Mold and Mildew

whatfiero · May 30, 2012

bleach and a scrub brush , straight bleach scrub into stains then use water to rinse then wet vac blow a fan in your direction so ya don,t pass out in confined space

plainssailor · May 30, 2012

mold and mildew stains

I got awesome results on my vinyl cockpit cushions and interior fabric cushions that I thought I would have to throw away and replace. The vinyl was mostly black and I first tried bleach, which did nothing, then I bought mildew remover from the local boat shop, I tried a cheap one and a more expensive one and they both worked the same. It did take several applications but the results were NO MORE STAINS PERIOD!

bria46 · May 30, 2012

I use Bleache White on everything! Found in all auto supply stores and even ACE Hardware

RichH · May 30, 2012

All depends on what the 'felt' is made from.
If NOT a 'natural fiber' such as cotton, wool, etc. than the probable best agent for removal will be a strong caustic detergent, such as a sodium silicate based detergent (commercial product called Tuff-eNuff ... available through most boat chandleries), TriSodiumPhosphate (TSP) or old fashioned 'lye soap' (Agway or 'farm animal supply'). Caustics will dissolve the mold/mildew cells. You can extract the detergent and followup rinse with a wet vac.

Chlorine based 'bleaches' will only kill the mold ... although you may have 'color shadows' remaining from the caustic extraction and you may bleach out the 'felting' with any bleach. I wouldnt go 'straight for chlorine/clorox' as a first choice but only as a 'last resort'. Products like "Tile-X" are less aggressive vs. bleaching.
With 'bleaches' you only kill the mold/mildew, and the remaining cell debris often becomes the 'nutrient source' for other species of mold/mildew, etc. So, if you choose the 'bleach route' you may have to soak with common detergent to help 'lift' out the dead cells, followed by wet vac. extraction.

Caution: do NOT attempt to remove any mold/mildew when its 'dry' ... you'll only spread the 'spores', including into your lungs - bad idea.

If the 'felt' is a 'natural' material, expect the mold to continuously 'bloom' and reoccur even after cleaning and extractions as the 'filaments' of mold/mildew deeply penetrate into the cellulose, etc. fibers.

FourPoints · May 30, 2012

hydrogen peroxide works well, it's the main ingredient in many carpet cleaners / stain removers, just pick up a bottle at the grocery store...

zeehag · May 30, 2012

as bleach and h202 do NOT kill either mold or the molds spores, i use VINEGAR with PERFECT results.

if you wish to do this job more than one time, use bleaches. LOL. sorry --i hate housework and i KNOW vinegar actually DOES kill the spores as well as the condition. i use it.

FourPoints · May 30, 2012

zeehag said:
h202 do NOT kill either mold or the molds spores

NOT true...

http://www.ehow.com/about_5538302_peroxide-kill-mold.html

RichH · May 30, 2012

For Hydrogen Peroxide to 'kill' cells, etc. it needs to be 'much stronger' than consumer/drugstore grade of H2O2 (~3% concentration). The referenced article is referring to 35% H202 which is very dangerous and certainly NOT something someone with a lack of chemical expertise should even be 'close to' .... as 35% H2O2 is an quite hazardous oxidizing material.

Even with highly concentrated (dangerous) H202, the 'kill efficacy' is incomplete and is usually increased by mixing it with peracetic (peroxyacetic) acid ..... and this is definitely not a consumer mixture ... although it degrades into a completely harmless 'biodegradeable' endproduct - vinegar + water.

If you only have vinegar, throw some 3% H202 into it ... just dont breathe the 'fumes'. This will kill some/most of it, but wont 'dissolve' the cells.

finding41 · May 30, 2012

Hi Mike. Welcome to the forum.
I'm in London Ont and had a boat full of mold to clean this spring but no fabrics on board. I used a combination of Mr Clean (choose your flavor) and TSP. I also power washed the entire inside of the boat. After power washing I sprayed a saturated mixture of TSP and water on all the surfaces with my garden sprayer. (I've read online that it deters future growth, but who knows it may make kittens softer too...)
The important thing to preventing it afterward is more air flow and less moisture. Maybe take the cushions out and store them in a garage or shed over winter. Or get a solar powered vent or two. I've read that they work very well. My boat was leaking like a sieve from the deck fittings and windows. I've fixed most of that and installed one vent in the fore hatch cover. So far so good.
Good luck. If you ever want to sail Fanshawe lake send me a PM, we race Wednesdays 6 pm.

