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Cleaning a Cratch Cover


john6767

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I was going to replace our cratch cover, but have decided to get another year out of the current one. It is a canvas type material, and has quite a lot of green mould on it, from when the boat was sitting on brokerage earlier this year.

 

What is the best product to use for cleaning it?

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I was going to replace our cratch cover, but have decided to get another year out of the current one. It is a canvas type material, and has quite a lot of green mould on it, from when the boat was sitting on brokerage earlier this year.

 

What is the best product to use for cleaning it?

 

Take a look HERE

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I was going to replace our cratch cover, but have decided to get another year out of the current one. It is a canvas type material, and has quite a lot of green mould on it, from when the boat was sitting on brokerage earlier this year.

 

What is the best product to use for cleaning it?

 

One of a myriad of jobs I have had in my life was "cleaning" gin Palaces. They were very fussy and tooth brushes featured in our tool kit. Canvas such as used for cratch covers is as far as I know the same as is used on some gin palace hoods/awnings. We would if we could do it in situ by spraying with with water to damp it then spray with a product very much like "Boat Wash In A Bottle" allow it to soak for a bit thenscrub with a suitablr deck scrub brush. When rinsed off with a hose the green just washes off.

 

On really bad soiling you may have to repeat the process, of course you can do it with cratch cover laying flat on a hard surface if you wish.

 

Phil

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I was going to replace our cratch cover, but have decided to get another year out of the current one. It is a canvas type material, and has quite a lot of green mould on it, from when the boat was sitting on brokerage earlier this year.

 

What is the best product to use for cleaning it?

I used IOSSO bought from the CanvasMan in Otley, took the cover off and gave it a good scrub with a stiff brush, must say it came up a treat. Like you I was going to buy a new one, but cleaned the old one up and had a repair done by them, will last for a few more years now I hope.

Cheers

Alan.

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Once clean...I get several tins of ordinary shoe polish from pund shop...and brush it over. Although the canavas doesn't absorb the polish..it makes the water roll off.

 

Fabsil, or Thompsons Water Proofer (cheaper, apparently), will be much easier to work with than shoe polish. Graingers Mesowax used to be the treatment of choice, but no longer available (same mfr as Fabsil)

 

The only downside to using silicone based products rather than wax-based is, if you do it ON the boat, and if you get any on your paintwork, it can be the devil's own game to overpaint successfully later even if you clean it well. Many car body repair shops ban the use of WD-40 and the like because tiny droplets can be spread by workshop fans, end up on prepared bodywork and create those little 'bird's eyes' in fresh paint surfaces. :(

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  • 11 years later...

I have small black mould spots in my catch. I have just sprayed with white vinegar and water at equal proportions  it hasn't removed the mould just hoping it has killed it. 

Has anyone used wet and forget ?  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wet-Forget-Mould-Lichen-Remover/dp/B0187LUYKY/ref=asc_df_B0187LUYKY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=278656604071&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11102543318998980359&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006940&hvtargid=pla-468484009623&psc=1

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34 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

I have small black mould spots in my catch. I have just sprayed with white vinegar and water at equal proportions  it hasn't removed the mould just hoping it has killed it. 

Has anyone used wet and forget ?  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wet-Forget-Mould-Lichen-Remover/dp/B0187LUYKY/ref=asc_df_B0187LUYKY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=278656604071&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11102543318998980359&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006940&hvtargid=pla-468484009623&psc=1

 

I've used wet and forget on my cratch cover and my patio with excellent results.

 

Make sure you ensure the run off can't enter the canal when cleaning the cratch cover.

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22 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I've used wet and forget on my cratch cover and my patio with excellent results.

 

Make sure you ensure the run off can't enter the canal when cleaning the cratch cover.

And make sure it doesn't get on the perspex (?) Windows as it discolours them 

  • Greenie 1
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  • 1 year later...

Update

At the end of last year cruising season I took the cratch off to clean. (September 2022)

I used Oxford mint canopy cleaner  internally and externally. Once return to the frame and dry I used a 2 smoke bomb to clean any mould bacteria. Finally I used Fabsil Gold to water proof the cratch.

The boat was then winterized. 

