Canvas Mold & Mildew: Clean in Place?

[david.h]

Over the winter (each year), I follow the Sunbrella instructions and clean my canvas so that the mildew that has accumulated over the season is removed and it comes out looking like new. This season we've had a number of very hot & humid days so that the canvas is covered (on the inside) with another bad case of mildew.

Is there a product (such as Magic Eraser) that I could use while the canvas is still on the boat to clean the mildew away without taking the canvas home and taking it to the mega-washer in our local laundramat? In other words, something to take the mildew away mid-season without the bother, which I get to when our season is over.

 

[boykster]

You could try one of the bottled mildew cleaners. My current favorite is 3M Mildew stain remover, but they all work essentially the same way.

 

[BobV1]

You could use hydrogen-peroxide (3% concentration)or household vinegar.

Wet a rag with either product and wipe the surface. You might want to wipe down the canvas with water after it's dry,if you use vinegar, just to get rid of the vinegar smell. However, it will disappear on it's own after a short time.

Test the surface before you do the whole canvas, just to make sure you don't have any fading.

 

[Stolat]

Fow heavy duty cleaning I use starbrite mold and mildew stain remover followed by water. As a midseason preventative or for light accumulation I like spray nine.

-Steve

 

[mixman]

According to Sunbrella's instructions, their product can be cleaned with bleach. I have removed the same mildew you're talking about a number of times by spraying it with a bleach solution, letting it dry, and re-waterproofing it. I find that the cheap Wal-Mart or Target brand "spray cleaner with bleach" works quite well. Be careful not to get it on your glass (I always treat my glass as soon as I'm done with the bleach just in case).

If you doubt this, drop $2 on such a bottle of cleaner and test it on a small spot. I think you'll find that in about 5-10 minutes the mildew disappears.