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Mould


BeninReading

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We have lived aboard for several years and in winter months mould is always a problem. Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of it, other than opening the windows and freezing!!

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

 

I discovered mould on my boat in several places, a coating of black specks in places where there was little ventilation on both wooden cupboard sides and on vinyl linings. I got rid of by scrubbing with a bleach solution and ventilating those spaces where I can. the scrubbing took place over a year ago and the mould has not returned despite the boat being closed up for 11 months when I ignored it completely

 

I would say kill the mould as I did and then ventilate as much as you can

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Mold is caused by damp which in turn will be caused by condensation. Warm damp air meeting cold surfaces. Dehumidifiers work very well, good insulation, and the use of ecofan to move warm air about. If you can plug into shore power then buy a good dehumidifier from B&Q.

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I have just bought a Meaco 10l dehumidifier for my boat which we have discovered suffers cold bridging damp problems, and mould where this is hidden. 3 days in and I am a convert!! Best 100 quid I have spent. No more am I being dripped on, and the cabin sides are feeling much healthier. Oh, and it's ace for drying laundry, too....

 

Bleach for the hidden mouldy places is the next step

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I have just bought a Meaco 10l dehumidifier for my boat which we have discovered suffers cold bridging damp problems, and mould where this is hidden. 3 days in and I am a convert!! Best 100 quid I have spent. No more am I being dripped on, and the cabin sides are feeling much healthier. Oh, and it's ace for drying laundry, too....

 

Bleach for the hidden mouldy places is the next step

 

If you can get a tall, narrow clothes horse (with your damp washing) to fit inside your shower cubicle, and shut the dehumidifier (running - of course!) in there with it - - it speeds up the clothes drying exercise!

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Ventilation is the only way.

 

Where is the mould?

 

Wherever it is needs more ventilation, for instance under a bed, make holes in the sides of the bed box.

 

Mould under a mattress is hard to avoid.....I found holes in the base not enough...If you have a standard size mattress, Ikea used to sell a wooden slatted frame to go under a mattress. I replaced my bunk bases with them and it totally cured the problem

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This weekend we fitted Tesa insulating film on most of the boat windows. It was easy to do, and has made a HUGE difference to morning moisture!

Plus we have a dehumidifier, it's amazing how much water it gathers.

As has been mentioned bleach is good, also you can try vinegar which helps get rid of mould.

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Mould under a mattress is hard to avoid.....

 

Really? In 10 years living on boats I've never seen it.

 

My current bed is made of tubular steel which I painted with gold Hammerite. The mattress sits on a metal/wire frame and I think it's even better than wooden slats in terms of airing the underside of the mattress.

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We have lived aboard for several years and in winter months mould is always a problem. Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of it, other than opening the windows and freezing!!

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

 

Hi Ben

 

I am suprised to hear that a liveaboard suffers from mould. I have seen it on holiday fleet boats and on some private boats but we never suffer from it, we also get negligible condensation and that is only on the metal of the window frames and nowhere else. I believe a well stocked solid fuel stove and adequate ventilation is the only way to keep damp and mould down. I am as I type sat with no shirt on and one door open on the boat which is toasty with plenty of fuel burning on the cast iron pot belly, this way keeps us warm and the boat dry. Yes I probably burn more fuel than most but life is too short to be only just heated and being damp :cheers:

 

Tim

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Hi Ben

 

I am suprised to hear that a liveaboard suffers from mould. I have seen it on holiday fleet boats and on some private boats but we never suffer from it, we also get negligible condensation and that is only on the metal of the window frames and nowhere else. I believe a well stocked solid fuel stove and adequate ventilation is the only way to keep damp and mould down. I am as I type sat with no shirt on and one door open on the boat which is toasty with plenty of fuel burning on the cast iron pot belly, this way keeps us warm and the boat dry. Yes I probably burn more fuel than most but life is too short to be only just heated and being damp :cheers:

 

Tim

 

But Tim - - - - - not everyone has a pot belly like yours!!!!