In June (2023) our summer cruise began. The cratch still looked good. Within 4 weeks of use, mid July, a white mould growth appeared on the internal roof of the cratch. Where possible we ventilate the cratch. I tried white vinegar which didn't appear to help.

I have looked at all the posts and recommendations on this forum. I have purchased clove oil but not yet used. 

Recently I contacted a company that makes cratches for vans, boats, etc. They were very helpful and recommended Pure Soap Flakes.  There isn't any instructions. I used 1 small glass of flakes to 4 glasses of boiled water. I applied it by paint brush. The soap was too thick and left the covering white. I put in another 4 more glasses of boiled hot water and applied by brush. It's has left white stains of soap on the material. After 7 days I don't have any white mould. 

I will keep you posted.

 

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2 minutes ago, Steve Manc said:

I put in another 4 more glasses of boiled hot water and applied by brush. It's has left white stains of soap on the material. After 7 days I don't have any white mould. 

I will keep you posted.

 

Thanks for the update - am I reading it correctly ?

 

You have now got rid of the white mould, but have replaced it with 'white soap stains'.

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Yes, thought this may amuse you!

 

My first requirement is to get rid of the mould which is unsightly and can be unhealthy. I am sure you have read the news where a child died in a property and the mould was a contributor to his death.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64273057.amp

 

Like I said there isn't any instructions. If anyone wants to try pure soap flakes as discussed. I would increase the boiled hot water to flakes.

 

Hope this is helpful to everyone 

 

 

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Patio Magic works. You dilute it according to the instructions, spray it on and leave it for a few days. Then rinse it off with a stiff brush and the green algae all disappears.  It contains Benzalkonium Chloride, which is a biocide, and toxic to aquatic life, so it should be done off the boat, or when out of the water. It foams up when rinsing off, suggesting there is a cleaning agent in there as well.  The canvas comes up clean, as does any decking.

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1 hour ago, Peanut said:

Patio Magic works. You dilute it according to the instructions, spray it on and leave it for a few days. Then rinse it off with a stiff brush and the green algae all disappears.  It contains Benzalkonium Chloride, which is a biocide, and toxic to aquatic life, so it should be done off the boat, or when out of the water. It foams up when rinsing off, suggesting there is a cleaning agent in there as well.  The canvas comes up clean, as does any decking.

Yes Patio Magic  does work but it can also damage the windows in the canopy .

 

Recently I tried laundry detergent which has been good but perhaps not perfect. I used the biological type. Maybe the non bio is better ?

.

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1 hour ago, MartynG said:

Yes Patio Magic  does work but it can also damage the windows in the canopy .

 

Recently I tried laundry detergent which has been good but perhaps not perfect. I used the biological type. Maybe the non bio is better ?

.

The exterior is ok. Because the cratch is cloth I would probably try the mould cleaner KinverScreenshot_20230813-161102.thumb.png.57e8424b15ec4ba040ae71794093180f.png

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3 hours ago, Peanut said:

It contains Benzalkonium Chloride, which is a biocide, and toxic to aquatic life, so it should be done off the boat, or when out of the water.

But where do you clean it so that the biocide doesn't find its way back into the environment? And how do you dispose of the stuff afterwards?

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On a dry calm day you spray the diluted product on and do not wash it off. 

The product has to be left to dry.

After that  the rain gradually washes the dirt off.

Edited by MartynG
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24 minutes ago, MartynG said:

I guess so. At a very slow rate and highly diluted.

 

 

In addition to everything else being chucked in there. I'm afraid the solution to pollution is not dilution.

 

I don't have any canopies but what happens if you just hit them with a pressure washer from an appropriate distance? Do you really need chemical products to remove mildew & mound? I appreciate that without using biocides the mould may return quicker, but can't you just pressure wash more frequently?

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5 hours ago, David Mack said:

But where do you clean it so that the biocide doesn't find its way back into the environment? And how do you dispose of the stuff afterwards?

It is best done off the boat or when the boat is out of the water. It is highly toxic to aquatic life, but they claim it degrades harmlessly in the soil. All the cleaners you use will pollute the canals. Many have the same ingredient as their active component, even the so-called green ones. Just use as little as possible, you will find it in your kitchen and bathroom at home.

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