Dealing with Mildew
and Mold in Your Coach
from an article by Debbie Hollembaek, DLH Design
We’ve all smelled it in our own RV’s,
perhaps after storing them over a period of time or in a used RV, “that musty odor”. What is that? Musty odors come from
several things such as storing your RV, clothes left in the RV, cooking, drain
pipes, sewer tanks, engine fumes, pets, mildew…. getting the picture? Some of us experience the problem worse than
others if you live in a damp muggy climate….Mildew or Mold.
Mildew
or mold appears as
black or bluish spots around wet areas like your shower, toilet and tile grout
to name a few places it loves to start growing. If you see or suspect mold treat it immediately using the
following method(s).
Absorbent
or porous materials, such as fuzzy ceiling liner, and carpet, may have to be
thrown away if they become moldy. Do
not paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely
to peel and the mold will grow back. If you have to remove a porous material
that is bigger than 3x3 feet I recommend calling a professional.
If you are removing a smaller area first make sure you are suited up for the job. An N-95 respirator found at local hardware stores will keep you from breathing in mold spores. Wear long rubber gloves and goggles for extra protection. First wet the area so when you begin to remove it mold spores won’t fly into the air. Create negative pressure in the room by placing a fan in front of an open window to ventilate any mold that may get air born. And one last thing, make sure your furnace and air conditioner is off.
If you are removing a smaller area first make sure you are suited up for the job. An N-95 respirator found at local hardware stores will keep you from breathing in mold spores. Wear long rubber gloves and goggles for extra protection. First wet the area so when you begin to remove it mold spores won’t fly into the air. Create negative pressure in the room by placing a fan in front of an open window to ventilate any mold that may get air born. And one last thing, make sure your furnace and air conditioner is off.
To
clean moldy non-porous materials I prefer bleach or borax mixes. However you can investigate using
vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and tea tree oil on the web.
For
killing mold with bleach use a ratio of one cup of bleach per gallon of water. No rinse is required except for food
prep areas.
There
are many advantages to using borax to kill mold. For starters, borax is a natural
cleaning product and although it is toxic if you swallow it, borax does not
emit chemicals.
To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.
To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.
Debbie Hollembaek 541-579-0910
dlhdesignrv@comcast.net www.dlhdesigner.com
