I was in the boat today lying down in a cramped part of the boat beneath the cockpit and I noticed that the fiberglass sports a coat of mold extending beyond my reach.
Any advice on how to get rid of mold in those hard to reach places?
Mold in hard to reach places
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- Deck Grunge Scrubber
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Mold in hard to reach places
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Northstar 500 #67
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Northstar 500 #67
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Is the space you need to get to "tiny"? Or is it an open-ish area that is just out of reach?
I'll be a bit general here since I don't know the exact situation, but I don't believe there is any great substitute for actual scrubbing when it comes to mold. I know some folks spray a bleachy solution in to kill the mold and call that good, but I think you still need to remove the "dead stuff." (Not that bleaching isn't effective along with scrubbing.)
Still, if it won't wreck anything, it never hurts to start with soap (or Simple Green, etc.) and a hose. Next, I look around for various cleaning implements that can be put on a stick (it's like the food at the state fair - everything goes on a stick). Something like a broom handle, or one of those threaded-end wooden paint roller extensions makes a good base.
At various times I've taped or "zip tied" scrub brushes, parts of toilet brushes (think large version of a bottle brush), 3M-type pads, old toothbrushes (do label), and more to a stick.
Another "tool" I've found useful is one of those articulating half-sheet sized backers that are meant to be used when you sand joint-compound (Sheet Rock) overhead. I threaded one of those onto my trusty stick, and used it with a 3M pad zip-tied on. (I've also used it with sandpaper.)
Shop Vac of course works well for getting rid of the resulting slumgullion.
Ventilation helps to reduce recurrence (needless to say, perhaps). Also, a smooth surface is better for avoiding the problem. I've even noticed a big difference on flat surfaces out in the open whether they were finished with a matte varnish or a glossy one.
One thing I've read is that mold/mildew like a slightly acid surface (notable since some folks use a vinegar mix to clean mildew). I'm not sure about that but just thought I'd mention it.
Rachel
I'll be a bit general here since I don't know the exact situation, but I don't believe there is any great substitute for actual scrubbing when it comes to mold. I know some folks spray a bleachy solution in to kill the mold and call that good, but I think you still need to remove the "dead stuff." (Not that bleaching isn't effective along with scrubbing.)
Still, if it won't wreck anything, it never hurts to start with soap (or Simple Green, etc.) and a hose. Next, I look around for various cleaning implements that can be put on a stick (it's like the food at the state fair - everything goes on a stick). Something like a broom handle, or one of those threaded-end wooden paint roller extensions makes a good base.
At various times I've taped or "zip tied" scrub brushes, parts of toilet brushes (think large version of a bottle brush), 3M-type pads, old toothbrushes (do label), and more to a stick.
Another "tool" I've found useful is one of those articulating half-sheet sized backers that are meant to be used when you sand joint-compound (Sheet Rock) overhead. I threaded one of those onto my trusty stick, and used it with a 3M pad zip-tied on. (I've also used it with sandpaper.)
Shop Vac of course works well for getting rid of the resulting slumgullion.
Ventilation helps to reduce recurrence (needless to say, perhaps). Also, a smooth surface is better for avoiding the problem. I've even noticed a big difference on flat surfaces out in the open whether they were finished with a matte varnish or a glossy one.
One thing I've read is that mold/mildew like a slightly acid surface (notable since some folks use a vinegar mix to clean mildew). I'm not sure about that but just thought I'd mention it.
Rachel
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You use a shop vac to get rid of beef stew? :)Rachel wrote:
Shop Vac of course works well for getting rid of the resulting slumgullion.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
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- Deck Grunge Scrubber
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add overcooked vermicelli to your list of food analogies and you'll get an idea of what I found in my bilge yesterday.
The thing is, the hard to reach part if behind the engine... way behind. Anyway, I plan to remove the engine so the problem is moot in the end.
Thanks for the tips though!
The thing is, the hard to reach part if behind the engine... way behind. Anyway, I plan to remove the engine so the problem is moot in the end.
Thanks for the tips though!
Play.
Northstar 500 #67
ceto001.wordpress.com
Northstar 500 #67
ceto001.wordpress.com