Cleanup on aisle three ...

[Gene Neill]

Ugh. This is what I found under the galley, below where the sink and icebox were.

Before I even start ... any suggestions? Bleach? Acetone? Gasoline and a match??

 

[kloudie1]

A little scrub-down with a light bleach solution followed by a good application of Concrobium or equivalent.. or the Practical Sailor recipe that member Thinwater tested.. I think the recipe was posted in here somewhere..

 

[Gene Neill]

Hmm! I do have some Wet-n-Forget on hand, it's like Concrobium ....

 

[dlochner]

Ugly. I used Formula B from the Practical Sailor article on my boat. Works well.

 

[dlochner]

And once this is cleaned up, it will time to replace that valve with a proper bronze ball valve before it fails and you have bigger problems than some mold an mildew.

 

[BrianRobin]

Spray-Nine, let it soak for a minute or 2

 

[Justin_NSA]

And once this is cleaned up, it will time to replace that valve with a proper bronze ball valve before it fails and you have bigger problems than some mold an mildew.

Yeah, what is that thing for?

 

[Gunni]

I don’t recommend the storage of gunpowder in the bilge deck. However, nice touch adding that fire-suppressant valve to the magazine. Amyl acetate will remove nitro-cellulose residue. Safe boating!

 

[Roland5048]

What is it? Looks like some kind of insulation. Can it just come out and be replaced?

 

[cb32863]

What is it? Looks like some kind of insulation. Can it just come out and be replaced?

Its mold on fiberglass.

 

[Roland5048]

I guess you'll just have to cut it out, then.

 

[Dave Groshong]

Bleach and then KO, Kills Odors, works great on bilges too:
https://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?5884

 

[shemandr]

I would spray with diluted bleach first and let it sit there for a bit - maybe several applications. Bleach is an excellent disinfectant and it breaks down organic material. So you neutralize the hazards of inhaling mold, mildew, bacteria that feed on the former etc. Then I would get in there with some of the products mentioned above wearing gloves and a respiratory mask. A surgical mask is probably inadequate. All cleaning implements such as sponges, rags, paper towels go into a sealable plastic bag for disposal. Don't mess with that stuff. You don't need respiratory inflammation in your life.

 

[JamesG161]

Wet-n-Forget on hand

That is the "after cleaning" treatment to prevent mold and mildew.
Clorox is a good first start.
Jim...

 

[Gene Neill]

And once this is cleaned up, it will time to replace that valve with a proper bronze ball valve before it fails and you have bigger problems than some mold an mildew.

Haha, I was wondering who would mention that valve first! @Justin_NSA, that's the sink drain. And yes, all those ancient valves are getting replaced before splash time. It's a long term project, been working on her for over two years, with at least another year to go.

Thanks everyone for the help!! When I get it as clean as it can be gotten, can I just slap some pearly-white Bilge-Kote on it? Or will it need some kind of primer? I don't know if that's paint or gelcoat under the filth, but in other (less filthy) areas I cleaned with acetone, the surface temporarily turned tacky, and some of the cream color came off on the rag. Is that a clue?

 

[Mechone]

Vim with bleach, works great also great for stains in gelcoat

 

[capta]

Industrial purple, from Home Depot, is a lye cleaner that does a great job where others don't. Caution though, it is caustic and a fabulous remover of varnish you'd rather not remove.

 

[sailnoproblem]

Haha, I was wondering who would mention that valve first! @Justin_NSA, that's the sink drain. And yes, all those ancient valves are getting replaced before splash time. It's a long term project, been working on her for over two years, with at least another year to go.

Thanks everyone for the help!! When I get it as clean as it can be gotten, can I just slap some pearly-white Bilge-Kote on it? Or will it need some kind of primer? I don't know if that's paint or gelcoat under the filth, but in other (less filthy) areas I cleaned with acetone, the surface temporarily turned tacky, and some of the cream color came off on the rag. Is that a clue?

Hey Gene, I would have to bet it is paint.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Mold spores need an organic substrate to grow. It won't grow or exist on bare fiberglass or gel coat (or concrete or plastic). Mold will grow on paint but it also depends on the paint. Some paints are more susceptible than others.

Of course we're looking at a picture and it isn't even obvious what we are looking at, but I don't think that looks like mold. To me, it looks more like grease and black grime. Besides, I can't think of any reason why anybody would paint over a fiberglass installation in that location. I am familiar with the problems associated with wet building substrates, but I by no means have an expertise in mold. I always call for an environmental hygienist whenever I see questionable cases of organic growth.

If you can clean it off with a cleaning agent, I'd make a strong case that it isn't mold. Mold likes to grow in a wet environment mostly on wood and paper … like in a house that has water leaks contaminating wood studs and sheetrock. It grows on the paper backing of sheetrock. It also contaminates the painted surfaces of sheetrock and you can't get it out (removing the sheetrock is the only option). Some folks will paint over it with regular latex paint (if it doesn't look too bad) and the mold then will feed on the paint and cause additional staining.

After cleaning, if you suspect mold is an issue and you want to paint, look for an anti-microbial paint.

 

[BrianW]

If mold.....As others suggested, Concrobium. While bleach will kill the mold, Concrobium will both kill AND keep it from growing back, from all of the spores and filaments the bleach doesn’t destroy. But, the MOST important thing is to stop the water source. BrianW