Allan S · May 31, 2012

We had fantastic results using a combination of bleach (of course) and borax (found next to the bleach at the store). Scubbed the mixture, using lots of elbow grease, rinsed and let it dry. Scrubbed again and didn't rinse, we let it air dry. It has been four (4) years since we saw any mould. I should point out we did NOT use this on any cloth.....Allan

mark_swart · May 31, 2012

I used Borax to clean mold off of teak inside when I first got my boat, as well as to wash the cushions in. It not only kills mold, it inhibits future growth. Very cheap, you can find it at Wallyworld for $4 in the laundry aisle. It is called a booster or something like that. It doesn't discolor fabric like bleach and it isn't toxic to breathe like bleach. Good stuff -- I did a lot of research on this.
Vinegar is also a great solution. Bleach is really only 100 percent effective on hard surfaces such as fiberglass.

DianaOfBurlington · Jun 1, 2012

Sunlight and/or other sources of UV. Only thing I know of that really attacks and kills off true humidity mold. I keep mildew out of the family bathroom (oh, these girls!) by running a small fluorescent night-light over the sink. Works.

finding41 · Oct 30, 2012

An update on my mold removal attempts.
Mold 1 Me 0
The saturated tsp mix didn't do it. I had mold within a month. I still have leaks form the topside and only one passive vent in the V berth hatch.
Someone mentioned Borax. Yes I couldn't think of the name of it. It is the stuff I am going to try next. Probably tomorrow if no rain. I plan to power wash and spray with a saturated mixture of Borax and water. Then leave the boat empty with bilge covers off for the winter. I'll post in the spring about my mold adventures.

Don S/V ILLusion · Oct 30, 2012

RichH said:
For Hydrogen Peroxide to 'kill' cells, etc. it needs to be 'much stronger' than consumer/drugstore grade of H2O2 (~3% concentration). The referenced article is referring to 35% H202 which is very dangerous and certainly NOT something someone with a lack of chemical expertise should even be 'close to' .... as 35% H2O2 is an quite hazardous oxidizing material.

Even with highly concentrated (dangerous) H202, the 'kill efficacy' is incomplete and is usually increased by mixing it with peracetic (peroxyacetic) acid ..... and this is definitely not a consumer mixture ... although it degrades into a completely harmless 'biodegradeable' endproduct - vinegar + water.

If you only have vinegar, throw some 3% H202 into it ... just dont breathe the 'fumes'. This will kill some/most of it, but wont 'dissolve' the cells.

I would add that the use of peroxide in this concentration (35%) although not inert is no more or less dangerous than chlorine solutions. Peroxide concentrations in this range are routinely used by homeowners for routine pool maintenance and disinfection when using a chlorine substitute named Baquacil which disinfects via oxidation precisely the same mechanism used to remove mold.

Unfortunately, the efficacy of anything which can kill mold is directly related to how "safe" it is but if used with common sense, peroxide would be a viable and effective safe method.

zeehag · Oct 31, 2012

vinegar works. i use it. i have no mold or mildew. have fun with the rest of the stuff--it doesnt work. i know btdt. have fun.

Forrest15112 · Oct 31, 2012

zeehag said:
vinegar works. i use it. i have no mold or mildew. have fun with the rest of the stuff--it doesnt work. i know btdt. have fun.

...and it makes a great salad dressing. A true multitasker. I'm going to try this. I wonder if that bottle of Balsamic in my cabinet would work? If anything, it would make my boat smell like the Olive Garden instead of the swimming pool.

zeehag · Oct 31, 2012

obviously, you are not aware that white vinegar has been a cleaning and cleansing agent for centuries
if you do not know this, mebbe you should not be so sarcastic. sarcasm is a form of abuse, thankyou for yours.
i use white vinegar with huge success. it keeps salt out of ocean going toilet hoses, it cleans your nasty mold problems and KILLS the mold by changing the pH of the environment in which the mold tries to live, and it cleans successfully your water tanks, until you realize this, you will be seeking very pricey and nasty chemicals that do not work and do kill your boat systems.

Chris Patterson · Nov 1, 2012

I don't know zeehag, I just thought it was kind of funny myself. I say this because I can see myself writing something kind of "nutty" like this just for the laugh. And I too have been properly chastised for my indiscretion.

I too have been following this closely. Mold remediation is an interest of mine, I've fought it several times. Clorox stock has gone up when I recommission boats. I had been looking at a product from Nixalite, but at around 70 bucks a gallon, holy crap! I have been using white vinegar for some time in the sanitary system, but you can bet on this advice, the mold/mildew situation will be next..

zeehag · Nov 1, 2012

problem with clorox is the mold comes back just as fast and stronger....vinegar, it seems not to--even after a year--i use in my water jerry jugs and for interior for mold and mildew..