'Soogy', or 'soogying'--Anyone know this term?

Professional Mariner Forum
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I’m a pretty new maritime worker, being an OS for Washington State Ferries. In the captain’s standing orders, and in our union contract, the term ‘soogy’ or ‘soogying’ is used in language specifying our duties or pay for such duties.

I’ve asked around, and so far the general consensus is that it’s a mis-use of the word ‘squeegee’. Though I’ve seen ‘soogy’ in so many documents I find this hard to believe.

So my question is, has anyone encountered this term, or does anyone know it, and where does it originate from? I can’t even find it online or in a dictionary.

Thanks!

Chris

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Not sure of the spelling, but we referred to the term as washing/wiping down bulkheads, engine spaces, etc. , and such. It is a term used widely for many decades.

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You are correct. Removing soot from white upper works is an ongoing issue.

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A lot of engine room guys I’ve run into use it especially to mean scrubbing down walls with a brush, vs wiping with rags or pressure washing.

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Awesome. Thanks guys! God, it was driving me crazy! LOL

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From what I heard back on my first trip to sea in the steward’s department (1975), it is a term from the Indian sub-continent back in the days when you could hire a replacement to do your job while you were in port. Much like the term “Sherang”, from the same era, which means Bosun. Another term few mariners of today know.

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I’ve heard this used as wiping stuff down, and as washing down the topsides.

I was told by someone in the past the soogee word has naval origins. You aren’t the first person to be confused by it.

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Soogey was made by mixing dobie dust with water and soft soap to make a gooey cleaner that stuck to surfaces long enough for the detergent to work.

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AKA Overtime during shitty winter weather

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Actually- It was called “Soogie”.It was labeled as such by the various suppliers and Chandlers- Soogie Powder- a light abrasive cleaning powder mixed with water and then hand wiped or mopped.

Timmons & Charles, Bull & Roberts and a few other suppliers labeled it as such…

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Holy hell this is humbling…my entire career I truly assumed it was a misspelling/misuse of squeegee…turns out I’m the a$$hole after all.

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The term “Soogee” used to be (and perhaps still is) enshrined in the S.I.U. contract in the Steward Department rules.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/soogee

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Sodium hydroxide.

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The term is or at least in my day was used in the military. I was soogeeing the dados on my first cutter back in 1987.

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Common term, still very much in use. At least in my vernacular.

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Never heard the term? Reminds me of the time I went into a hardware store and asked the young man working there for a pulp hook. He said he’d never heard of a pulp hook. I told him he was lucky.

Seems like I’ve seen it spelled soogie. Seen it used as a verb but not as a noun. Also heard soogie pads (for scrubbing) soogie powder (something like Comet brand powder) and the soogie bucket.

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Soogie is a blast from the past when we had wipers Originally it meant cleaning with some abrasive cleaner lsimilar to Ajax or some nasty NAOH enhanced compound. I have no idea why the term survives to this day. Most ships don’t have enough people to soogie or clean anything on a regular basis now. Most people that say “go soogie” have no idea what it means either. You’d think they would just say go clean

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But it’s part of the nautical English! Do you mop? No, you swab!

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It’s washing yer bottom from the top down.

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