[Uricanejack]

I find I get allergies on the boat.

Was wondering if getting the upholstery cleaned would help.
Does anyone know of a place which could do this on Vancouver Island or the lower mainland.

Or any other suggestion short of replacing which is a bit out of budget.

 

[SHNOOL]

Other likely source of allergies on a boat, might be mold/mildew.. I'd inspect for the tell-tale black spots on the underside of deck hardware and such... also if you have a liner, it can build up under the liner, especially under the deck. Might want to pull some liner back to inspect. Also the liner itself can get dusty/dirty.

As for cleaning the upholstery? as portable steam vac maybe.

 

[RichH]

Agree with mold mildew, as many of these species can be powerful allergens. CDC data supports this, although CDC remedies which include the use of Sodium Hypochlorite only stun/kill molds/mildews but do not remove the cells which can be the nutrient source for successive species. Biologists (mycologists) would recommend the use of 'caustics' to dissolve the cells. The danger of cleaning fungals is the spreading/release of spores; such cleaning should be done 'wet' to prevent spreading of the spores ... and aspiration of the spores into your lungs.

Strong caustic detergents such as Sodium Silicate based (Tuff-e'Nuff or Roll-on) or TSP or lye-based cleaners used in animal husbandry, etc. should be considered - Not to be used on painted or varnished surfaces.
Once thorough cleaning/rinsing (never clean mold/mildew when its dry, always 'wet-down') is accomplished ... consider to spray-on commercial 'mildew block' (3M) or simply spray on caustic detergents and simply let dry - such would be the modern equivalent of 'white-washing'.

Upholstery foam can be a potent a reservoir of fungal spores, so consider to replace with mold/mildew resistant foam .... or 'treat' the foam with toxic gases that kill/stun the fungals.
Paraformaldehyde (as a gas) can be used to treat 'foam'; the Para-F crystals will release into a gas when exposed to atmosphere. Put the foam into a large plastic bag, apply paraformaldehyde crystals (wrapped in cotton gauze to contain crystals) into the bag with the foam and apply vacuum to 'squeeze down' the foam then quickly seal ... the Para-F will out-gas into the tightly sealed bag ... Keep sealed for several days. After several day and in the open, open the bag to remove the Para-F, then pump the bag and its contents to reduce the Para-F concentration a few times (changes the air/gas inside the foam structure). Para-F is a potentially dangerous to human lung tissue gas, .... wont be available in 'green/eco' states where 'chemicals' usage by consumers is prohibited.

ALL black molds and mildews should be considered to be toxic to human respiratory systems - the worst is 'stochybatris autra' which is quite common in wet basements, etc. CDC has specific recommendation for the safe removal of 'stochy' - mostly 'kill in place', then rip-out and replace.

Check out the CDC website or your local health department sites for 'the details'.

 

[SHNOOL]

Rich, thanks for making me nauseous, and getting me now to worry about my foam cushions (here I was thinking about mold/mildew on the fiberglass, hadn't thought about it in the cushions themselves - duh)... I knew mine were worn, so they were on the long term list, now you have me wondering if I should just remove them entirely.

 

[seaner97]

If you can't keep the boat dry, even new foam and covers won't help. Fix all the leaks and get every last drop out of the bilge, and keep it that way. Increase your ventillation using a couple of those solar charging fans- they'll suck air through your dorades to keep the air circulating and drying out. Then you can put them in your bathtub with a bleach solution and squeeze them down to suck all the stuff into the crevices. Leave them in as long as possible, then rinse them several times in clean water. Leave them out in the sun until dry as long as possible. Or in a room with dry heat like a wood stove. It won't kill the roots, but will retard re growth. If there is no moisture (or not enough) it will just stay dormant. But the real way to get rid is the above poison or new cushions.
Again- if your cabin is moist, it's coming back no matter what.

 

[Minnewaska]

Dusting with something that picks it up, not spreads it around, and bilge cleaning are typically the issue for us.

