Another tool for battling stink and mildew. Chlorine Dioxide.

Mr Fox

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Aug 31, 2017
204
Marshall 22 Portland, ME
So I had a rain water leak into one of my cars, and it got below the carpet and soaked the insulating foam underneath, and needless to say it was a mildew spores "wet" dream (cough cough sorry for the bad pun). Was being used by my mother in law and her wet dog, got soaked, and was put away for 3 weeks in a garage. Wet dog and mildew. Awful.

I pulled out the foam, dried it in the sun, and used pureayre (maybe wrong spelling) on the foam and it absolutely worked as usual (thank you once again @Peggie Hall HeadMistress). Used pureayre on all surfaces I could access, but there was still a musty and wet dog odor; a car (like a boat) has many places where one can't reach to clean/spray and odors can linger.

I am not a fan of ozone for various reasons (it damages rubber and some other materials, plus it is hazardous to your health, and you have to rent a commercial generator). My auto detailer recommended a chlorine dioxide treatment. Completely safe for you, the environment and all materials found in a car (or boat, will deodorize your cushions even).

Super simple to use: open it and place inside the car/boat, add a little water to the cup which has a powder sack in it, and close the doors. The single chlorine, dual oxygen compound is attracted to odor compounds, molecules and microbes and destroys them. Let it work for 4-24 hours and open the vehicle to air out (after treatment it smells like a very light pool smell, but is not harmful like straight chlorine). Worked, end of story. You can order this from any auto detailer supply.

I have now tried this in a friend's old VW camper van, 2 boats and another car. It simply obliterates smell and kills microbes, and since it is a gas it can get everywhere your arm can't. Awesome stuff. Cheap and easy to use. So safe it is used for purifying drinking water and food, also it's added to mouthwash. I highly recommend it.
 
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Likes: rgranger
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
And it comes in various colors, e.g., coke, sprite, ginger ale, dr. Pepper, sparkling water, ....
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Huh? I don't think they use ClO2 in soft drinks Don. Are you thinking of CO2?
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Learn something new every day. I wouldn't think a preservative would be needed, given the acidity from the CO2 addition. Beyond that, I would think that sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate would be better candidates, and less expensive.

I hope all those beverage chemists are aware that the EPA limit on ClO2 (in water) is 0.8 PPM.
 

JRacer

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Aug 9, 2011
1,331
Beneteau 310 Cheney KS (Wichita)
So, seems like setting off a bug bomb. Set it off and disappear for a day or two then air out while taking precaution not to breath it in.
 

Mr Fox

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Aug 31, 2017
204
Marshall 22 Portland, ME
Peggie that is absolutely correct in high concentrations it is dangerous stuff (but so is Lysol). When I speak of it being safe I am referring only to the amounts generated by the kits made for this application. The amount created by the kit for use cannot approach dangerous levels when used correctly (and it’s simple to use correctly). You could actually sit in the car or boat while it works (that would be silly), be irritating to your eyes and throat but that’s about it. Yes I’m sure someone could figure out a way to make one of these kits dangerous, but you’d have to try.
 

Mr Fox

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Aug 31, 2017
204
Marshall 22 Portland, ME
Can you post a link to where you purchased yours? Is this what you are talking about?
That is not the one I bought but it is the same type of thing. You want to make sure the kit you buy is correct for the interior volume of the thing you want to bomb.
The one I used is from Griots, an excellent detail supply company with a long and stellar reputation of good stuff- might be more expensive from them as it has their name on it, but so simple to use. I just happen to order it from them again for my repeat trials as I like the company. The slight pool odor can take a number of days to dissipate. The gas will not bleach anything, (edit- it’s says don’t put the container directly on fabric, it’s at its highest concentration right around the cup) but it says to be carful not to drop the wet powder pouch on things as it will bleach things (but that’s why it comes in the little cup).

 
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Likes: Alan Gomes
Jun 30, 2020
31
Hunter 356 Noank, CT
In taking the v berth cushions home for the winter on our new (used) Hunter, I noticed a mildew/mold smell in the foam. Is there a way to sanitize it or do I need to start over with new foam?
 

Mr Fox

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Aug 31, 2017
204
Marshall 22 Portland, ME
Try one of these treatments- it removed all mildew smell from the foam in all applications I tried it on. Obviously you need a sealed environment for it.