Mold

[Kerry13709]

I have been fighting a mold/mildew problem for some time. It seems to like the bottom sides of my cabin flooring. The flooring was water damaged before I purchased the boat, and the edges are not in the best of condition, but I am trying to get a little more life out of them before replacing. I tried sealing the bottom with Thompson water seal, have used various household mildew cleaners, and vinegar, but the mildew keeps coming back.I am considering some sort of dehumidifier to take moisture out of the cabin. I saw another device called a bilge-buster that claims to remove the odor and prevent the mildew from growing.Has anyone used either of these devices or other methods to stop mildew/mold?

 

[PaulK]

Killing mold

Chlorine bleach is the weapon of choice for killing mold and mildew. The stuff can live and spread under paint, varnish, and lots of other sealants or wax coatings. Sanding it down won't kill it; there will still likely be spores or rootlets left to grow again. Mold and mildew hasn't been around for about a billion or more years for nothing. We also find Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover useful. Any of this stuff may do a number on your finishes, but you were going to have to refinish things anyway, to cover the mold & mildew.

 

[Dan]

Here is a long article about this

Here is a large article that says clorine bleach is not the correct chemical to kill mold."Bleach Mold Myth Exposé: Bleach is Ineffective to Kill Mold on Porous Surfaces [Most Building Materials]"

 

[Ross]

considering that

the link was to an infommmericial for someones product I would take the advise with a grain of salt. That said mold will not, can not, and does not grow on dry surfaces. Mold must have moisture or it goes dormant. Mold spores are durable and when proper growing conditions are present they grow. Almost all mold problems can be solved with good ventilation. Chlorine bleach IS effective in removing surface mold growth as are many other household products. However unless and until you get rid of the moisture problem you will continue to have a mold problem.edited to add:consider adding some 12 volt computer fans of the type that you can get at Radio Shack and drive them with a solar panel of the type used by Volkswagen and Audi to keep their batteries up while the cars are in shipment. I got one on Ebay for 25 dollars including shipping.

 

[Sanders]

scrub, air and mebbe sunshine

Getting it clean (i.e. killing the mold) and improving the air circulation should control the problem. If the floorboards can be removed, take them out so you can get at eveything better. I would clean with bleach or a bleach-like cleaner (WM has commercial mold killer products) and then make sure it gets absolutely dry. If you can put the flooring in the sunshine for a few hopurs that would be a big help.Then buy the dehumidifier and plug it in every time you are of the boat. It's a small investment to prevent all that repeated work.You can also add a couple of light bulbs at strategic places in the boat, and leave them on when you are away. The heat creates air circulation.Make sure you get the mold killed on the sides of the bilge and in the nooks and crannies.I also leave dehumidifier packs in several locations. They soak up the moisture. Available at any home store or WM.Don't forget to check you cushions, particularly under you cushions.But the real cure is circulating fresh air once you get it clean.

 

[Rob19574]

Check around online

Check around on a few of these types of message boards....I once read a post from a guy that swore by a system he developed that used chrorine crystals (the type for swimming pools). He created some type of solution that kills everything. For ongoing protection he had some crystals in a bad that hung in the boat when not in use and continued to fight it off. Be careful though as those chemicals can be dangerous.Rob

 

[RichH]

Mold and mildew removal.....

