Mold 101

Published: Saturday, June 4, 2011 7:00 am
By: Sandy Lindsey

Mold and mildew are types of plant-type fungi that grow in dank, dark, moist conditions, and are also the names used for the stains they leave behind (even after you kill the mold, you still have to remove the stains). They sink their roots into the surface, which is how they can cause damage to wood, fabric and other materials. They reproduce by spreading airborne spores.

Here's the bad news: if you have a boat, chances are you have at least some mold and mildew. Here's the good news: removing mold is one of the easier tasks you can take on, and preventing its recurrence is pretty easy, too.

It's because mold thrives in moist, warm places with little to no air circulation that you find it on the boat in in-deck storage areas, anchor wells, livewells, the underside of seats or rocket launchers that have wood bases, in the boat's bilge and inside heads, center consoles, or cuddy cabins of boats so equipped. You may also find it in the silicone used to seal decks or consoles to decks in the form of black spots. If you have sheets of slippery, damp stuff on the decks, that isn't mold – it's moss and chances are you've left it out in the swamp for a few years.

Removing mold or mildew is actually pretty simple. You can simply resort to any of the commercially available mildew stain removers on the market. Like anything else you buy, some are better than others, so do some research in the form of checking online forums and asking around to see which ones have the better reputation.
However, here's a bit of advice: most online forums are populated by a host of those who mean well, but who don't have a clue as to what they are discussing. A great example is how to combat mold or mildew. Virtually every single mold-related forum will have people advising you to simply use bleach, and lots of it. Yes, bleach will kill mold or mildew dead in it's tracks, and remove the unsightly stains they produce. And it is very inexpensive, so if it truly were the best way to combat mold and mildew, the chemical manufacturers would use it in their products. The fact that almost none do use bleach is due to the fact that there are better options that won't harm the thread that holds your upholstery together, that won't be as caustic to your skin or eyes, and that won't kill the sealife they come into contact with. Mildew stain removers are formulated specifically to remove mildew and mold stains, and to do so safely. All you need to do is follow the directions on the bottle. If you are a chemist who can concoct the exact correct blend of bleach and water to remove mildew, then feel free to do so. Otherwise leave the bleach in the laundry room. If you are still convinced bleach can't harm anything, try holding one hand submerged in a bucket of bleach, with the other in a bucket of any mildew stain remover. You'll get your answer in a few minutes.

To remove mold or mildew from livewells, or under transoms or any other flat horizontal or vertical surfaces, spray a mildew stain remover directly onto the affected area and let it soak in for about 30 seconds or so. Then use a soapy rag, sponge, Scotch brite-type pad or soft brush to wipe it away. Follow with a fresh water rinse. Stubborn areas will require a repeat application and possibly a longer soak time. Wash the undersides of seating areas every time you wash the boat, checking to see if any mildew stains are present. Also check under the gunwale edges and any other areas that tend to not get direct sunlight. While most mildew stain remover products are safe for use on vinyl upholstery and are formulated to make sure they do not damage the threads that hold it together, they are not intended for use on fabric. If you find stains on marine fabrics such as T-tops or bimini tops, boat covers or other canvas, polyester or cotton materials, if possible, put these materials in a washing machine. If that is not possible, use boat soap and a soft brush to work the stains away. If the stains are on fabric-covered upholstery or cushions, make sure to check the padding for mold. If you find it, try leaving the padding in direct sunlight to kill the spores. If the mold is too far ingrown, you will have to replace the padding. Using bleach will kill the mold in the padding, but it will most likely destroy the padding in the process. It might not be an immediate result, but sooner than later the material will begin to disintegrate. If you find mold or mildew stains in the head, inside the cuddy or in the console, use the mildew stain remover as described above, making sure you have adequate ventilation.

Removing mold or mildew from the bilge is the easiest of all. Invest in a bottle of bilge cleaner — these are usually available in 32 ounce bottles. Pour in the entire contents of bottle, add a few gallons of water if the bilge is dry, run the boat for about an hour and then pump out the bilge. It really is that easy. The motion of the boat will "scrub" the bilge clean. Trying to get in there with a scrub brush and spray bottle is not only impractical, but actually pretty much impossible in most cases. You can't reach all areas of the bilge, and with such a simple and effective method available, why would you?

Now that you've removed the mold and mildew, you want to prevent it from coming back. The two things mildew needs to survive that you can most easily eliminate are a lack of circulation and dank, moist conditions. Allow PFDs and boat cushions to dry completely in the sun before storing them will help prevent mold. Also leave in-deck or in-transom storage areas and livewells open a bit to allow some circulation. Here's a tip: use the mildew stain remover spray bottle to hold the lid slightly open. If the boat will be stored for an extended period of time, place a moisture absorbing, chemical dehumidifier in the cuddy or center console. These products use a powder or flakes to absorb excess moisture and collects excess it in the unit's integral reservoir. These are cheap and very effective. Another effective way to keep the cuddy or console mildew-free while the boat is sitting idle is to run an extension cord into the area and plug in and hang a 110-volt trouble light. The warmth generated by the bulb will help prevent mold or mildew from growing and spreading. A solar-powered ventilation fan is another very effective yet relatively inexpensive way to prevent mold or mildew in a cuddy cabin or a large center console. Make sure there are no puddles of water in the livewell or storage areas before you close the lids. If they're wet, leave them open in the sun until they dry. If the bases of your boat seats are made of wood, you could consider painting them, or simply plan to replace them with ones that utilize a plastic or starboard base. Sooner or later, you'll have to do so; it's better to be proactive than to have the base collapse when you're 30 miles offshore.

To some degree, even on the best-maintained boat, mold or mildew are pretty much inevitable. But getting rid of it and preventing most of it from occurring is a simple, straightforward task.

Written by Sandy Lindsey
Star Brite Corp.
www.starbrite.com