geting rid of mold in the cabin

[ciriaco]

Over the winter my friend had hai boat leak water into the cabin up in Anacortes, Washington and when he opened it up this spring it was covered everything was covered with mold. We cleaned most of it up with clorox but he says it is still moldy and wonders if anyone has had this problem that could recommend a solution. Thanks. Moldy boat

 

[Kurt]

Mold Remediation

Sunlight kills mold best. Put (as much as you can of) your interior up on deck (for as long as you can) during a couple sunny days in a row, that should kill it. Airflow (fans) for complete drying is important too. That makes steam cleaning a double edged sword, it may help with the cleaning but you have to be sure to dry everything completely after or it will make the problem worse. 1/3 bleach to 2/3 water in a spray bottle works as well as any fancy mold abatement chemicals. Multiple applications may be needed. Mold spores are too small for regular vacuums. Only a H.E.P.A. filtered vacuum can trap and retain spores. A regular vacuum or shop vacuum is just a particle accelerator and can make things worse by spreading the spores. Professionals use Negative Air Machines with H.E.P.A. filters that move 2500 cubic feet of air per minute to turn the workspace into a vacuum bag and ensure the spores are trapped and retained during cleanup. The key of course is that mold is only the symptom the real problem is moisture intrusion. A mold host environment must have 3 things: water, air & food. So if you can vacuum wrap in plastic on the hard during winter there shouldn’t be any spring surprises.

 

[Pete Wallace]

mold - need to change the environment

I have (had?) a mold problem in my 1981 Hunter 27, which seemed to be accelerated by using lemon oil on the teak. I used a bleach/water solution to kill the stuff, but I think the real answer is to find a way to keep the interior dry. Along these lines, I've resorted to fabricating a louvered companionway hatch, and louver window covers. This way, I can keep the windows open and have full ventilation of the cabin without worrying about rain. I have not yet installed these items, although I'm about 90% done with the fabrication. I'm also adding a dorade cowl vent or 2 to help even more. In the meantime, keep up with the bleach/water and the smell should get better. Don't forget to bleach the corners and crevices in the lockers and hard-to-reach areas. I found lots of moldy stuff in places I didn't even know existed...You may have a longer term problem if the smell got into the cushions, and then I think your best solution is to air everything out as often as possible as Mr. Martinez suggested previously.Good luck!Pete WallaceSans Souci