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Old 03-02-2011, 08:32 AM   #1
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Unhappy Uh oh, found mold on canvas

Finally made it out to inspect the Roo yesterday. Needed to clean up some stuff, move things around. One of the things I had to do was to put the mattress back on my tent end (I use an air mattress). When I opened up that end I found some mold starting on the canvas! I made some stronger than normal bleach water, got the sponge and went to work wiping everything down. I left that end open last night (no rain) so I could do it again today, and more than likely will again tomorrow.

That is the first thing that I've ever seen going wrong in the Roo.

See photos.. left corner and right corner seems to be where the most is concentrated. But there is some all the way across. Other than wiping it down with bleach and letting it completely dry is there anything else that you suggest that I do?





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Old 03-02-2011, 08:42 AM   #2
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You might also try to asses why it got moldy in the first place. Did it get put away wet? Is there a leak? Once you get past this problem, it would be nice not to face it again.
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Old 03-02-2011, 08:47 AM   #3
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That sucks, never a good way to start off a season.

I'm so jealous of the east coast warm up!
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Old 03-02-2011, 09:01 AM   #4
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Bleach works for mildew but not so much for mold. There is a thread here regards to black mold and they recommend white vinegar. I would try that.
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Old 03-02-2011, 10:28 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
Bleach works for mildew but not so much for mold. There is a thread here regards to black mold and they recommend white vinegar. I would try that.


Gotcha! If most of you will remember, back when we closed up for the winter I wasn't the one that did it. It has never stayed this closed up since we have had it.

NOTE TO SELF - From now on no matter what is broken MAKE sure things are done the right way!
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Old 03-02-2011, 02:10 PM   #6
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what i noticed is that it's on the inside of the canvas, not the outside.
usually, bunk leaks land on the top of the canvas.

any idea how the canvas inside got damp?
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Old 03-02-2011, 03:30 PM   #7
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The only thing I can figure is that when hubby put closed up for the winter he hadn't really let it dry good. Remember we did have it set up from Oct. 30 till Dec. 10. I'm thinking that there was some dampness at that end of my bed. Don't know, for sure but that is where it looks like it was. I didn't get to sleep on it from Nov. 27 on. Will keep an eye on it from now on, for sure. Need to let down the back bunk end to check it. I'm sure if one end has it the other has too. Grrrr
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Old 03-02-2011, 07:02 PM   #8
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When we had our Shamrock and the canvas got mold or mildew I use to open up the tent ends and I would leave the canvas loose on the bottom and remove remove the mattress and any cushions that may get affected while cleaning the canvas (mild bleach solution or vinegar, but not both at the same time). I would lower the end I was cleaning and put a plastic sheet over the bunk end so that any cleaner or water would run out. I them would spritz the canvas with the cleaning solution (bleach or vinegar, not both) and the stains would vanish. Then you would have to rinse thoroughly. I used a hose with a nozzle and CAREFULLY rinsed the canvas and let DRY before closing the bunk ends. The cleaning was best done on a warm sunny day. Good luck! One more thing, my canvas interior was white so the bleach did not affect the fabric.
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Old 03-03-2011, 12:46 AM   #9
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Mild bleach solution is working wonders. Warm and dry here... wiping down canvas (both ends!) leaving out to dry completely. Looks like things are going to be under control.

Never did use the vinegar.
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Old 03-03-2011, 05:37 AM   #10
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In the future, I would also recommend using a moisture absorber like Dri-Z-Air. It is a kit that comes with a container that you put a refill of calcium pellets in and they absorb the excess moisture out of the air. The excess moisture then collects in the bottom of the container. We used one year round in our new trailer we bought this past year and I was amazed how much water it collected. When I put it away in storage, I actually put a second one in the trailer for the winter. You can but them at any RV dealer or places like Walmart that sell RV supplies.
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Old 03-03-2011, 07:28 AM   #11
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I would use some vinegar on it at least twice! Bleach does not and will not kill the mold spores. If you are only using a bleach solution the mold will return. It has been proven time and time again and is even stated in most building codes now. Bleach only removes the stain of the mold and makes it appear to be gone.
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Old 03-03-2011, 09:04 AM   #12
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That stuff is likely mildew and there are various mildew cleaners on the market. Bleach is an oxidizer and it will "eat" at the stitching over routine use. Herk suggest a vinegar and water mix for mildew and that is more friendly to the material and stitching than bleach is. I also use Amazon's green mildew remover for both my boat vinyl and camper fabrics to remove the mildew and stains it causes. Bleach bad...vinegar or Amazons good....
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Old 03-03-2011, 05:44 PM   #13
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I got some stuff from Costco to take care of mold and mildew on the garden fence. It's called "Wet and Forget" and that what you do. It mixes one part ot 5 parts water and I used a tank sprayer on the fence. I've also used it in a plastic spray bottle to kill mold on the inside of a couple of window frames in the house.

The section of fence I did a year ago is still free of mold and mildew. It this climate, that's close to miraculous!
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Old 03-03-2011, 05:57 PM   #14
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Curious what the active ingredient is...
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Old 03-03-2011, 07:49 PM   #15
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Hum..maybe it's acetic acid - sounds much better than vinegar.
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Old 03-03-2011, 08:24 PM   #16
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when i've had this issue with my hybrid and popups, it's mildew, not mold that occurs. it happens on my awning, also.

so, a mild bleach solution or mildew cleaner works fine.
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Old 03-04-2011, 07:31 PM   #17
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Lou:

I looked on the label and the active ingredient is "Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride" at 9.9%.

It's made by a New Zealand company and imported by Costco.
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Old 03-04-2011, 09:58 PM   #18
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Interesting, the EPA's review documents concerning that chemical says that it can also be used as mosquito control around ponds and pools too. I wonder if that's the stuff I see them spraying around town all the time during the mosquito season. Looks like I might have to pick up a couple of these containers, not only for the canvas in the trailer, but also a hand full of other places I could use it. That makes it worth while for me....multiple uses makes it less likely to wind up on the shelf in the garage with the left over paint from 5 years ago.

If anybody is interested - Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride (ADBAC) | Pesticides | US EPA

I also found a health hazard scorecard rating for it here - http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemi...e_id=8001-54-5

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Old 04-07-2013, 02:43 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skeeterbait8 View Post
Mild bleach solution is working wonders. Warm and dry here... wiping down canvas (both ends!) leaving out to dry completely. Looks like things are going to be under control.

Never did use the vinegar.
Just wanted to know how we'll this worked out for you. I have a major problem with year. I had a leak in the roof where the calk separated and leaked in my trailer over the winter leaving major stains on my canvas. I've tried a mold cleaner with no luck on the inside of the canvas but works wonders on the outside where there is not a ruff surface. There is a photo attached. Any ideas on how to clean the black mold stain off the ruff side of the canvas?
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