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07-06-2017, 01:01 AM
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#21
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Kinship
Vessel Model: North Pacific 43
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9,046
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoneFarrell
Before that I clean the lockers and boat spaces well then treat with a product called Moldex. It will kill the mold and the hyphae that grow into the boat. Bleach cannot do that. Bleach only works at the surface. Be careful with Moldex and follow directions, it is real chemistry to kill mold.
I've advised a couple other TF's here on this and seemed to work out OK.
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Thank you all for the tip on bleach and its ineffectiveness on mold. I'll check out this Moldex.
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07-29-2017, 11:13 AM
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#22
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,121
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Two good (older) friends who believed they were both suffering from dementia / Alzheimer's were a recently informed that they both had been exposed to black mold in their home. Apparently, while it may not be only cause of their condition, it is now recognized that black mold does cause memory loss and cognitive problems in those exposed over time.
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07-29-2017, 05:00 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
City: Cape Coral, Fl
Vessel Name: Panacea
Vessel Model: Novatec 42 Sundeck Trawler
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 163
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I have an Auto A/C repair shop and mold & mildew is a common problem in cars here in Florida. Also produces musty smell!
When we bought our current boat it was stored under cover but without A/C running.
Had a considerable amount of mold!
Wife used a culture tray (the kind you send in for analysis), it came back with every kind of fungus and mold known to man.
Cleaned the inside with vintager solution and then used this Mist Service we have had good luck with in cars.
Did another test and Viola no more critters!
Here is a link to the web site
TerraClean
Now fortunately I have the machine, but if you have a problem to solve, I highly recommend it. Ozone generators can cause damage to rubber (like engine hoses. No bueno) probably worth the cost
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07-30-2017, 11:06 AM
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#24
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Guru
City: Cleveland
Vessel Name: Irishland
Vessel Model: Chris Craft Corinthian 380
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 587
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Portage_Bay
I'm a full time liveaboard and have learned to battle the mold.
As everyone has said, cleanliness and ventilation are the key to keeping your boat mold free. Ventilation is so important. In addition to fans leave doors and drawers open when and where you can. Don't pack lockers and drawers full to the brim. For liveaboards mattresses are a big problem. They will grow all sorts of unpleasant things between the mattress and the berth flat. Use something to move air or provide a thermal break between the mattress and the berth flat. I've used stuff like this Interlocking Drainage Mats. I currently use a thin layer of closed cell foam between the mattress and berth flat. It's a little harder to find but works very well.
Turn your mattress often, unless it is an odd shape that can't be turned. Typically our boats will have more berths than liveaboards use on a daily basis. Those mattresses need air flow too, I just prop them up when not in use.
In the depths of a PNW winter you will fight humidity constantly. Some of the things I do are shower at the marina showers, really cuts down on humidity. Leave some windows cracked and the heat on when I go to work, I won't be there to mind the cold draft and it really dries the boat out. Move all the clothing I don't use during winter to a storage locker, less stuff in the boat's lockers and drawers means more air flow. If like mine, your mattress butts against the hull, pull it out a few inches during the day.
But sometimes it just gets away from you and you need to take drastic action.
Fiberglass is not a smooth glass like surface in the interior of a boat. It's almost as bad as wood or carpet for being a substrate for mold and mildew though it does not provide any 'food' for the fungus. So there you have it, our boats have at least 3 good ( bad? ) places for mold and mildew to thrive. The tendrils ( I'm probably using the wrong term here ) of the mold and mildew are deep out of sight. What we see are the fruiting bodies ( again, probably have the wrong term ). Clorox and vinegar will knock the fruiting bodies back, the mold / mildew seems to be gone only to reappear soon after clean up, a never ending battle.
Clorox and vinegar are a good first start, but now you need to get ready for the long term battle. Lepke recommends MX3 if you're repainting. I've used similar products with success.
If you don't want to repaint you need something that stays on the surface and inhibits the mold / mildew but is not toxic to you or your pets. I like to use Borax and not quite fully rinse the area. Leave some to dry on the surface. Here's a link to using Borax to kill mold. Does Borax Kill Mold?
Denatured alcohol has some effect on the mold as well. Hydrogen Peroxide is reputed to work but I've not tried it.