 

(and fairly few will ever acquire one!) :rolleyes:

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Really? In 10 years living on boats I've never seen it.

 

My current bed is made of tubular steel which I painted with gold Hammerite. The mattress sits on a metal/wire frame and I think it's even better than wooden slats in terms of airing the underside of the mattress.

 

Your's sounds more like a bed in a house, I agree even better than wood slats. The majority of boats I have come across (mostly sea going) have had fairly primitive bunks and ply or even large slats (3 or 4") fairly closely spaced has been the norm. I have even come across (heaven help us) chipboard bases on a Dutch fitted out sea going tug.

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We only get moisture on the side of the boat where the matteress touches the boat side ! I've brought the solid base back and drilled about 15 x 3" holes ! Will let you all know after the weekend how we get on. Ps if I don't post anything by Monday it means we've gone through the base and are stuck in the classic arse down and feet sticking up in the air position ! Nige help.gifhelp.gifhelp.gif

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Your's sounds more like a bed in a house, I agree even better than wood slats. The majority of boats I have come across (mostly sea going) have had fairly primitive bunks and ply or even large slats (3 or 4") fairly closely spaced has been the norm. I have even come across (heaven help us) chipboard bases on a Dutch fitted out sea going tug.

 

Mine was a sprung matress on an OSB base, it went very wet and mouldy underneath in less than a year. I binned the matress and used pallets to raise the bed above the chipboard base. Newest matress on top of that has been fine ever since.

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Hi Ben

 

I am suprised to hear that a liveaboard suffers from mould. I have seen it on holiday fleet boats and on some private boats but we never suffer from it, we also get negligible condensation and that is only on the metal of the window frames and nowhere else. I believe a well stocked solid fuel stove and adequate ventilation is the only way to keep damp and mould down. I am as I type sat with no shirt on and one door open on the boat which is toasty with plenty of fuel burning on the cast iron pot belly, this way keeps us warm and the boat dry. Yes I probably burn more fuel than most but life is too short to be only just heated and being damp :cheers:

 

Tim

 

Oi....CARBON FOOTPRINT >>>> :angry:

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Told to me by a caravan person:.

 

When I leave the boat for 6 months..after having lived on it for 6 months...I wipe over surfaces...ceiling....walls etc...with clove oil.

We also upend the matress...spray it lightly...and leave it propped up.

 

Trouble with bleach or Miltons..is that it will bleach everything..and take the colour out.

 

You get a little bottle of it (clove oil) from the chemist. I mix a few drops with some warm water...and a little washing up liquid to make it dissolve.

I keep some in a spray bottle ..but you need a 'recycled' spray bottle...as the ones from pound shops have a mild steel spring which goes rusty.

No mould now for over 4 years...not a spot.

 

Smells..like apple pie !

Edited by Bobbybass
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The mould problems under mattresses seems to be different, although related, to general condensation. The base board of bunks are often on the "cold" side and the warm moist air (sweaty) passes through the mattress and then condenses, the amount of moisture that comes off a person overnight is startling. Even if the rest of the boat is as dry as a bone and well heated and ventilated, if there is not good ventilation of the bottom of the mattress you can still have a problem. :cheers:

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The mould problems under mattresses seems to be different, although related, to general condensation. The base board of bunks are often on the "cold" side and the warm moist air (sweaty) passes through the mattress and then condenses, the amount of moisture that comes off a person overnight is startling. Even if the rest of the boat is as dry as a bone and well heated and ventilated, if there is not good ventilation of the bottom of the mattress you can still have a problem. :cheers:

 

This is why this weekend I've told Mrs Arwen to sleep in a chair as I think her hormones make her sweat more laugh.gif

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I'm in a house at the moment but the heating in the bedroom has been turned off for years and the window is always left slightly open at night unless it's raining. So it's been closed a fair bit recently :( . I'm always very warm at about 2am! Hormones have a lot to answer for! :lol: Maybe I can find some sweat absorbing top sheet for the boat mattress. :unsure:

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