Dont even bother with bleach. Bleach only kills/stuns the cells which become the nutrient source for reoccurring and other mold/mildew species. Use a strong caustic detergent (ie.: sodium silicate based, etc.) as the caustic will **dissolve** the cells. A diluted lye solution is also good but you need to KNOW HOW to use lye as it can be quite harmful/dangerous to yourself.When done cleaning/scrubbing/rinsing, just 'spray on' more of the detergent and let dry .... will be impossible for new cells to grow on the caustic coated surfaces. This will be similar to 'white-washing', a technique used for eons to prevent mold/mildew growth. Any humidity reduction (damn hard to do on a boat) will also retard mold/mildew growth. Caution: when cleaning mold/mildew be sure to use rubber gloves and ***a respirator***. Never disturb DRY mildew/mold as that will release the sometimes VERY toxic spores. The CDC and state health departments have posted some serious cautions for for mold/mildew remove and the protection/care needed when doing so. If after cleaning and the boat is 'overwhelmed' with a reinfection OR if you plan to store the boat long term, get some paraformaldehyde crystals and simply put them in a plastic pan inside the closed boat. Paraformaldehyde gas will KILL the molds and their spores. ParaF gas is also harmful to humans so be sure to TOTALLY 'air-out' the boat before reentry, then seal or repackage the remaining crystals. You probably wont be able to obtain paraFormaldehyde in 'eco-wacky' states. hope this helps.

 

[Bob]

Ventilation is key

I have learned that ventilation on a boat is key in keeping air circulating and lockers and nooks and crannies dry. I have installed a number of small vents at every locker and storage space. With a 3-inch hole cutter, the job was easy and clean. The results were well worth the effort, attractive and functional. Those vents are simply slotted flat pieces in plastic or stainless.When we looked to purchase an Irwin 32, we were very concerned about the the cabin sole, which like yours was sort of ooozing with mold and mildew at the edges. The owner allowed the condensation from an AC window unit to drip into the bildge and apparently their it settled without pumping for months. The water came in contact with the floor underneath and the results were rather alarming. We passed on the vessel. As far as we were concerned the entire sole had to be replaced. The easiest and cheapest way to kill mold and mildew is with a chlorox/water mixture (1 to 10) a spray bottle or sponge. Its instant death for mold spores. My suggestion is to remove the sole if possible. Once the mold and mildew are growing and your bildge stays wet, you have the perfect environment for growth and your battle will only be prolonged. You can seal the top 100 times, but the issue is what lies underneath and that is where your eradication begins. When you finally eliminate the problem, you may consider sealing the bottom portion of a new sole with urethane. One more thing too is get a small electric fan and a timer switch to go off every so many hours of the day to ventilate the cabin and keep that bilge dry! Good luck.Bob

 

[Ross]

reply to ventilation

is the key. ABSOLUTELY!!! I have several small fans attached to cowl vents and driven by a dedicated solar panel, these run whenever the sunshines, summer and winter. And they do work!!

 

[Tsehum Pete]

Mold or Mould as In Canada

Tula's Six AntiFungal Tips.......1. Start at the top - twice a year I take my caulking gun and seal (clear) every inch of my deck around fittings etc. Takes about three hours but mould levels on panelling etc are now negligible.2. Ventilate, ventilate ventilate (not you, yaour boat).3. Dehumildify, dehumidify, dehumidify.4. Fix every hull leak. Put in a good dripless shaft seal. Always close all thruhulls when not being used. Fix engine leaks.5. Then resort to those chemicals.6. Move with boat to the Baja. And use foot powder.You should be able to eat lunch off your bilge floor. I have seen some bilges which are a smelly, toxic, bacteria-laden soup.

 

[flyhop]

Just a thought....

You say there was water damage to the floor. Mold/mildew need three things to grow: moisture, a little light, warmth, just like any other plant. I'm wondering if some of the water didn't get into the fiberglass layup inside the boat. In that case, the spore may have a fairly ready and ongoing supply of moisture. I concur with the ventilation and dehumidification. Bleach or vinegar are good chemicals of choice to kill the stuff. But I would also be looking around the entire floor for any signs of blisters. That could be your mold's water source. And, yes, you will be fighting it for a while.

 

[Franklin]

Inspector Gadget Boat

I want one of these so I can untie the lines, press a button and that raises the boat out of the water. Then I can open a hatch door and drain the bilge In the south is almost impossible to keep the bildge dry in the summer unless you don't want to run the AC and refrig. My bilge is dry now though and has been for 3 weeks so that's something to smile about.

