I wadded up a light weight cotton paint tarpaulen (12' X 16')which was, unknown to me, slightly damp. It sat in the corner of a house I am working on for a few weeks. I moved it today and discovered that it has lightly molded in a few areas. I spread it out on the front lawn for a while to ensure that it was well dried, then brushed it off with a broom. If it were a smaller item, I would just throw it in the washing machine with a bit of bleach and detergent, but of course it is too large for that. Do any of you folks have any suggestions as to how I may remove the molded areas without damaging the tarp?
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SOW YOUR WILD OATS ON SATURDAY NIGHT - - - THEN ON SUNDAY PRAY FOR CROP FAILURE! -
Bleach and detergent, then spray out at a car wash, and hang to dry. Or something like a carpet shampooer after using some bleach and detergent (expect a lot of foaming).She couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod, and the bathroom. We had to go back for her.........................Twice. -
If you have a driveway, you could lay it out and get some mold remover to spray on it. They make some stuff that is all natural, so it shouldn't harm the tarp or the grass.Dave
BT3000
"98% of all statistics are made up"Comment
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If you use bleach and detergent together, make sure you use laundry detergent (it's made to play nice with bleach). Some other home cleaning products, when mixed with bleach, will send you looking for a new pair of lungs...
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That is the truth. I used two different spray on products on a shower wall. Tilex was one, and not sure about the other. Very toxic...couldn't breathe, and choked. Symptoms lasted a few days.
I wouldn't mix bleach with anything other than water, or buy the bleach that has the detergent in it, or the other way around. I'm not sure if the detergent/bleach combo as it's sold has a high enough concentration of bleach. OTOH, on some mold, it may not take much.
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bleach, warm water, pour it on and broom it into the tarp.You don't need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice.Comment
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Borax. Kills mold and mildew and is a detergent so it will also clean the tarp.
Borate's have been proven to be a more effective mold killer and
preventative than bleach.
Edit: The borate's will also keep insects from gnawing on it.Last edited by sparkeyjames; 10-03-2009, 05:49 PM.Comment
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+1 on borax and detergent.Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas EdisonComment
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FWIW, I wash my cotton paint tarps regularly in our washer using bleach and detergent. If your washing machine is too small, try your local laundromat.You might think I haven't contributed much to the world, but a large number
of the warning labels on tools can be traced back to things I've done...Comment
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Use borax instead of bleach. On the tarp it won't matter but on permeable surfaces such as decks or concrete the some of the borax solution will get absorbed and unlike bleach the borax will then be a mold preventativeDavid
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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Hey Cman,
You probably mixed tylex (bleach) with ammonia. That's a chemical warfare combination.Rand
"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like your thumb."Comment
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I did that once. As a teenager I worked in a restaurant. We got a new dishwasher and my boss had me scrub the wall before we put the new one in. I mixed up bleach, ammonia and Ajax in some water. I figured that would really get the wall clean. I remember I had to keep the bucket about 8 feet away so I wouldn't get dizzy.David
The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.Comment
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Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I did not know about borax as a mold remover. I'll probably go that route, as I have some borax and I won't have to worry about damaging the tarp as I might with bleach. Any old-timers around here who remember "Death Valley Days" sponsored by 20 Mule Team Borax and hosted by Ronald Regan?
Uncle Cracker, I'll second (or is it third) your warning about mixing chlorine bleach with other cleaners. Just yesteday morning I went to clean the toilet. The cleaner I first picked up had only a spoonful in the bottle, so I opened a container of Clorox toilet cleaner and gave it a generous squirt. Well, I got only the slightest sniff, and it nearly knocked me down!! My chest and nasal passages were on fire! I turned on the vent , flushed the toilet and left the room. It was some time before I felt OK. I knew not to mix chlorine products with other cleaners, but I just didn't think about it. I won't soon forget this lesson!SOW YOUR WILD OATS ON SATURDAY NIGHT - - - THEN ON SUNDAY PRAY FOR CROP FAILURE!Comment
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I don't know about a tarp but about a month ago I needed to remove mildew off a painted wood. Vinegar solution worked well.Alex VComment
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