Another Mold/mildew Thread..not Cushions Though

[one4water]

I have seen loads of mold threads for cleaning seats and cushions. I have that pretty well covered. For now anyway at least

The problem I have in is the hulls. I have poured cleaner and water in the anchor lockers so it runs back and let it splash around and let the bilge pumps blow it out but there is still a good bit on the sides and tops of my batrtery compartment and elsewhere in the hulls. Nothing in the storage compartments or anywhere I normally can clean.

I spent a little time with cleaner and a brush last year and got some out but what can be done for the areas that I can't get a brush to?

Is there anything strong enough to spray on and hose off that will kill it and not eat away at the boat or pumps or anything else it may come in contact with? As it sits now I can do it out of the water but she is launching in a week.

Then the next deal is to minimize its return. I got a mooring cover for it so I was thinking that when it will sit for a while, I could open the hatches that lead to these areas and maybe allow better air circulation to help keep it from coming back. Good idea? bad idea? Maybe even add a small solar powered fan to help move the air around?

Maybe I am just wasting time an energy with this but the previous owner was not real good(actually he sucked at it) about cleaning her and I want to try to keep her as perfect as I can. I know we never see the bilge and hidden areas but I know they are there and it bugs me that there is crap growing in there.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I want it to be white again and not speckled with black stuff. I may just be dreaming though

[hookemdano]

50/50 clorox and water in a pump sprayer will kill it, but it will also eat up anything not plastic or stainless. That goes for ropes, mops, iron, and non-stainless steel. Be careful with electrical connections. Aluminum tolerates it pretty well, but I would flush really well with fresh water after giving it a few minutes to do its job.

[Sea N Double]

50/50 clorox and water in a pump sprayer will kill it, but it will also eat up anything not plastic or stainless. That goes for ropes, mops, iron, and non-stainless steel. Be careful with electrical connections. Aluminum tolerates it pretty well, but I would flush really well with fresh water after giving it a few minutes to do its job.

Thats what i do, and requires no brushing but like Dano says LOTS OF WATER !!!

[rchanner]

I've fount that Tilex....the one that says "mildew root killer" on the label has worked like a champ on everything I've sprayed it on...anchor well, under gunnels, etc. It even killed & removed a mildew spot from the carpet headliner without discoloring. (but be careful spraying stuff on any fabric)

[Capt Rick Hiott]

I have also used the Tilex mold remover,,,,It made the inside of the hull look brand new! No scrubing, and it didnt take long. The Lysol brand works good too.

[Luckydogsc]

i would put damprid buckets in there when not in use if it were me after you get it clean. The will pull the moisture out of the air. I use 4 of them in my boat under the cover and I have had no issues since starting to use them.

[Mr. Demeanor]

I also use Tilex. It will bleach your cloths. Contains a version of bleach but also some detergents that suds up. Seems to work better than bleach alone. When my boat is parked I open or prop up the lid/cover onevery enclosure I can short of pulling deckplates. A little airflow helps a lot.

[Sandy]

You could cover the boat and give it a brief (1-2 hrs?) shock treatment by a commercial ozone generator ( not those silly little things like sharper image used to sell). The will supposedly kill existing mold/mildew but you still have to figure out how to clean those harder to get to areas. Most of the bigger yards have the o. generators these days. Ozone is corrosive to varying degrees for various materials so weigh potential benefits vs possible risk.

[CoveHunter]

I second the tilex. Boaters Worlds product is the same but $8.00 more. Used it on my boat cover yesterday, mold disappears in about 5 min., live wells & lockers, same thing spray than hose off. Wear Old Clothes and a hat...trust me. Your problem is done.

[rchanner]

Speaking of Tilex- I bought the 1 gallon jug of tilex today from Lowe's for $11.00. I was going to spray a few spots that had a little mildew: anchor locker lid, a little under the gunnels, a few stray spots on the insert, some mildew spots in the fish boxes....and I just kept spraying. I ended up spraying the whole topside of the boat. This turned out to be the easiest spring cleaning I've ever done. The whole boat was sparkling white, including all of the non-skid. (we all know the non-skid is a pain ion the @$$ to get perfect) I came to one conclusion: Tilex is my friend! I'll do the same thing every year from now on for spring cleaning!