Cleaning Mouldy Wet Weather Gear.

[Solero]

Hi All

Just wondering what is the best way people have found to clean and get mould out of wet weather gear and not ruin the gear itself.

I have looked at a couple of manufacturers sites and they give little or no information. Another site mention that non biological detergent done at a low temp in a washing machine was ok.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Dave

[MMNETSEA]

Hello dave,

here is a site with various cleaners :-

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userp...1&page=GRID

I have used diluted Bleach ( 5% Sodium Hypochlorite ) effectively.

Of course the main thing is prevention. Foul weather gear should be washed down with fresh water then DRIED outside in the sun if possible before storage .

The place not to keep wet foul weather gear is in a wet locker (almost guarantees mould!)

Richard

[JeanneP]

Since there are so many types of foul weather gear, it might help to know the type of fabric first. Gore-tex? Nylon? Cotton treated with a waterproof coating?

For Gore-tex or Nylon, do not use chlorine bleach, it will damage the fabric.

Mildew/mold weakens fabrics, so killing it is the first priority. Lysol (the brown, nasty smelling liquid) is excellent for this purpose, but it will not remove the stains. Lysol(tm) is nasty stuff, but very effective. I use it to disinfect most everything on a boat. Follow directions. If you don't rinse the surfaces you clean with dilute Lysol, the antimold and antibacterial qualities will remain for some time on the surface.

One way to remove the stains relatively safely is with non-chlorine bleach (the stuff that's "safe for colors"). You might also try diulte Borax. Whatever you use, you should test the cleaner first on a patch of the fabric. For liquid non-chlorine bleach to remove the stains it needs to be applied to dry fabric. I use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub it in, let sit a few minutes, and rinse. Even gentler is using a terrycloth towel or facecloth to do the scrubbing. If it's going to work it will work immediately, not an hour or more later.

As Richard says, foul weather gear has to be washed carefully after use to remove all salt and dirt, then dried thoroughly, preferably in sunlight. Your wet locker should also be cleaned aggressively frequently. Use Lysol, chlorine bleach, even vinegar, to keep that dark hole clean and free of mold.

[Solero]

Thanks for your feedback.

I should have said they are nylon.

We'll give it a go !

Cheers

Dee

[Seafarer]

If possible, route an air duct from the engine compartment to the wet locker. The hot air off the engine will help dry out that locker. Alternatively, a simple fan blowing in air from the cabin will help as well, until the conditions improve enough for some drying time in the sun.

Making all the interior surfaces of the wet locker as smooth as possible (paint & gelcoat) greatly aids in mildew prevention and cleaning. Really, that goes for every part of the boat!

[HandyBilly]

I just cleaned mold from several heavy packs and some foulies. I used some Lysol but there's now a nasty smell on the fabrics that isn't the Lysol. I actually like that Lysol smell. This nasty smell is like chemical, rotten cheese together. Bad. I've had the same smell show up on a tent that I stored away in my garage so now I think it has something to do with the coating. Does anyone have this happen to them and how did they get rid of the smell?