worse, they might clog up dewatering equipment if the
space were flooded.
SWEEPERS
“Sweepers” is piped shortly after reveille, before
the end of the regular working day, and at other times as
scheduled. At these times, all persons assigned as
sweepers draw their gear and sweep and swab down
their assigned areas. All trash and dirt are picked up in a
dustpan and placed in a trash receptacle.
NOTE
If dirt is swept over the side, the wind may blow
it back on board or the dirt may stick to the side
of the ship. In either case, additional work is
necessary to clean the ship.
At this time you should empty all butt kits (make
sure no butts are still burning) and trash receptacles as
instructed. Never dump trash or garbage over the side of
the ship without first obtaining permission from the
officer of the deck. At times, all trash must be kept in a
safe area aboard the ship until it can be properly
removed.
CLEANING PROCESS
Dirt, soil, and contamination all describe the same
thing—a foreign material on a surface where it is not
wanted. Soil includes grease, oil, tarnish, rust, food
residue, and stains. Most exposed surfaces that have
been soiled may be cleaned with the proper use of
cleaning agents.
Detergents are materials that have the ability to
remove contamination and soil. There are other ways of
cleaning besides using detergents or cleaning
compounds. These include purely mechanical
processes, such as removing rust from steel by sand-
blasting or cleaning decks by sweeping. For many
cleaning problems, chipping, sweeping, sanding, or
brushing may be needed. However, when detergent
compounds are coupled with the mechanical action, a
cleaner surface is usually produced with less time and
work.
The steps used in most detergent cleaning
operations are as follows:
1. Wetting—The soil and the surface of the object
being cleaned must be wetted. If the surface is not
wetted properly, cleaning results will be poor. Contrary
to popular belief, water has very poor wetting
properties. Its wetting ability, and therefore its cleaning
ability, is improved by adding other materials, such as
soap or synthetic detergents. Adding soap or synthetic
detergents cause the water to flow into tiny crevices and
around small particles of soil.
2. Scrubbing—Dirt is loosened by the mechanical
action of rubbing or scrubbing. For example, oil
droplets are emulsified; that is, they are coated with a
thin film of soap and prevented from recombining, and
then they rise to the surface. In a somewhat similar
manner, solid particles are suspended in solution.
3. Rinsing—Rinsing is very important. Rinsing
removes loosened dirt from the surface along with the
cleaning material.
FIELD DAY
Field day is cleaning day. Periodically, a field day is
held. All hands “turn to” and thoroughly clean the ship
inside and out, usually in preparation for an inspection.
Fixtures and areas that sometimes are neglected during
regular sweepdowns (overhead cables, piping, corners,
spaces behind and under equipment, and so on) are
cleaned. Bulkheads, decks, ladders, and all other
accessible areas are scrubbed. Knife edges and door
gaskets are checked; any paint, oil, or other substances
are removed; all brightwork is shined; and clean linen is
placed on each bunk. Field days improve the appearance
and sanitary condition of the ship, aid in the
preservation of the ship by extending paint life, and
reduce the dirt intake caused by operating equipment.
Because of weather conditions, there are many days
at sea when the ship’s topside areas can’t be cleaned. At
the first opportunity, all topside surfaces are cleaned
with freshwater and inspected for signs of rust and
corrosion. If such signs are discovered, you should tend
to the area immediately. A little work at that time will
save you a lot of work later.
18-2
Student Notes:
