tarp or make sure you rinse it off multiple times while you’re cleaning. If you let it sit too long you’re running the risk of a rust problem.

Q: Is it okay to use this stuff on aluminum?

A: Check out the ‘how to use and FAQ’ link over on the right side of the page. It gives a pretty good list of the things it works best on. One thing they don’t recommend it on is light weight aluminum. Muriatic acid will react with the aluminum and make it look darker in spots. Worst case scenario, it’ll eat a hole in the aluminum if you leave it on there. Unless you’re going for the aged or worn-and-torn look, it’s probably not a good idea to use anything on your aluminum boat that has muriatic in it.

Q: Does anyone know if I can use this while my boat’s in the water?

A: I wouldn’t if I were you. Even though it has stuff in it that cuts down the fumes and keeps it from burning your skin, it’s still muriatic acid. Muriatic lowers water pH, which isn’t good for the critters that live in the water. On top of that, the park rangers would be all over you if they saw you putting chemicals in their water! And as an FYI, it’ll lower the pH in plant soil too, so be careful and only wash your hull where runoff won’t get into gardens and flowerbeds.

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