Years ago I lived in a rental with a serious mold problem. I never did win the battle but I beat it down to a tolerable level by
- Washing with Clorox, rinse and let dry
- Soak with vinegar, rinse and let dry
- Soak with denatured alcohol, let it evaporate
- Repeat for several days
- Wash with Borax and let dry
It mostly worked.
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Portage:
Your post was a world of info. Thank you for sharing.
Cheers
H.
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07-31-2017, 05:21 AM
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#25
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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"Judicious use of an ozone generator can help kill mold....(ozone has risks to educate yourself on their use)"
For NON livea board times , boats in FL in storage will mix up a wine bottle of WWI mustard gas chemicals. There under your galley sink,
Ventilate on return big time.
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07-31-2017, 09:36 AM
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#26
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Guru
City: Mississippi
Vessel Name: ADAGIO
Vessel Model: CHB Present 42 Sundeck
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 920
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Bleach
I have not read any new info on effectiveness of bleach on mold. But when I was helping down on the coast after Katrina I was told by several 'pros' that pure bleach was useless on mold - causes the mold cells to go into shock and they stop taking liquids across the membrane. But if you apply a 10-15% bleach/water mix, that is weak enough not to cause shock and will cross the mold's membrane, but still strong enough to kill the cells. Works whenever I find mold or mildew in any of my rental units.
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07-31-2017, 11:35 AM
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#28
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Guru
City: Mississippi
Vessel Name: ADAGIO
Vessel Model: CHB Present 42 Sundeck
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 920
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoneFarrell
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Thanks - I've seen that at HD - will give it a try
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07-31-2017, 12:01 PM
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#29
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
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I would love to see a tech paper on bleach and mold versus a lot of third hand info.
My guess is full strength or partial bleach is equally effective, whether good or not I cant say and other stuff might be much better.
Like drinking 1 gallon of Jack Daniels or 4...both are probably going to do you in.
I will say a spray bottle of diluted bleach has helped a lot on my 3 liveaboards...but hope I can find something better that doesnt ruin some fabrics.
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07-31-2017, 12:18 PM
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#30
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Guru
City: Powell River, BC
Vessel Name: Northern Spy
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 26
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,075
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I've used Moldex as well on a stubborn locker. Killed it and used some of the preventer stuff, and it never came back. Doesn't smell like bleach, more like an old school dentist office.
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07-31-2017, 12:24 PM
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#31
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
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I bet it is the ticket....just skeptical that diluted bleach at a certain percentage is better than full strength.
But I could be wrong as mother nature fools me a lot.
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07-31-2017, 01:14 PM
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#32
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
I bet it is the ticket....just skeptical that diluted bleach at a certain percentage is better than full strength.
But I could be wrong as mother nature fools me a lot.
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Wifey B: Makes no more sense than having to use hot water to make jello when you're then going to refrigerate it. Hubby told me about making some as a kid, that he thought it made more sense to use cold water. Of course it remained liquid.
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07-31-2017, 01:39 PM
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#33
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
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Or ice to make a drink cold...
Some things make sense to me, but reducing a toxin to make it more effective doesnt...unless it is in the vaccine concept...which normally isnt a max dose from the start.
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07-31-2017, 02:51 PM
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#34
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Or ice to make a drink cold...
Some things make sense to me, but reducing a toxin to make it more effective doesnt...unless it is in the vaccine concept...which normally isnt a max dose from the start.
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Wifey B: Don't ask me. Chemistry is not my subject.
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07-31-2017, 03:44 PM
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#36
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
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OK..so I did the google search ...
Here is but just one observation....
"I'm sure if you asked a Clorox scientist, "Hey what if we added a surfactant and bumped up the sodium hypochlorite dilution to 4%. Do you think that would do the job?" his answer would be "absolutely". The caveats of bleach are not in its effectiveness (it works.. period) but in the fact that it is such a strong oxidizer. It cannot and should not come in contact with metal. That means wiring and piping are taboo."
Now what anti bleach types?
Yet another internet misunderstanding on reality?
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07-31-2017, 04:49 PM
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#37
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Guru
City: Mississippi
Vessel Name: ADAGIO
Vessel Model: CHB Present 42 Sundeck
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 920
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoneFarrell
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Well that makes sense,(use on hard surfaces only) as I have primarily used the diluted bleach on hard plaster walls and ceilings and it has worked well there. Learn something new every day!
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