Reading, Pa. August 1, 2001 – A new, battery-operated, mobile cleaning tool is making it easier for boating enthusiasts to spend more time enjoying their watercraft than they would cleaning it.

MotorScrubber™ is a powerful, lightweight compact unit designed to be used safely with soap and water to quickly and effortlessly scrub all areas and parts of a boat or yacht.

The product, manufactured by Reading Consumer Products, Inc. of Reading, utilizes a combination of conventional cleaning materials, such as brushes, scrub pads and sponges, to solve the dreaded task of cleaning.

"MotorScrubber™ allows the laborious task of cleaning to be done faster, better and with less effort," said William Yocom, Sales Manager. "Currently, the only effective way to clean a boat or yacht is to do it by hand."

Company officials first introduced MotorScrubber © at the International Marine Trades Exhibit and Conference at the McCormick Place in Chicago.

According to Yocom, the product is a user-friendly power tool that can be used in water, thus reducing the amount of labor it takes to clean the water line.

"In the past, cleaning entailed a lot of manual physical labor; you had to get down on your hands and knees and do a lot of bending to effectively clean your watercraft," said Yocom. "This product makes it much easier to scrub below the water line, reach the flying bridge and free you of the chore of cleaning the deck area. It will go a long way in helping to preserve the lifespan of the craft."

MotorScrubber™ is powered by a 12-volt, 500 RPM motor, so users will not get shocked since no electricity is used. The motor, clutch and gears are permanently lubricated and the motor is encased in a watertight ABS housing that swivels up to 70 degrees. The unit is completely portable, making it convenient to store and transport.

The unit weighs approximately 4½ pounds, making it convenient for anyone to use. It comes equipped with an anodized aluminum twist-lock handle that extends from 56 inches to 8½ feet to cover hard-to-reach areas, such as the flying bridge or the water line. A polygrip pad and rubber handle provide comfort while in use.

"The MotorScrubber™ can be powered through a 25-foot cord or a 12-volt DC sealed rechargeable battery," said Yocom. "The outstanding design encourages the ‘floating’ head to follow the contours of the area being cleaned."

Users simply wet one of four cleaning discs developed for different applications, which each measure 7¾ inches, and apply the disc to the surface.