How to Eliminate Mold & Mildew on Boats
All boat owners will eventually have to deal with mold and mildew, the "fuzzy stuff" that grows on bread and oranges--and any surface on a boat. It's usually simple enough to remove mold and mildew unless you're allergic to it, and a number of chemicals and cleaners will deal with mold and mildew effectively. Eliminating mold and mildew in your boat is matter of prevention, which means keeping the interior of your boat clean, dry and aired out.
Things You'll Need
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Chlorine bleach
- Paper towels
- 2-inch diameter PVC pipe
- Dessicant packs
Instructions
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Keep the galley, decks, walls and overhead surfaces in the boat clean using baking soda, vinegar or chlorine bleach. There are also specialty commercial cleaners that inhibit mold and mildew growth aboard boats.
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Use paper towels to wipe up spills, then remove the paper towels and trash from your boat. Keeping the interior of your boat dry goes a long way to keeping mold and mildew at bay, particularly between uses. Water left standing will foster the growth of "fuzzy stuff" as well as attract insects. Spills like blood from a barbecue on board provide a perfect medium for mold and mildew growth. When the boat is in storage, a portable dehumidifier will help, too.
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Keep the air moving by making sure that the summer cover allows air to circulate. Most boat covers have vents. If you use an unvented cover, leave a few snaps undone at the front and rear of the boat, and slip a short piece of 2-inch PVC pipe under the edge of the cover at both locations so that a "tunnel of air flow" is created from the bow (the front) to the stern (the back) of the boat.
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Remove all food products from your boat before you store it. The length of time doesn't matter; if you're taking the boat out of the water, take the food off of the boat. If you're leaving your boat moored to a buoy, unoccupied, in the marina for more than an evening, consider taking the food with you when you leave the boat.
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Use desicant packs--those moisture-absorbing packets you find in the packages that electronic devices come in--only as a last resort, and only if the boat will be laid up and sealed for more than a season. They're effective, but they're also harmful to animals. If a curious squirrel climbs into the boat for a nap and nibbles, you'll be dealing with a moldy squirrel carcass.
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References
Resources
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Comments
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luvmygrnds
Jan 14, 2011
How do I remove mold from a bread drawer? I have used everything.....Hydrogen Peroxide.....trying to avoid bread products from absorbing the smell/taste of chemicals. I've baked it in the sun for hours, vinagar, Oxyclean, baking soda, etc. I don't want o have to not use this drawer anymore, it is within my custom cabinets.
