Mineral-O-Magic

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    Practical Sailor published an article on rust removers in the June issue. We came up with some clear winners, rating Star brite’s cleaner as the Best Choice and Power One Ship ’N Shore as the Budget Buy. FSR fi-berglass stain remover was also a recommended product.

    But all three of these cleaners use an acid as their active ingredient. Working with any cleaner that contains acid is no fun. You have to put on rubber gloves, a mask, and goggles to protect yourself. Plus, acid-based products can damage gelcoat.We’re always on the lookout for more environmentally friendly substitutes for toxic cleaners. And we came across one called Mineral-O-Magic, manufactured by Prime Filters Inc., a Dutch company.

    Mineral-O-Magic

    Mineral-O-Magic, which claims to contain no abrasives, harsh chemicals, or acids, removes “hard-water and rust stains quickly, easily, and safely,” according to the company. No gloves or mask are needed. Apply the liquid to the stain, wait one to 10 minutes, wipe or brush off, and rinse with water.

    We tried Mineral-O-Magic on a rust-stained section of a swim ladder on a test boat. The stain covered a portion of the ladder’s stainless rail and one of the plastic steps. The product removed almost all of the stain. Mineral-O-Magic comes in quarts ($14 qt./44 cents per ounce) and gallons ($36 gal./28 cents per ounce). If you buy the gallon, the Mineral-O-Magic is less expensive than two of the three top finishers in our June test. The least expensive, at 31 cents per ounce was Power One. You can buy Mineral-O-Magic through one of the company’s U.S. distributors.

    We plan to test Mineral-O-Magic against our June test’s top performers. Stay tuned. 

    CONTACT
    PRIME FILTERS INC., 866/699-2667  primefilters.com

    Darrell Nicholson
    Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.