The boat we recently acquired has a pronounced mildew smell in the cushions. We have removed the covers and found that washining them has removed the smell. But, the foam still has that distinctive odor. Does anyone have a method of removing the smell from the foam? Washing them on the driveway may be a possibility when the weather warms up, but what cleaning solution would be the best to use?
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When you have a nice warm sunny day...
Buy some Raritan K.O. (it's a bio-active holding tank treatment that also "eats" mold and mildew. Saturate the cushions with it--not dripping wet, but enough to make sure it gets all way into the middle of the cushion--and leave 'em out the sun all day. The combination of sunlight and K.O. will leave 'em smelling fresh as daisies. While you're at it, do the same thing to all your musty life jackets and foulies.
Buy some Raritan K.O. (it's a bio-active holding tank treatment that also "eats" mold and mildew. Saturate the cushions with it--not dripping wet, but enough to make sure it gets all way into the middle of the cushion--and leave 'em out the sun all day. The combination of sunlight and K.O. will leave 'em smelling fresh as daisies. While you're at it, do the same thing to all your musty life jackets and foulies.
I tried a professional Cleaner
and then I left them in the sun. Actually baked them in a closed sunroom that reached 120 degrees. After spending time and sixty five dollars I threw them away because the still smelled bad
and then I left them in the sun. Actually baked them in a closed sunroom that reached 120 degrees. After spending time and sixty five dollars I threw them away because the still smelled bad
CAR WASH
I TOOK MINE TO A CAR WASH AND JUST USED THE SOAP THEN THE RINSE AND THE FOUL, MILDEW SMELL WAS REMOVED!!!
I TOOK MINE TO A CAR WASH AND JUST USED THE SOAP THEN THE RINSE AND THE FOUL, MILDEW SMELL WAS REMOVED!!!
KO
Peggy - can the KO be diluted at all (it's pretty expensive for enough to cover all cushions)?
Peggy - can the KO be diluted at all (it's pretty expensive for enough to cover all cushions)?
That musty smell
Peggy, thanks for the advice on the KO. The solution appears to be to give the foam the KO treatment then put them out in the sun to dry out. Looks like that will wait until Spring. In the meantime I have a bosun's chair and mast ladder that needs the same treatment--something that I can do in the bathtub while waiting for Spring! Given the cost of replacements, Daryl's solution will only be tried as a last resort as the cloth covers have come out of the washing machine smelling fine. Thanks to all for the input!
Peggy, thanks for the advice on the KO. The solution appears to be to give the foam the KO treatment then put them out in the sun to dry out. Looks like that will wait until Spring. In the meantime I have a bosun's chair and mast ladder that needs the same treatment--something that I can do in the bathtub while waiting for Spring! Given the cost of replacements, Daryl's solution will only be tried as a last resort as the cloth covers have come out of the washing machine smelling fine. Thanks to all for the input!
Use it full strength...
A $10 bottle should be enough to treat every cushion on the boat plus all your foulies and anything else...'cuz you just put it in a trigger spray bottle and spray it onto the things you want to treat, you don't fill the bathtub with it and soak stuff in it!
A $10 bottle should be enough to treat every cushion on the boat plus all your foulies and anything else...'cuz you just put it in a trigger spray bottle and spray it onto the things you want to treat, you don't fill the bathtub with it and soak stuff in it!
Hot tubbing
Woo woo, Peggy! If I was going to drag those toys into the tub with me, I think I would sneak into my neighbor's hot tub! ;-) I was figuring on suspending them over my tub, spraying them down, then rinsing them off with the detatchable shower head. The foam will need a lot more space! I read the KO description in a catalog--will an aerobic bacteria rinse off easily without leaving any active remains to fester into something else?
Woo woo, Peggy! If I was going to drag those toys into the tub with me, I think I would sneak into my neighbor's hot tub! ;-) I was figuring on suspending them over my tub, spraying them down, then rinsing them off with the detatchable shower head. The foam will need a lot more space! I read the KO description in a catalog--will an aerobic bacteria rinse off easily without leaving any active remains to fester into something else?
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