Help, we bought our boat in april and ever since it has had a mildew smell to it. We have taken all the cushion out and curtains not sure where the smell is comming from we also change the head and hoses. Does anyone have any ideas. we think it might be coming from the bilge how do you take care of that problem when you cannot get to it we have put all kinds of cleaning chemicals in there. Please help Sharmay1@peoplepc.com
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Wash it out, air it out
Just throwing in chemicals does nothing but add those chemicals--and their odors--to the primordial soup that's causing the odors in the first place. Read the article "Boat Odor Isn't All In Your Head" in the Head Mistress forum Reference Library for details about how to get rid of 'em.
Just throwing in chemicals does nothing but add those chemicals--and their odors--to the primordial soup that's causing the odors in the first place. Read the article "Boat Odor Isn't All In Your Head" in the Head Mistress forum Reference Library for details about how to get rid of 'em.
V-berth and grid areas are places to look.
There can be plenty of mold and mildew build under the v-berth. You should be able to get some good hot soapy water with some bleach in it and scrub this area out. Also be sure that you get the blige area cleaned out the best you can. NOW, the bad part. There is no practical way to clean out the grid without removing the cabin sole. If you take a look at what that would take you will realize that you are going to have to try some other methods. My first recommendation would be to make a mixture of hot soapy water w/bleach and pour it into the ice box. This area typically drains into the grid and then into the bilge. If you can take the boat out for a sail or a motor ride, it will help slosh it around. You may need to do this a couple of times before the odor is gone. You may also want to do the same thing in the area behind the engine. Pour the mixture behind the engine area and let it migrate to the bilge. Be sure to use a strong bleach solution. I would use 3-4 cups/gal of water. This will leave a strong odor for a few days but will help kill the mold/mildew spores. You may need to do this a few times over then next few months to completly eliminate all the odor. The only other thing that you may need to consider is to cut an inspection plate in the cabin sole under the dinette. This is one of those things that you will need to be very careful about. There is no way to tell where the grid is and is not. Also check out the fabric in the v-berth and the aft berth. You may want to get a upolstery cleaner to clean this fabric too. I am assuming that you have not put the cushions and curtains back in the boat yet. You should be sure that these are clean and spray them with something like Lysol spray to kill any spores in the fabric and foam. I hope this helps. I know that this is one of the problems with a grid and these boats seem to have more of a problem than the new ones.
There can be plenty of mold and mildew build under the v-berth. You should be able to get some good hot soapy water with some bleach in it and scrub this area out. Also be sure that you get the blige area cleaned out the best you can. NOW, the bad part. There is no practical way to clean out the grid without removing the cabin sole. If you take a look at what that would take you will realize that you are going to have to try some other methods. My first recommendation would be to make a mixture of hot soapy water w/bleach and pour it into the ice box. This area typically drains into the grid and then into the bilge. If you can take the boat out for a sail or a motor ride, it will help slosh it around. You may need to do this a couple of times before the odor is gone. You may also want to do the same thing in the area behind the engine. Pour the mixture behind the engine area and let it migrate to the bilge. Be sure to use a strong bleach solution. I would use 3-4 cups/gal of water. This will leave a strong odor for a few days but will help kill the mold/mildew spores. You may need to do this a few times over then next few months to completly eliminate all the odor. The only other thing that you may need to consider is to cut an inspection plate in the cabin sole under the dinette. This is one of those things that you will need to be very careful about. There is no way to tell where the grid is and is not. Also check out the fabric in the v-berth and the aft berth. You may want to get a upolstery cleaner to clean this fabric too. I am assuming that you have not put the cushions and curtains back in the boat yet. You should be sure that these are clean and spray them with something like Lysol spray to kill any spores in the fabric and foam. I hope this helps. I know that this is one of the problems with a grid and these boats seem to have more of a problem than the new ones.
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Don
fill it up with water
I used to put the hose under the v-berth on my 84 '31 and let it run. Throw in a little bilge cleaner, clorox you name it. Water will rise to the floorboards, let it sit, then pump it out. Repeat process over and over until water is clean. Do this one or twice and year. You will be surprised how much muck is down there. Also, my boat had mildew behind the hull liner (grey carpet.) I used a small carpet cleaner regularly but never really got all of it. When I ultimately pulled a section down, I was amazed at the gunk behind it. Lots of work but worth it.
I used to put the hose under the v-berth on my 84 '31 and let it run. Throw in a little bilge cleaner, clorox you name it. Water will rise to the floorboards, let it sit, then pump it out. Repeat process over and over until water is clean. Do this one or twice and year. You will be surprised how much muck is down there. Also, my boat had mildew behind the hull liner (grey carpet.) I used a small carpet cleaner regularly but never really got all of it. When I ultimately pulled a section down, I was amazed at the gunk behind it. Lots of work but worth it.
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Don
Steve - I think you can do the grid
With the proceedure I just described. You really can just fill it up. I did many times.
With the proceedure I just described. You really can just fill it up. I did many times.
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Guest
Good idea, I have done something similar.
Don: This is a good idea. I may do something like this soon. My point is that there is NO EASY way to scrub out these areas. Have you had similar problems on the new boat?
Don: This is a good idea. I may do something like this soon. My point is that there is NO EASY way to scrub out these areas. Have you had similar problems on the new boat?
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Don
Steve, didn't you know..
37.5's just smell sweet all the time! Most of all each month when I mail off that payment! (At least from the bank's perspective.) There doesn't seem to be the open areas under the sole of my 37.5 The sole is right on fiberglass and the bilge is self contained down the middle. Real easy to access and clean. So far, not a problem. If only I could keep the rest of the boat clean now. That extra 6.5 feet means a lot more cleaning than I expected.
37.5's just smell sweet all the time! Most of all each month when I mail off that payment! (At least from the bank's perspective.) There doesn't seem to be the open areas under the sole of my 37.5 The sole is right on fiberglass and the bilge is self contained down the middle. Real easy to access and clean. So far, not a problem. If only I could keep the rest of the boat clean now. That extra 6.5 feet means a lot more cleaning than I expected.
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Chris Franklin
Response to Mildew Smell
I sprayed the cushions with Febreeze - no more smell. He also occasionally adds a squirt of dish detergent to the bilge.
I sprayed the cushions with Febreeze - no more smell. He also occasionally adds a squirt of dish detergent to the bilge.
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