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Mold cleanup on westy fuzz?
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vwmaniaman
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:37 pm    Post subject: Mold cleanup on westy fuzz? Reply with quote

How do you clean up mold from the fuzz on the Westy top without hurting it? It had a leak on the pop top vent seal. Got that replaced though. Now all I need to do is clean up the mess from the P.O. Have to put new canvas on it too. Any recommendations are welcome.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Use the SEARCH, Luke

There were posts over the Summer, I believe, about this. Something about Bleach comes to mind.
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vwmaniaman
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looked in the posts and think I'll try the bleach thing with the bed covered with plastic and also all the other stuff protected. Thanks for the assist.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

when are you going to repalace the canvas? if its soon just take the top right off to clean. That way you don't ave to worry too much about harsh cleaner damaging anything else.

If its not going to be for awhile look for a mold remover thats not that harsh, I found some stuff when i did mine made by "damp rid" in a spay bottle. sprayed that on then go up there with a buckert of ater a small scrub brush. did not clean it 100% but it looks 100% better! Plus the damp rid stuff says to just spray it on to prevent mold so I sprayed it after the cleaning and it has not come back as of yet.

I'm holding out till I get time to do a repaint on the entire body to pull the top, that or when my patches in my canvas fail Very Happy then be able to geti into every little nook and cranny etc...
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Witless Joe
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

People often recommend diluted bleach solutions for this job.

When I changed the canvas, I cleaned the mold off the flocking "fuzz" with 100% bleach. Screw the dilution. And screw name-brand "mold cleaners".

The mold on my flocking was disgusting, and I frankly did not care whether I "stained" the fuzz with bleach. I just didn't want to be breathing mold spores anymore. So I bleached the hell out of it.

Absolutely no damage to the fuzz was done, and the top looks good as new. Really. No bleach stains at all, and I scrubbed the hell out of it with 100% bleach.

YMMV. This was on a 1985 Westy. Possibly different "fuzz" in 1987 and newer grey interiors.
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cnskate
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

here in the rainy PNW I have had good luck with dilituted but strong bleach. I put in one of the pump spray things usually used for insecticides. Much easier than the brush and bucket method I tried first. Wear goggles and a hat!
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You all have renewed my interest in cleaning my top. Mine is not bad, but it looks funky. Guess, that is now on my todo list but not high at all.
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Squidfish
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

just cleaned up ours with some x-14 mildew remover (bleach mixed in bottle basically). Looks great, keep those seals looking new and functioning, no sags Very Happy
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buspor63
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally got around to cleaning my fuzz. It had started to grow other life forms and was looking bad.

Today was a windy day so I thought that might keep fumes down. In a hand pump sparay bottle, I mixed beach 1:3 with water. That stuff worked like a charm. Maybe a little weaker would work as good. The stain disappeared almost as fast as I sprayed it on. I used a wash rag in a bucket to scrub of the stubborn areas and kinda clean up the excess.

Looks really good now.

Get-R-down Walt.
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vwmaniaman
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PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 4:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Took off the top this weekend and scrubbed the mold off the fuzz with TSP and bleach and cleaned the outside with it too. Put a new Van-Cafe canvas and am painting the outside fiberglass with Rustoleum enamel with 1 QT of Gloss white and 1/4th QT of Rustoleum Almond. Perfect match to original color. Looks great too like a new one. Putting new seal and plastic vent cap on with seal. Our 87 "VanaWhite' will be spiffy.
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ive used Simple Green to remove the mold...its "non-toxic" and it does a great job of mold removal, and it smells good.
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northwesty
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2006 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know why they put that fuzz up there in the first place. It just creates more work. When I bought my rig it had half the fuzz removed. It looks really good where they removed it, it's just smooth white plastic.
I have been waiting until I have time to remove the rest. I think the person shaved it off with an exacto knife blade and some form of liquid. I can't wait to get it all off, I'm sure it can't but help the aroma.
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vw_nick
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2006 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

northwesty wrote:
I don't know why they put that fuzz up there in the first place.


The first thing that comes to mind is to collect/distribute condensation (?) and I'd guess it cuts down on the echo? Mine is scummy too... plan on removing the top and bleaching it really well during the canvas replacement.
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bigdood
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmm....i tried diluted simple green this weekend and it didn't do much. scrubbed a little and it took off some of the fuzz. maybe the 1:1 dilution was too strong and eating thru the fuzz?
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bigdood,

Try bleach mixed about 4:1 or 5:1 in a pump spray bottle. Spray on, blot off with a rag you rinse out in a bucket of water. Do about two feet or so at a time. It worked for me.
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Garske
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last fall I had good success using a water and bleach solution. I took out the bedding first, and then used a rag to rub the top just enough to get the top damp. I didn’t scrub very hard, no really need to scrub, just need to get enough bleach on the top to kill the mildew. It looked good as new a day later.

Need to do it again but we also had 30 consecutive days of rain this winter. Razz
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I need to clean mold from most of the bottom of the bed (the part that forms the ceiling when hinged out, but comes close to the poptop when flopped back for travel).

Has anyone tried bleach on that plastic?

I already tried Formula 409 (TSP) - helped but did not help much...
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just spritz the mouldy bits with Tilex and wait a while - they vanish overnight! Wink
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Noganav T3
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PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with the Tilex. That stuff is magic on mold. takes very little to do wonders. With out the fuzz up there you would likely get a lot of moisture dripping from the smooth slick surface. it also does add insulation and sound deadening. with out it you would feel like you were inside a drum.
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tam_shops
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PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spent the afternoon cleaning my pop top and tent...It's better, but not good enough. Though, if I'm reading the above correctly, it may be better in the morning?? Confused

I used Hydrogen Peroxide all over the tent and top. Rinsed it. Used Vineger. Rinsed it.

Then, on the top there were a few spots w/ mold and others w/ red (ink/dye??). I used Tylex on those.

Then, on the left side of the tent, there was (still is) a section w/ mold spots. I did a quick Tilex of those and then immediate rinse. Twice. With an extra rinse. Green machine carpet cleaner. It's still there...

Then, used some carpet cleaner soap and finally rinsed it again.

I still have few questions.

Anything ELSE I can do to get the mold off the remaining spots? It looks bad and I'm allergic...It's not where the kids heads will be, but I don't want it there and it spreads...

Anything I can do to make the top more uniform in colour? It's got some light spots from where I used the Tilex. Obvious answer is to Tilex the entire top, but Tilex can't be good for the top or me!

And, the tent is discoloured in a bunch of spots. Like lighter and more see through. I'm guessing it's bleached from the peroxide, as it was there before I used anything else and I didn't use Tilex there. Though, I think PO said she used bleach all over up top, so it could also be that it's just now showing b/c it's wet and the lighter fabric is actually a thinning of the fabric. Thus, I need a new tent sooner rather than later.

Finally, how do I know if my tent is original or replaced? Not sure it matters that much, but certainly makes a difference for the amount of effort I'll put into cleaning a newER one rather than an already 26yo one...

Thanks!

tam
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