Mold and mildew?

I have a mold/mildew problem in my boat. If I let the boat sit a month or so it gets covered in it. I can clean and pressure wash and scrub with chlorox and in a few short weeks it is everywhere again. I'm talking the seats, the bilge, the gel coat inside and out, everywhere. I suspect when I kill it I am only getting the surface mold. My guess is up under the deck where I can't reach the stuff still thrives and when the boat sits the stuff spreads. Anybody ever have a similar problem and what did you do?

Thanks
Mike

Re: Mold and mildew?

hi, i had a similar problem on my old seamaster 8M, had to rip everything out, all seats / carpets / head linings etc, then over the next two months steam clean the inside, dry and had a portable de humidifier running for 6 weeks, then fitted all new linings / carpets and took the chance to re upholster all the seats etc, never had a problem after that.

I think it "hides" away in the linings and foam, real PITA to get rid of, but worth it.

Re: Mold and mildew?

Might want to read the following...

Most people reach for the bleach to clean up household mold, but it can make the mold problem worse. Instead of killing the mold, the bleach actually can feed it.
Bleach is commonly believed to be an effective fungicide (mold-killer). In one situation, it may be effective: on hard, non-porous surfaces such as a countertop or shower stall. On porous surfaces such as walls, floors, ceilings, and cabinets, however, it is not effective ? in fact, it can actually feed the mold and make the problem worse. This is counterintuitive ? it goes against the common thought that bleach kills germs. How can bleach feed the mold, when it is supposed to kill it? It has to do with the composition of bleach and the structure of mold.

Bleach is mostly water. The water in the bleach carries the active chemical ingredient known as chlorine (sodium hypochlorite). Several sources, including bleach-mold-myth, say that the chlorine in bleach remains on the surface of the wood and does not soak down into the wood.

Mold grows in colonies, sending out branches as it grows. Killing one part of the mold will not kill the mold. Instead, the mold comes back. If it has been fed by using bleach or some other household cleaner, it comes back stronger.

The chlorine does not soak into the porous materials (wood, wallboard, ceiling tiles), but the water in the bleach does. The bleach might kill the mold that is on the surface of the wood, but because the chlorine cannot penetrate the wood, it will not kill the mold structures that are underneath the surface.
The water soaks down into the porous material to where the roots of the mold are. Moisture is one of the few requirements mold has. Now that even more of the wood has become moist, thanks to the water in the bleach, the mold can spread into that area and continue its feast.
Using bleach on mold is like cutting off some of the leaves of a plant while feeding the roots, and thinking that the plant has been killed. The plant will just grow more leaves, and the plant will be stronger because it has been fed.

The Clorox ? Company, OSHA, and the EPA all have determined that bleach should not be used in mold remediation. Bleach is ineffective and unsafe for cleaning up mold or killing mold. It appears to kill the mold, but just the surface mold is affected ? the hidden mold underneath the surface is alive and well ? now it?s doing even better. The mold says, ?Thanks for the food! See you in a few days!? and the surface mold will soon be back.When the mold grows back to the surface, often there will often be even more of it. Bleach seems to help, but it makes it worse. There are ways to get rid of this unwanted houseguest, but bleach is not one of them.

Re: Mold and mildew?

Spray everything with Lysol.

Re: Mold and mildew?

The key is to reduce the moisture. When the boat sits covered it can become a real issue from condensation, and the added heat under the cover is perfect for mold/mildew growth. I use a solar powered fan to keep air circulating under the cover and it vents to the outside. I also have found that this product really helps if you leave the boat stored for any period to reduce mold: http://www.superslickstuff.com/lubricant/SunPac-Mildewcide.html Hang one in a high point on the boat and it really helps reduce the mold. Not too expensive either and seems to last several months.

Re: Mold and mildew?

If I remember correctly:
Mold needs heat, food and water (moisture). Remove any component and it'll at least stall.
Venting under the cover is likely the best way, and to keep boat in a "sunny spot" so it'll at least help heating it up when the sun comes out - assuming the venting is functional.

Draw back of venting is of course that one will get some bugs in via the vent and have to deal with them eventually.

Always been suspicious to seal/shrink-wrap a boat, but maybe it works on never boats.

Re: Mold and mildew?

We use a product called Damp Rid ( you can find it at Lowes )

Re: Mold and mildew?

The humidity I think is the worst thing. My boat, which I purchased in Florida this summer had mildew all over it from sitting outside for just 2 weeks. It is now in Wisconsin and the heat here has not made it come back at all....So I know it was the humidity. The previous owner of my boat used damp rid in the engine compartment, cuddy and gas tank area (don't know what that is called) and I have continued it. Bottom line, it's the humid air smothering your boat

Joe

Re: Mold and mildew?

OK, Lkbum, what is the alternative to using bleach to kill mildew? TSP? Ammonia?

For the record, I have never had an issue using bleach. You need to get all the mold or mildew, or it will grow back quickly. Beach penetrates porus surfaces just fine. That is why it is used to wash clothes.

Re: Mold and mildew?

I guess it's just like anything else...If you take a way one of the key ingredients it needs to grow it will die. Just like water in a garden. Weed the garden, till it up and the weeds will come back. Take water away and the majority of those weeds will die.

Same on a boat...if you take the moisture away from the boat, it will have the same effect. It will drastically reduce the presence of things that need that moisture to survive.

Joe

Re: Mold and mildew?

Chris1956 said:

OK, Lkbum, what is the alternative to using bleach to kill mildew? TSP? Ammonia?

For the record, I have never had an issue using bleach. You need to get all the mold or mildew, or it will grow back quickly. Beach penetrates porus surfaces just fine. That is why it is used to wash clothes.

Click to expand...

Personally, I don't use bleach because it damages most polymers. It leaches out the plasticizers used to make a polymer softer and will make the polymer harder (this is a general statement and there are exceptions). The best mildew prevention I ever used (other than the obvious ones stated in the previous posts), was a biocide used to keep surfaces bioburden free in a doctors office. THis is not a practical solution for most people. To remove mildew, I use the "mildew removers" from Overtons and the like that use various acids which in theory penetrate porous srufaces a little better (the jury is still out on these). I keep things ventilated to prevent mildew. I don't stack wet things in the boat and if I have to cover it while wet, I use life vests to create air path where the cover meets the hull so that lot's of air moves around.

Regarding the use of bleach to wash clothes, I think hot water and DRYING them would do just as well as bleach... I always refer to the following which is supported with lot's of testing available on the web "The Clorox ? Company, OSHA, and the EPA all have determined that bleach should not be used in mold remediation. Bleach is ineffective and unsafe for cleaning up mold or killing mold."

Re: Mold and mildew?

You can go to a cleaning supply place and they have chemicals to kill mold. I got some years ago but can not remember the name of it.