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MOLD
Oct 17, 2023 9:59:27 GMT
Post by racerxxx on Oct 17, 2023 9:59:27 GMT
We're in the process of buying a 2016 MF 855 boat and had a survey done yesterday and there is a lot of mold especially in the bilge. I opened a small hatch to the forward bilge and all the components we coated with mold. I looked under the sink in the head and the walls of the had spots of black mold and other areas too . It seems this boat has been sitting in the water and not been used hardly at all for several years so it stayed closed up and the moisture in the boat just festered into mold. When I was in the cabin for about 15-20 minutes I began to get a headache and feel tight in my chest. I'm sure the mold spores were floating all around in the air. Does anyone have any experience dealing with mold in a boat? Thinking I could get the same chemicals they use in homes to spray drywall and joists for mold and spray everything in the bilge etc. Thanks!
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MOLD
Oct 17, 2023 10:44:06 GMT
Post by Chris Meyer on Oct 17, 2023 10:44:06 GMT
Mold is a problem and will take some work to get rid of.
The fact that you got a headache after a short time should tell you something.
Might be good to get a quote to completely clean the boat and ask for an additional discount.
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MOLD
Oct 17, 2023 11:04:46 GMT
Post by ales on Oct 17, 2023 11:04:46 GMT
Despite it can be cleaned the smell is likely to stay... Find another boat
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MOLD
Oct 17, 2023 19:06:21 GMT
via mobile
Post by NZL50505 on Oct 17, 2023 19:06:21 GMT
Talking to my boat cleaner yesterday he’s trialling a new extra service around mould removal using an ozone machine.
He said step 1 is obviously a deep clean of all the physical surfaces themselves including bilges, lockers, cupboards and of course washing soft furnishings (appropriate to whatever material they are).
And then to leave everything open whilst running ozone machine for a while to remove residual mould spires from the air so they don’t re-land. They are still experimenting which duration but it sounds like 2-3 days could be enough to rid the mould.
So I guess if you’re keen on the boat you could suggest that the owner / broker considers a de-moulding exercise similar to what I’ve described above - and if it works then sale is on! 😊
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MOLD
Oct 18, 2023 9:37:43 GMT
Post by Mistroma on Oct 18, 2023 9:37:43 GMT
A very large proportion of liquid mold removal sprays contain Benzalkonium chloride. It is highly effective and you will find it in a wide range of products from anti-bacteria sprays to patio cleaner. The latter is usually the cheapest source, just compare % Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on the label. The big downside for use on boats is that it is extremely harmful to all aquatic life. Check any liquid products before buying.
I've used Patio Magic on teak decks to get rid of mold and algae, it's about 7.5% BAC. However, that was in a yard and well away from water. It brushed it onto the deck every couple of years and most soaked in with negligible run-off. It was never used when rain was likely for a few days.
Spraying liberally inside a boat will present problems as it won't be absorbed and you will end up with liquid in the bilges. I think that mopping up and disposal would be quite a hassle. It's colourless and won't harm GRP but does take time to work. A teak deck is fine as it soaks in and stays there but will just run off GRP. I imagine existing mold will absorb enough to be killed but dealing with excess run-off will be the problem. Time is another big problem as it will probably take a 7-10 days to kill the mold.
Ozone treatment sounds interesting. I imagine you could try wiping down with hydrogen peroxide solution. It should be easy to wipe off and will decompose to water and oxygen fairly quickly when it get exposed to light. Might be worth trying initially, not anything like as effective as BAC but less harmful to aquatic life.
N.B. Things mentioned above will kill mold and most will wash off non-absorbent materials like GRP. Anything absorbed by fabric will remain as dark stains. Teak decks seem OK as everything on the surface dies and seems to wash away.
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MOLD
Oct 18, 2023 12:39:59 GMT
via mobile
Post by bereboot on Oct 18, 2023 12:39:59 GMT
Jeanneau instructions say to clean all the interior surfaces with vinegar. Perhaps worth a try?
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MOLD
Oct 18, 2023 19:24:23 GMT
via mobile
Post by moonshadow on Oct 18, 2023 19:24:23 GMT
Before trying any Ozone treatment it’s a good idea to look at the effect Ozone has on plastic and rubber.
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MOLD
Oct 18, 2023 23:36:14 GMT
via mobile
Post by rxc on Oct 18, 2023 23:36:14 GMT
Before trying any Ozone treatment it’s a good idea to look at the effect Ozone has on plastic and rubber. And on all the other organic materials, such as fabrics and wood products.
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MOLD
Oct 23, 2023 5:42:12 GMT
via mobile
Post by Quiddle on Oct 23, 2023 5:42:12 GMT
A very large proportion of liquid mold removal sprays contain Benzalkonium chloride. It is highly effective and you will find it in a wide range of products from anti-bacteria sprays to patio cleaner. The latter is usually the cheapest source, just compare % Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on the label. The big downside for use on boats is that it is extremely harmful to all aquatic life. Check any liquid products before buying. I've used Patio Magic on teak decks to get rid of mold and algae, it's about 7.5% BAC. However, that was in a yard and well away from water. It brushed it onto the deck every couple of years and most soaked in with negligible run-off. It was never used when rain was likely for a few days. Spraying liberally inside a boat will present problems as it won't be absorbed and you will end up with liquid in the bilges. I think that mopping up and disposal would be quite a hassle. It's colourless and won't harm GRP but does take time to work. A teak deck is fine as it soaks in and stays there but will just run off GRP. I imagine existing mold will absorb enough to be killed but dealing with excess run-off will be the problem. Time is another big problem as it will probably take a 7-10 days to kill the mold. Ozone treatment sounds interesting. I imagine you could try wiping down with hydrogen peroxide solution. It should be easy to wipe off and will decompose to water and oxygen fairly quickly when it get exposed to light. Might be worth trying initially, not anything like as effective as BAC but less harmful to aquatic life. N.B. Things mentioned above will kill mold and most will wash off non-absorbent materials like GRP. Anything absorbed by fabric will remain as dark stains. Teak decks seem OK as everything on the surface dies and seems to wash away. My understanding of Patio Magic is that it is a herbicide, not a fungicide. The algae on patios and decks is two symbiotic organisms comprising a hard transparent fungus protecting a photosynthesising 'plant' and feeding off its sugars. PM kills the 'plant' and the fungus then starves to death which is why it takes several days to work. It is also why it is advised not to scrub decks after application as the remnants of the fungus inhibit regrowth. If this is correct, and I can't be certain on that, then PM won't work on mould alone.
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MOLD
Oct 24, 2023 8:37:08 GMT
Post by Mistroma on Oct 24, 2023 8:37:08 GMT
The active ingredient (BAC) I mentioned is effective for a wide range of things. I used dilute Patio Magic as a virucide when Covid arrived. Protocols for labs handling Covid did use bleach and BAC initially. I think later trials did suggest it wasn't the most effective option but not useless. You will find BAC in many cleaning sprays used in hospitals as it is a good bactericide and works quite well as a virucide.
It is also a very effective fungicide and should kill mold as that's fungal.
You will also find it mentioned as a herbicie as Quats like BAC kill. a wide range of things. Very toxic to aquatic life in general as well but OK to use it sparingly ashore and let it dry in.
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