Advice on upholstery cleaning?

Mags2hog
Mags2hog Forum Participant Posts: 1
edited February 2016 in Caravans #1

This is our first caravan, was put into storage for winter. Have recently found dark powdery mould/mildew/spores ( not sure what it is ),on door cupboards and also upholstery.Have managed to clean it from cupboards etc. Does anyone know how to clean mould/mildew/spores
from caravan upholstery. No damp smell in caravan.thanks 

Comments

  • armourer
    armourer Forum Participant Posts: 218
    edited February 2016 #2

    milton fluid  spray on neat

  • chrisn7
    chrisn7 Forum Participant Posts: 72
    edited February 2016 #3

    It may be that the previous owner had spills in the areas you found, and perhaps not cleaned up adequately. Do as suggested above, but keep an eye on things - may be get a damp tester as well

  • wallacebob
    wallacebob Forum Participant Posts: 89
    edited February 2016 #4

    ALDI today had a variety of 1001 type products from "emergency spray" stuff, to a carpet cleaning bottle with built in brush.

    I use these a start and middle of season to freshen up seats and carpets. Agree with wipe down of hard surfaces; I use cheapest Sainsbury anti-bac stuff.

  • KellyHenderson
    KellyHenderson Forum Participant Posts: 76
    edited February 2016 #5

    If you're storing your 'van over winter, its best to take cushions etc out to prevent mould growth.

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #6

    There has been a lot of this mildewy stuff arround this winter - I have it.  My caravan is dry and aired I even leave one of the windows on the vent position to further improve ventilation.  My caravan is stored near the coast so there is plenty of air movement
    - especiall today!!!  I gave the caravan a thorough clean in the autumn using diluted Milton everywhere, there is no water in the moisture traps I have put in.  Think this mildew is because of the mild damp weather we have been having.  It will just wipe off
    the cupboards.  I do not have room in our bungalow to store the cushions but leave them in the 'upright' position - they seem ok.

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #7

    Thats a very mild bleach ?.  Frown

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #8

    I would absolutely not use Milton on upholstery!  It will bleach the fabric.  Use a propriety upholstery cleaner.

    Hopefully you'll find the mildew is only on the surface and something designed to clean upholstery will remove it without leaving traces.  We had the same problem with our 'French' caravan and left it here over the winter.  Unfortunately we'd left the rather damp awning inside and that led to mould on the cupboard doors and on one area of the fabric of the sofa.  I cleaned it useing 1001 Carpet and Upholstery cleaner, and it's now fine, with no trace that there was every a problem.

    However, if you mean the very dark spots that you sometimes get on curtain linings which have touched damp windows, then that's a different kettle of fish.

     

  • PATMAU
    PATMAU Forum Participant Posts: 250
    edited February 2016 #9

    We open all the cupboards and lockers, having emptied the contents, and stand the cushions up during winter storage and haven't experienced any problems with mildew.  But we do have the van at home and regularly check it.  Agree with previous poster don't
    use Milton to clean upholstery, it will bleach the colour.  Astonish do a carpet and upholstery cleaner which they say kills mould and mildew.

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #10

    We don't have room at home to store all the caravan cushions, we do remove  as much as we can.  We pull the main cushions away from the side walls but leave in the van. 1001 do some good cleaners for upholstery. I also have a carpet cleaner with an attachment
    for upholstery which works well.

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