Black mould

[Shaun]

Bleach has a high pH which makes it ineffective to kill mould. The mould detects the bleach as a chemical attack and defends itself with exo-enzymes and a good defending membrane. The exo-enzymes makes the chlorine compounds in the bleach inert which then the fungi uses it as a food source. So when we put bleach on mould we are actually feeding it. Visually it looks like the mould is disappearing because bleach “bleaches” which means it strips the melanin compounds out of the hyphal membrane (just like the melanin in our skin when we get a sun tan). Three weeks later the fungi hyphae recovers the melanin content and the mould becomes visible again so it was actually never gone.


Bear

thats Gold!

I thought you were making that up Bear, but you'd have to be pretty lucky to get past Mark's anti-cheat software...busted


cheers

[Shaun]

I dont think you could totally eradicate black mould, but i have been happy on Blue Moon, with washing the whole inside down with bleach, then painting the rough areas ie, inside under the side decks etc, basically anywhere where there is no smooth headliner with a paint that has anti-mould stuff in it, plus adding additional anti-mould stuff VC-175 (i think its called) that you mix into the paint.
The smooth grp & headliner areas just wipe over occasionally with a rag & some bleach.

cheers

[Miker]

The only way to completely eradicate black mould is to keep the boat dry and aired. Seeing as how these boats live in damp, salty environments, that's a pretty hard ask.

We do OK, we have a small hatch above the sink/stove which is left slightly ajar to allow breathing, but not water ingress. At least it keeps the main cabin and the sleeping area 'mostly' free of the mould.

Orange cleaner is good too, plus it smells nice......

[bearmcnally]

I thought everybody was dead until I mentioned tyre black !

[Tales]

Getting rid of the salt helps to keep the boat dry.

I gave the interior a good wash and wipe out with fresh water and washed all cloth (curtains etc) when I bought the boat.

If we get mould we use white vinegar wiped on or sprayed on the carpet (glued on) lining.

It's just fungus and it does'nt like acid.

Cheers,

Tom

[Shaun]

Hadnt been to the boat in nearly two months (thats a big problem in itself, but not the reason for this post)..anyway..black mould!,
I had some sugar soap onboard so I got to it...3 mins into the task I realised sugar soap was not going to cut it!!, way too much elbow grease!!, so I went off to coles & got their generic brand "exit mould", simply spray it on, leave for 10mins then wipe it off, then wipe it again with a dryer rag to dry the surface, gone, it does a beaut job!.

Next time I will wear a mask tho', because my throat feels like what I guess a heavy smokers throat would feel like (only my sore throat went away).

cheers