How to Get Rid of Mold & Mildew Stains on a Popup Camper Canvas

Damp canvas is an excellent medium for the growth of mold and mildew. A pop-up camper that has been in the rain and then packed before drying will often end up with mold and mildew stains as a result. Fortunately these can be cleaned with a little elbow grease and some simple steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fans
• Dehumidifier
• Medium-stiffness brush
• Shop vacuum
• Bleach
• Water
• Spray bottle
• Stiff-bristled brush
• Water (hose)

1. Dry the canvas thoroughly. Ideally, put up the camper outside when you have a period of warm, sunny weather. To speed up the drying process, put several fans or a dehumidifier inside the camper.

2. Brush the canvas top with a dry medium-bristled brush to remove any loose mildew or mold. If you suffer from allergies or are sensitive to mold, wear a filtration mask while doing this step. After brushing the canvas, vacuum it thoroughly with a shop vac.

3. Make a diluted bleach and water mixture of one cup household bleach per one gallon of water, and pour some of this into a household spray bottle. Spray bottles are available at home and garden stores, or you can reuse an empty household cleaner bottle, such as a glass cleaner bottle. Just be sure to rinse it out well before reusing it.

4. Spray the affected area of the canvas with your solution. Then scrub the area with a stiff-bristled hand brush. You can perform this step with the canvas still on the camper; or if you can remove the canvas top, you can spread the canvas out onto a flat area such as a driveway.

5. Rinse the area you've cleaned with clear water from a garden hose. After you've completed your cleaning, let the canvas dry thoroughly before closing the camper and storing it.

References

• Cleaning Plain & Simple: A Ready Reference guide with hundreds of sparkling solutions to your everyday cleaning challenges; Donna Smallin; 2005

[ontheoutskirts]

on 11/30/2009 Thanks for the info! I'll try this and see if it works - our popup wasn't put away wet but it started to mold where the sun never hits it. Hope this works!