Mold killer

[Triangle Drifter]

I came across an idea on a boating forum that should work in RVs.

There are all kinds of ideas for keeping critters and bugs out during longterm storage but not much on mold. I have been using a spray, the name escapes me right now, that I use to soak down areas around the base of the slides before putting into six months of undisturbed storage. Seems to work.

With a boat I used to wipe down all of the smooth cabin surfaces with a 50/50 bleach/water combo. This works well too.

My challenge is the six months untouched period. My rig is in the US. I live in Bermuda. Not like I can take a drive and check on the rig every month or so.

After all that back story what I might try next winter is putting dishes filled with bleach in the trailer at the beginning of storage. It will take months for the bleach to evaporate and the aroma of the bleach prevents mold. I am thinking that no critter of bug is going to like the smell of bleach either. Double win.

I would expect the smell of bleach will still be there by spring but open all windows and air the place out and you are good to go.

So sounds easier than our current methods with the combo mothballs, dryer sheets and peppermint oil everywhere.

[SafariBen]

You probably don't want to store it in the desert either. Most of the Eastern US will have some weather that promotes mold growth, even in covered storage, and even in some drafty enclosed storage.



I'm curious how the bleach works out, and what the spray that you use is composed of. Looks like most are sodium carbonate, and/or trisodium phosphate, so basically alkali solutions. I might try some zinc oxide solution, zinc and copper are very strong anti microbials. Copper sulfate would be extremely effective, but is corrosive and would stain some surfaces. Zinc oxide is a pigment, so it would also stain/discolor some surfaces, but I'd think it would be nearly as effective as copper.



Qauternary ammonia, dimethyl benzol ammonium chloride, or something like that, is one of the common disinfectants in everything during the pandemic. If I were leaving it in an RV, I'd try an open quart bottle, so the water evaporation is slow, and the active ingredient doesn't evaporate faster than the water, as it could in on open dish.



A thermosiphon solar air heater WITHOUT backflow prevention, can be an effective dehumidifier in sunny locations, especially with cold or clear overnights.

[MacDaddy1111]

https://biocidelabs.com/mold-bomb-fogger/

[OMMM4747]

Your Summer and Winter weather is much like ours in terms of humidity. We use two, 4-lb DampRid buckets in a 42' coach and leave all drawers and cabinets open while in storage. We also put a 2-lb bucket in the basement storage area. Easy. No-brainer. We use year-round replacing every 6 months as directed. Never a sign of mold, so far ...

Good luck

[Bnystrom]

Originally Posted by Triangle Drifter

With a boat I used to wipe down all of the smooth cabin surfaces with a 50/50 bleach/water combo. This works well too.

After all that back story what I might try next winter is putting dishes filled with bleach in the trailer at the beginning of storage. It will take months for the bleach to evaporate and the aroma of the bleach prevents mold. I am thinking that no critter of bug is going to like the smell of bleach either. Double win.

If you look up mold removal online, you'll learn that bleach is NOT an effective mold killer. Vinegar is actually much better at killing mold, as most forms of mold cannot survive in a low pH environment.


As for preventing mold in long-term storage, keeping it as dry as possible is important, but again, if you look online for advice from mold mitigation professionals, you'll get better advice than you're likely to get on an RV forum.

[Ray,IN]

Bleach/Sodium Hypochlorite, has a short effective period, sunlight and higher temperatures accelerates its decomposition. It is corrosive and its vapor is also corrosive. Plus Sodium Hypochlorite vapors can "bleach" colored fabrics, like sunlight bleaches ordinary colors to pale colors.
It's a good thought, but I'd find a different method.
Concrobium Mold control spray is very effective for killing mold and preventing its return. Then there is a Mold Bomb.

[wolfe10]

Do you have 120 VAC where you store the coach? If not you might look for one-- factor in extra cost VS a moldy RV.


If so, a small (30 pint) house-type dehumidifier set to drain into the sink or shower (gray water tank) and set to 50% is all you need.


That is what we have done for decades on boats and RV's stored on the Gulf Coast.


Bleach (at least the Chlorine part evaporates pretty quickly, the rest (water) will only add to humidity.


Damp-rid is OK for very small areas for a very limited time. But that 30 pint dehumidifier will remove more moisture in the first 12 hours than the damp rid will remove in 6 months. Said another way damp rid "hydrates" fairly quickly and then absorbs no more.