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Mildew removal

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:36 pm
by RustyBoat
Im about to start restoring my interior and have a mildew problem on some of the wood inside(cabinet doors and trim). whats the best way to remove or does all the wood need replacing? Is it possible to use a solution to remove and stain or can I just sand it down and stain?

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:11 pm
by jralbert
It doesn't take long to hit the mildewed wood and surrounding areas with a mild bleach solution to kill the mold spores.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:53 pm
by bill
BigM
:idea: I remember reading a sure fire mixture to rid the interior of mold and mildew on the old site. :oops:
I believe the proper amount and ingredients are as follows:
TSP 1cup---Bleach 2 cups----Original Dawn 1/4 cup----Water 3 quarts very hot water to dissolve TSP.
-Pour it into a spray bottle and have at it.
Rinse with warm water.
"As always test an out of the way area first :!: " :roll:

bill

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:36 pm
by Rivetman
I'm not sure what TSP is.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:10 pm
by jralbert
TSP is the brand name of a strong soap. I think it actually stands for Tri Sodium Phosphate. It's available in most hardware and, I think, paint stores

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 10:29 am
by yooper
I use the dawn, bleach, tsp solution for general cleanup in my kitchen and boat. I just pour about 2 oz of dawn 4 oz of bleach and a tablespoon of tsp into a 16 oz spray bottle. Top it off with water decant 1/2 into another spray bottle and top both off. Vary the mix according to what you are trying to clean. Grease - more detergent. Mold more bleach. Dryed dirt more TSP. For more delicate wood surfaces you can use mineral spirits - it evaporates quickly. Oil soap is also an option for paneling. The thing I like about these cleaners is they are cheap and effective.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:30 pm
by jralbert
It would be interesting to hear how the original poster fared with his cleanup project and which suggested "solution" he used.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:33 pm
by RustyBoat
I originally tried to use an antibacterial surface cleaner and it seamed to dry out the wood and discolor it. After looking further into the mold issue i realized that from excessive water damage due to leaks means the interior needs to be gutted and cleaned. Only about 20% of the wood trim inside needs to be replaced but all of the panels for the walls and ceiling need to be replaced. For all the wood that isnt going to be replaced I will strip, sand, and apply new stain. For normal cleanup in the future I will definitely use one of the solutions provided.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:50 am
by yooper
Teak trim wood shouldn't rot. I turns grey and white with streaks of black mold. Use the cleaning solution with a brush then a little sanding to smooth out the raised grain. It should be a uniform grey or light brown. Teak oil should bring back the teak color if not use a little stain. You only need to varnish teak if it is outside or around wet areas inside. You can varnish right over teak oil. Teak is great but is very expensive.

Re: Mildew removal

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 8:38 pm
by bcassedy
Getting the boat ready for spring Splash Day. Ran into a situation when I went down to start getting her ready. Boat's been buttoned up since last October. When I went inside I found an unbelievable amount of green mildew (,or mold?) throughout the boat.
I started cleaning it today using 20 Muleteam Borax. I'd previously used a bleach solution but that streaked the wood badly. Borax is suggested as 1st line of cleanup. If necessary a solution of white vinegar and water is then used.

The thing that bothers me is the heavy concentration of mold / mildew I ran into. In years past there has been some mold but nothing on the scale I ran into this year. I did start closing up the draft sites (between sliding windows using rubber channel siliconed in place). That seemed to work well. Now I'm wondering if it worked too well:
- during day sun heats up boat. Heated air expands forcing air to be expelled from inside. When boat cools, cool moist air drawn in. Air is moisture laden and mold & mildew thrive.

Next year the plan is to use desiccant packs that can be reused after drying them out PLUS using a 12v dehumidifier that'll empty thru the aft drain plug hole.

Has anyone run into what I found and/or what means did you use to clean / prevent further problems?

Bill