 

[steve rainey]

I had a terrible mold problem. cleaned it up with bleach and now I keep a large fan running all the time while at the slip. Its been 4 years and no more problem. Just ventilate it well...

 

[Ross]

Do you drain

The condensate into the bilge? Perhaps into a bucket with a small pump in that to pump it over the side. If clothes will dry on the line outdoors then ventilating the boat will work. I lived in Gulfport, Miss. before we had clothes dryers and we were always able to dry the laundry. Get a hygrometer and put it on the boat and track the relative humidity.

 

[Franklin]

Good Idea Ross

a deep, but small diameter bucket with a bilge type pump in the bottom of it that collected the AC and Refrig condensation would keep the hard to clean bilge dry and also reduce the amount of water in the boat because this narrow deep bucket could pump most of it out unlike the bilge pump (1 inch deep of bilge water is a lot more then 1 inch of a narrow bucket). Plus, it's easy to pull a bucket out of the bilge and clean it...or replace it if need be. This bucket pump could also be used as an emergency bilge pump because if the bilge filled up, the bucket would too if it was held down with something. To top it all off, you've seperated condensation from other types of water so when a leak develops, you know it because the bilge is nolonger dry. Bilge pumps always hide problems until it's almost too late.

 

[Patrick]

Dehumidifer for me...

I tried all the stuff recommended,and then bought a dehumidifer on line,put it over the sink, and have had no problems since.Very simple with no fuss or muss.

 

[Kerry13709]

dehumidifier

Patrick, which unit did you end up with? What size boat are you using it on? I was thinking dhumidifier and was searching for the best product for the job when I ran accross the Bilge Buster. It seemed to be to good to be true, and by the lack of response on it, it probably is.

 

[Steve Dion]

from the EPA website.

“The purpose of mold remediation is to remove the mold to prevent human exposure and damage to building materials and furnishings. It is necessary to clean up mold contamination, not just to kill the mold. Dead mold is still allergenic, and some dead molds are potentially toxic. The use of a biocide, such as chlorine bleach, is not recommended as a routine practice during mold remediation, although there may be instances where professional judgment may indicate its use (for example, when immune-compromised individuals are present). In most cases, it is not possible or desirable to sterilize an area; a background level of mold spores will remain in the air (roughly equivalent to or lower than the level in outside air). These spores will not grow if the moisture problem in the building has been resolved.If you choose to use disinfectants or biocides, always ventilate the area. Outdoor air may need to be brought in with fans. When using fans, take care not to distribute mold spores throughout an unaffected area. Biocides are toxic to humans, as well as to mold. You should also use appropriate PPE and read and follow label precautions. Never mix chlorine bleach solution with cleaning solutions or detergents that contain ammonia; toxic fumes could be produced. Some biocides are considered pesticides, and some States require that only registered pesticide applicators apply these products in schools. Make sure anyone applying a biocide is properly licensed, if necessary. Fungicides are commonly applied to outdoor plants, soil, and grains as a dust or spray—examples include hexachlorobenzene, organomercurials, pentachlorophenol, phthalimides, and dithiocarbamates. Do not use fungicides developed for use outdoors for mold remediation or for any other indoor situation.”From these statements, I would say that you should probably remove all the interior cushions and completely wash the interior of the vessel down with a mixture of soap and water, and personally I would add a cup or two of beach.When I am done cleaning I let the surfaces dry and then wipe down the wood with a citrus oil. This seems to keep things at bay for a while.If you live in one of the very moist environments I would try a dehumidifier. Place it over a sink and let it drain so there is no additional moisture aboard the vessel.If you cushions are contaminated, you need to vacuum them (outside the boat) and then clean them either commercially or with a good home system.For those who live in these areas, I think mold abatement is a year round job. Keep your boat dry and most of your problems with go away. (easier said than done)