 

[Uricanejack]

Thanks for the replies. mildew may be my problem. There is some damp getting in particularly wet this year on the wet coast.
I had a little bit of mildew on bulkheads which I cleaned off. tracking down where water is getting in is difficult.
Upholstery appears dry but I suspect its a bit damp. Will take home to dry out.

 

[seaner97]

Construction paper taped around the boat and checked frequently will help you identify your leaks.

 

[travlin-easy]

Steam clean the upholstery, then put it out in the sun for the entire day to allow it to dry thoroughly. The steam will kill any pathogens that may be in the fabric or underlying foam. Wipe the cabin's entire interior with a strong solution of bleach water, which also kills ALL pathogens. Be sure to air out the cabin while cleaning because of the toxicity of chlorine to humans. Allow the cabin to air for an entire day before reentering - just to be on the safe side.

Good luck,

Gary

 

[seaner97]

The steam will kill any pathogens that may be in the fabric or underlying foam.

Only if you boil the cushions or have it done in a professionally sized steam room. The handhelds won't get to the roots, just as the bleach method above won't. The stuff is darn resilient. They will work on the covers, though.

 

[SHNOOL]

As an asthmatic you guys are totally freaking me out now. But then the plethora of toxins from sanding the boat, mast, resin (yes I wore a respirator for all the above), haven't killed me yet. Maybe that's the solution... wear a respirator.

 

[travlin-easy]

Personally, I've never seen mildew penetrate into the depths of any material, especially closed cell foam. I've only seen it on the surface of foam and fabric. Can you document this in some way?

Gary

 

[RichH]

FWIW - If there is any air combined in the 'steam', you probably wont do a damn thing but soften/melt what you think youre 'sterilizing', as most foams and synthetic fibers/fabrics will begin to soften at about 180°F ... and then begin to 'melt' into a random mass near about 200°F.
Sterilization or even low efficiency sanitization with 'steam' contaminated with the presence of 'air' doesnt really happen until youre near ~500°F and above ... and your not going to that with a hand-held hot water-vapor generator.

The best way to 'de-skunk' ... if washable, is with 'detergents' and/or 'real soap', etc.

The molds, mildews, funguses you SEE are only the reproductive 'fruiting bodies' (containing spores, etc.) ... all mycelium equipped species grow 'beneath' the surface pushing/penetrating their microscopic 'filaments' into the structure in order to gain nutrients, etc.

 

[seaner97]

Most outdoor foams are open cell to promote drying and airflow, but I've seen microscopic sections of both showing hyphae growth into the pores. If you don't kill the hyphae, it's still there, just dormant. The good news is that dormant generally doesn't cause symptoms, but easily regrows when/if the moisture problem recurs. I don't know about anyone else but I can't tell "mildew" from "mold" without a microscope and stains.

 

[travlin-easy]

I guess I must be pretty fortunate. I just wipe things down with bleach water now and then and never have a problem with mildew, mold and anything. I also keep the boat very well ventilated with a constant air flow created by a pair of 72mm exhaust fans and a screened opening grill in the main hatch. The fans are extra-large computer fans that draw .041 amps at 12 volts, which is negligible.

Gary

 

[seaner97]

The airflow is probably your key. Moving air tends to be drier. The key is always to keep the relative humidity as low as possible. I forget the low end of mold growth, but I think it is somewhere around 55%. Anything less than that will keep it dormant even if there are spores and hyphae around. And bleach will kill what it comes in contact with (as will the earlier more toxic remedy). But get moisture level higher and you'll have a good crop of mold.

 

[Sailormon6]

RichH,

Do you know if Paraformaldehyde crystals are the same thing as moth balls? I googled "paradichlorobenzene-paraformaldehyde crystals" and that was the answer that I got. I'm on the verge of solving a very annoying problem, with your help, and think that's the last step.