# Mildew Smell!



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hello! I can't seem to get the mildew smell out of my cushions and foam bedding. Any ideas?! Thank you.


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## JomsViking (Apr 28, 2007)

Have a look at this thread: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36083&highlight=mildew


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

do the coffee grounds really work???? I do love fresh coffee.. old grounds don't smell much better then mud LOL


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

This might work. It has for me with musty smells...
http://www.febreze.com/en_US/febreze/fabric_refresher_antimicrobal.do
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Febreze


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Why not take the cushions out and have them professionally cleaned ?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The coffee grounds absorb and neutralize odors, and you can get them for free at almost any coffee shop—SBC, StarBucks, Peets, etc.

If the odor persists, it is probably because you have mildew or mold in the foam in the cushions themselves, and you will either need to replace the foam or clean them with bleach, to remove the source of the odor.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

sailingdog said:


> If the odor persists, it is probably because you have mildew or mold in the foam in the cushions themselves, and you will either need to replace the foam or clean them with bleach, to remove the source of the odor.


Windermere, what sort of covering have you got?

If they're vinyl cushions, the mildew/mold won't be in the foam - it'll be on the underside of the fabric. You'll have to take the covers off and get them professionally cleaned (if they don't completely fall apart first like our vinyl cushions did).

--Cameron


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thank you all!


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

*Mildew smell removal from foam ....*

Get some paraformaldehyde crystals (MildewGaz, etc.) ... but must be 'paraformaldehyde'
Get a LARGE heavy walled plastic bag ... and a vacuum cleaner or shop vac. 
One or 2 SHEETS of fabric softner (Bounce™, etc.)

Remove the covers from the cushions and wash them.

Pour the paraformaldehyde crystals onto a sheet of fabric (muslin or old bedsheet material) and wrap it up into a 'wad'. The fabric will 'contain' the paraF. and prevent it from 'getting all over' the foam.

Roll the foam as tight as possible, with the 'wad' containing the paraF crystals inside it , add the fabric softner sheets ...... and STUFF it into the plastic bag.

Close the bag but make a 'neck' into which you can put the vacuum hose from the shop vac or vacuum cleaner.

Hold the 'neck' of the bag tightly around the vacuum hose and 'suck-down' the foam into a teeny 'little knot'. Quickly remove the vacuum hose and seal the bag 'neck' with string, etc. Let sit a day or so or until the outside air pressure refills the bag & foam... then pump-down again several times. 
Let the foam sit in the bag at least a week (will slowly gain air but no matter).

Then remove the 'wad' containing the paraformaldehyde and suck the foam down several times to remove the paraformaldehyde gas and exchange that gas for 'air'.

The paraformalhyde will KILL any mold/mildew and its spores inside the foam, will exchange the foul trapped air with 'good' air. This will usually correct the foul odor if the mildew hasnt 'gotten too far' (growth) inside the foam. If this method doesnt work, then you have to get new foam.

Do this out in the open/outside as paraformaldehyde gas is harmful to humans. READ all the cautions on the paraF package and follow them to the letter as if misused paraformaldehyde is quite harmful.

To prevent mildew, etc. 'uptake' go to an upholstery supply and 'overlay' all the foam inside your cushions with 'latex membrane' ... leaving only small sections of the 'sides' uncovered with membrane so that .... you dont get a 'whoopie cushion' effect when you sit down on them. Cover the foam with latex (leaving some small 'breathing holes'), dust the membrane with a wee bit of talc ... and stuff them back inside of the covering material.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Fantastic, thanks RichH, I'm so glad it can be done! Here's another one for you...how do I get the *black mildew color *off the fiberglass, non skid looking headliner inside?! I've tried everything including peroxide, I think. Is our only hope repainting it?


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## davideureka (Jul 19, 2007)

i use dryer sheets put them in cusions and in cabinets


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Windermere said:


> Fantastic, thanks RichH, I'm so glad it can be done! Here's another one for you...how do I get the *black mildew color *off the fiberglass, non skid looking headliner inside?! I've tried everything including peroxide, I think. Is our only hope repainting it?


Mildew can leach back thru paint. It's hard to find, but spray it with some 
X-14 and it should dissappear.
http://www.wd40.com/Brands/x14.html
If you decide to paint it, this primer is supposed to prevent leaching of the mildew.
http://www.kilz.com/pages/default.aspx?NavID=22


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## pegasus1457 (Apr 14, 2002)

*preventing mildew*

An effective way to prevent more mildew from growing in your boat is to ensure adequate ventilation.

