Wednesday 23 March 2011

MOULD REMOVAL FROM CANVAS

With all the recent rain we thought it would be prudent to revisit "How to Remove Mould from Canvas".
When your camper tent and/or annex walls get wet, if not thoroughly dried out as soon as possible there is a reasonable chance that mould will take hold.
Mould can eventually rot your canvas and is also associated with respiratory infections, allergies and can worsen asthma.  It is therefore extremely important to remove any mould not only to avoid health problems but to avoid the huge cost of replacing your tent.
We do not recommend commercially available mould removers are as they can be detrimental to the waterproofing, colouring & UV inhibitors which are impregnated in your canvas.  We also suggest you don’t use harsh detergents, bleach or pressure washers for the same reasons.

Our recommendations are as follows:
·         Open your camper, preferably in the sun.  Open the window flaps for maximum ventilation and completely dry the canvas.
·         When dry brush the mould spores off the canvas with a stiff bristle brush
·         Vacuum the canvas to remove any remaining spores
·         Kill the mould with a mixture of one part white vinegar to ten parts water
·         Apply the above solution with a rag, soft broom or soft brush
·         Allow the canvas to dry completely before packing up

Again, do not use harsh detergents, bleach or a pressure washer to clean the canvas. If by chance you have already damaged the waterproofing by using one of these methods, you can purchase the original “Dynaproofing” liquid (available from Customline Camper Trailers for about $50 for 4 litres) to reproof your canvas. This solution is water based & can be applied using a brush, roller or even sprayed on.