How to Remove Barnacles From a Dock

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Barnacles are related to shellfish such as shrimp and crabs. They are living creatures, members of the crustacean family and a great nuisance to not only fiberglass boats, but docks as well. Barnacles attach themselves to wood, aluminum and any other type of metal. Read on to learn how to remove barnacles from a dock.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Prepare to fight the battle of the barnacles more fiercely during the summer months than at any other time of year. That's because barnacles grow faster in summer. Barnacles swim freely through the water when they are babies. As they become adults, they attach themselves to a surface such as a dock and then form a shell. Barnacles have a lifespan of three to five years and they form colonies that overlap each other. The barnacle shell is so sharp it can easily cut an inflatable boat or raft that rubs up against it. Removing them is not always easy because they become as hard as cement.

Step2

Get a two-by-two piece of wood to use to scrape barnacles off the poles of the dock. You can get into a small boat (dinghy type or inflatable boat) and work your way around in the water to reach the sides of the dock. Of course, to remove barnacles from underneath a dock, you must get into the water so you can reach up under and see where to scrape. For the underneath of a dock, a sharp scraper such as a putty knife works better.

Step3

Stand on the dock and use a long pole with a putty knife tied onto it to scrape and remove barnacles from a dock when they have built up and been there awhile. A flat shovel to scrape with may be needed for the really tough spots. Remove barnacles from a dock about once or twice a month during the spring and summer to prevent build-up. You don't want to risk damaging a nice boat tied to your dock by having it scrape the sharp edges of barnacles as the waves come in.

Step4

Wait until low tide to remove barnacles from a dock. You can use a pressure washer to blow the barnacles off. This works best when the barnacles have not been allowed to build up over time.