In a previous boat I added a louver to one of the companionway hatch boards and cut a hole in a forward opening hatch to accommodate a solar-powered Nicro ventilator, operating to blow air into the boat (these fans can be run either way).

It not only prevents mildew formation but also rides the boat of that nasty toilet smell you often encounter on first opening after several days' absence.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Wind - try this too... go to this website and even get a coupon for $2.00 off the first bottle.

It is called Moldzyme - these things work and they work good!

http://www.ecodiscoveries.com/


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

There's also a new spray that was recently introduced that is designed to prevent mold and mildew on hard surfaces. While it isn't good for mattresses and upholstered items, it is a good thing to use to help prevent mold and mildew from spreading in a boat.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"how do I get the black mildew color off the"
There is no "black mildew color". That stuff IS THE MILDEW FUNGUS/SPORES and you need to remove it all, either chemically or mechanically. Bleach, steam cleaning, hydrogen peroxide, 3M Scrubbing pads....

And if all that fails, you entomb it in epoxy paints.

After all the cleaning is done, remember that the mildew WILL COME BACK unless you take steps to make sure the boat is kept warmer, drier, and well ventilated at all times.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Oh I totally forgot. Ozone kills bacteria and mold dead.

*XT-2000*

This is worth its weight in gold, or you can make one from a very simple plan I have if you're feeling fancy with a neon transformer, a couple of glass jars, stainless steel mesh and some wire.

run it about 2 hours a week and you'll never have a smelly boat again. Don't run it too much necause the nitrogen oxide can kill the process and make people sick.


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## thekeip (Aug 8, 2007)

What you do is rent or make an Ozone generator. This is a device that hotels and car dealers use to get rid of any and all unpleasant odors. You plug it in for a few hours, having first opened all lockers. Don't hang around and breathe the smell...like fresh air after a lightning storm...it's toxic in quantity. But Ozone kills ALL spores.
howard keiper


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Parts list and costs:
Neon Transformer, 5KV to 7KV $45.00 from a repair store for signs
Solder
1 square foot of window glass $5
2 square feet of stainless steel mesh $16.00 or copper mesh $3.00, divided
5 gallon bucket
duct tape
less than 80CFM fan $5

Solder mesh to output of neon transformer. 
Hot Glue mesh to glass, leaving a TINY space between glass and mesh. leave a 2" ring of glass around the mesh (in other words, dont cut the mesh as big as the glass, make it smaller)

Plug in and test (DON'T for God's sake touch anything that is plugged in!!) If there is a light hum and blue glow from it, you are good to go. If you get a yellow or white arc, then you are arcing and need to isolate that section.

Now to make a fan powered unit for forcing it around, place the generator in a 5 gallon bucket, tape the top off and secure everything so it doesn't shift around. 
Cut a hole for exhaust and one that is the size of your small computer fan or desk fan. 
It is very important you don't make the fan run too fast. 80 CFM is barely a breeze felt on your hand. Think about a CPU fan on your PC. That's about right. If the air flow is too fast, it introduces Nitrogen Oxides into the air!

That's my plan, it works great. I'll get photos if I remember when I'm out at the boat next time. Run it for no more than 2 hours every few weeks for a good mildew and smell control. It even killed the smoke smell from my brother when he was aboard!

Stainless mesh lasts longer; you shouldn't have to worry about it breaking down after a few months of use. Watch it for arcing - if the glass is too thin (the mesh panels are too close together) it actually fries holes right through the glass. That's why I said look for colors, because they are the first indication you have an arc... well that and the sound. You should get a nice hum not a buzz.


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## mygirls66 (Sep 23, 2007)

on my last boat I took our cushions to to the drycleaner...seemed to work.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Ozone, while it does have some benefits in destroying mold, mildew and microbes.... can cause serious problems with asthma, as well as help form smog. You're much better off just ventilating the boat properly...


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## mygirls66 (Sep 23, 2007)

I had intended earlier to mention that if you are still smelling mildew in your boat after trying numerous things to clean your cushions... you may have mildew elsewhere. We had to wipe everything and I mean everything down with a diluted bleech and water mix. Ventillation is key...including on the hard.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

We pulled the cushions out of our boat, removed the vinyl covers and soaked the foam in a mild solution of bleach and laundry detergent. The bleach kills the mold spores while the laundry detergent gives them that nice "spring air" scent. I have also "spot cleaned" really nasty areas on the foam with a more concentrated bleach solution and Lysol and/or Febreeze.


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