Preventing mold on fabric?

[guyd]

Can you suggest a way that fabic - such as curtains - can be prevented from getting mouldy during long term storage ina MH? Our crazy bus is being turned into a victorian steamer style interior, with drapes fabic etc - how do I stop it going mouldy?

 

[Deleted member 967]

Traditionally caravaner's while their vans were in storage always took the curtains and soft furnishing out and stored then in the house.

Failing that, stack soft furnishing away from walls and leave plenty of space for air to circulate.

Air the van whenever the weather permits.

If hookup is available some heating and a dehumidifier.

Don't forget that where mould occurs it will hole the fabric. There may be mould preventers available?

 

[John H]

I second everything John has said - and add that you can get dehumidifiers that don't require hook-up. We have two dehumidifiers, each of which will be active for three or four weeks at a time and then we (or rather, our daughter, because we are usually somewhere hot!) swap them over and take one home to plug it in and dry it out while the second is doing its job in the van ---- and so on. Can't remember where we got them but they shouldn't be too hard to find - around £20 if I remember correctly.

 

[Deleted member 967]

I second everything John has said - and add that you can get dehumidifiers that don't require hook-up. We have two dehumidifiers, each of which will be active for three or four weeks at a time and then we (or rather, our daughter, because we are usually somewhere hot!) swap them over and take one home to plug it in and dry it out while the second is doing its job in the van ---- and so on. Can't remember where we got them but they shouldn't be too hard to find - around £20 if I remember correctly.

Kleen-Eazy do a one that requires no power. Just fill the top tray with crystals and pour the accumulated water away from the bottom tray.

I found these worked well.

 

[Tbear]

Hi

You can get antifungal agents from builders and decorators merchants which you can spray on to materials but to not inhale the mist or use on bedding, table cloths, etc.
Carpets can be treated withn dry powder sprays like miconazole nitrate and hard sufaces with a 1:5 bleach solution.

After saying that fresh air works as well if not better, contains no chemicals and is free.

Richard

 

[David & Ann]

Yesterday I purchasd a couple of "so called" humidifiers" from our local pound shop for £1.10 each. Placed them in the MH under the bed and another in the lockers. Looked this morning, very little water in them, so it seems to work. It is a canister which has a tiny pellets on top and a empty base where the water accumalites. Just peel of the thin plastic covering and there is a very fine paper filter. It says on the cantainer, will last for 4 to 6 weeks depending on the condensation.

 

[John H]

Yesterday I purchasd a couple of "so called" humidifiers" from our local pound shop for £1.10 each. Placed them in the MH under the bed and another in the lockers. Looked this morning, very little water in them, so it seems to work. It is a canister which has a tiny pellets on top and a empty base where the water accumalites. Just peel of the thin plastic covering and there is a very fine paper filter. It says on the cantainer, will last for 4 to 6 weeks depending on the condensation.

Bloody hell. £1.10 from a £1 shop? Is this the kind of inflation we can expect to greet us when we return to the Uk in spring?????

 

[David & Ann]

Bloody hell. £1.10 from a £1 shop? Is this the kind of inflation we can expect to greet us when we return to the Uk in spring?????

YES, miLord, Join us on your return in June and make sure you have very deep pockets.

 

[Nosha]

Mould = damp! You need to find out where the dampness is coming from, do you have any leaks? A check with a damp meter would not be a bad idea, plus plenty of ventilation, as others have said if you store it with hook-up I would seriously consider a de-humidifier, otherwise the damp/salt pots are very good - never seen them at £1.10! My last ones were £4.99 from John Lewis who also sell the replacement bags of salt chrystals to top them up with.

 

[guyd]

I should have added more information:-

the bus is nowhere near sealed - the bus has a large wheelchair lift on the side - and its impossible to seal - in fact the 'seal' is a curtain....

Parked up in our driveway / farmyard. Power available, but being efficient types (£27 a quater leccy bill, 5 bed house....) a 24/7 dehumidifier is a bit against the grain.

Velcro removeable curtains, and air flow it is then!