Mold on canvass

[Joe from ny]

I am in the process of covering up my boat for the winter. I noticed the inside of the canvas has black mold spots all over it. The outside of the canvas is fine. Only the inside is covered with the spots. Since I am removing it from the boat this week before the boat gets shrink wrapped, I want to find out what I can use to scrub the canvas that won't damage it like bleach probably would? Can anyone recommend a product or process? Thanks


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[Moody46CC]

I assume you have sunbrella. I have used bleach on mine to clean it. You can apply a soap and bleach solution but don't let it sit. Scrub and rinse. Rinse well. Air dry.

[thinwater]

To prevent recurrence:

• Treat with water repellent. This will reduce moisture holding.
• Treat with quat amine at about 0.01%. Pool algae killer. This will kill the mold and help prevent recurrence.

[tuffr2]

Get this...I was accused of canvas abuse by the people that made my boat cover. They told me if possible keep the boat under a roof. Also said I was not treating the sunbrella very well as it was dirty.

They said bleach will ruin the threads. They said so not use any harsh cleaners.

The only soap they recommended was Woolite. They said it was mild enough to use on the boat cover.

So I picked a sunny day and with Woolite, scrub brush and wated hose I cleaned it let it dry. I then sprayed it good with 7 cans of campdry.

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[Joe from ny]

Would bleach stain the canvas? It is kind of dried out.


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[Moody46CC]

Soak the canvas first. Then wash it with bleach and then soap. Don't let it sit long. It will be OK as long as it does not sit long. I used one of those hard bristle brushes for sweeping the garage. Had the canvas upside down on the lawn so the mold was exposed. After rinsing it, moved it to another spot on the lawn and let it dry.

[AD28]

Link to Sunbrella's website, PDF on how to clean and care for Sunbrella:

http://cdn.glenraven.net/sunbrella/_...ops-covers.pdf

[Joe from ny]

i used this great silicone based water repellent. the problem is that it kept the moisture inside the helm area, on the underside of the canvas. that part is all spotty with mold. the topside is perfect, not a speck of mold. the water repellent is so great that on the few tears in the canvas, they cant even be covered by duct tape. the tape just slides right off the canvass, it wont stick since i treated it with waterproofing. i removed the canvass from the boat and brought it home with me for a project this week. i will lay it on the lawn, and try a weak bleach solution with an immediate clean off with soap and water.

[zeehag]

DO NOT USE BLEACH.
good grief. the sunbrealla folks say do NOT use bleach. how easy is that to understand???
vinegar is not harmful to any fabric and kills mold.
what is so difficult about that or does no one remember the ways grandmother used to us eto wash items and remove the mold and mildew from fabric????
go back n deal with grammaw and learn how to do stuff. is easy.


btw--bleach only turns mold white so you cannot see it... vinegar actually kills mold by changing th epH of the environment it is trying to live in.. bleach merely bleaches it so you forget about it...lol it is still there, as you will learn.

[AD28]

zeehag,

please peruse the pdf link directly to Glen Raven Mills, manufacturer of Sunbrella. I'll save you the trouble of clicking the link, and quote directly:

"Heavy Cleaning for Stubborn Stains and Mildew
Sunbrella fabrics do not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric.

To clean stubborn stains:
Prepare a solution of 1 cup bleach and 1/4 cup of mild soap per gallon of clean water.
Soak affected area in solution for 15 minutes.
Blot stain with a sponge or clean towel. (Note: This step should be avoided when cleaning the coated side (Back side) of Sunbrella Plus, Supreme, or Clarity.
Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
Air dry.

Note: Use caution when cleaning the coated (underside) of Sunbrella Plus, Supreme, or Clarity with the recommended bleach solution. The coated side of the fabric should only be sprayed with the recommended bleach solution and rinsed thoroughly.

Remember to protect the area around your Sunbrella fabric if using a bleach solution. Carpet or other fabrics that are not Sunbrella may have an adverse reaction to the bleach."

[zeehag]

awesome
i find my canvas here in tropics cleans well with a dilute vinegar solution which does not interfere with any kind of material.
normal cleaning is off the boat, on the dock with a jet spray nozzle on my hose. works perfect.
funny how i live in tropic and have less problems with my canvas than you in temperate zones and bleach users.
your choice, but i find better longevity when i avoid bleaching fabrics of any kind.
happy frequent replacement.

[Blue Stocking]

Any location that can supply 78% humidity and 78 *F . rot and mould will thrive.

Mildew is Bermuda's national flower.

[Liam Wald]

How about oxyclean?

[Joe from ny]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

How about oxyclean?

That is an idea. I used oxyclean on the moldy hardtop on my 1971 Blazer and it brought it back to brand new condition, total absence of mold.

I dont have the before photo, but here is the after on the truck:

[Ryan H]

My first recommendation would be to turn it inside out and get some sunlight and fresh air on it. Mold likes moisture and dark, that's why the outside of the canvas is fine. After that there's a bunch of things you could try. I know one guy who swears by undulated antifreeze. I'm not so sure about using bleach, I've heard just as many qualified people say that it actually makes the problem worse in the long run as say that it works. I'd personally go with the vinegar route first.... Definitely start with air and sun though....

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