These products are also good for
foam cushions and mattresses. Headliners, usually made of a vinyl
fabric, can be cleaned simply by wiping them down with white vinegar.
Commercial products like Lysol (a fungicide) can be used on most
permeable surfaces to kill mold and mildew and may remove some
of the stains. Most often, the best way to remove the mold and
mildew odor is simply a good "sunning" if the item can
be carried out of the cabin. Mild abrasives, such as a paste made
of baking or toothpaste, remove some stains from some surfaces
 |
Special care with sinks,
stoves, and refrigerators is rewarded with a sweet-smelling
boat. |
Odors originate not only from mold
and mildew, but from water sitting in hoses, wet bilges, and leaking
sanitation systems. Most bilge pumps leave some water in the bilge
and after it sits for a while things start to grow—and when
algae grow, odors abound.
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Several
systems on the boat help create bilge odors: a packing gland drip,
shower and icebox drains plumbed into the bilge, sanitation system,
fuel system, oil, or other engine fluid leaks. Bilge odors can
also be clues to potential problems; leaks in the sanitation system,
a leaking thru-hull fitting (salt water starts showing up in the
bilge), a fuel system, engine fluids, or hydraulic system leak
will leave clues that you should not ignore. In these cases, just
masking the odor will never solve the actual problem.
A few simple fixes can go a long
way to prevent bilge odors. Sailors need to live with a packing
gland drip, but by dry mopping during engine maintenance, the
accumulation in the bilge will be minimized. One major fault with
many boats is that gray water, with its collection of hair, soap,
and bacteria, is allowed to drain into the bilge. Re-plumbing
the shower into a separate gray water tank with a float switch
that automatically pumps the contents overboard solves this problem
permanently. Drips from the icebox often carry spilled milk and
bits of food to the bilge, so when you install the gray water
tank, lead the icebox drain to it too. Vent this tank properly
and clean it often.
Refrigeration and icebox odors result
from decaying foods (bacteria) and standing water. An icebox should
have a drain hole in the bottom but many refrigerated boxes do
not. To eliminate odors in an icebox, remove all the contents,
making sure to wipe spills off the cans and bottles, and run a
cup of white vinegar down the drain. |
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