Strange Black Growth On Decks!?

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seamanstain

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Hello All,
After recently purchasing our boat on ebay, we have discovered a strange mould (possible origins of SARS?) growing on the ghastly non-slip paint on our decks. After extensive scrubbing with bathroom cleaner it is slowly coming off. Does anyone know exactly what it is, and does anyone know a more efficient method of removing it, rather than just using numerous foam scrubbers things?

Thanks
Ian
p.s. the mould is very black

<hr width=100% size=1>whoever took the user name seamanstains you are about as unoriginal as me. damn you.
 
Try Dettox Mould and Mildew remover.

You can get it from Tesco's for a couple of quid rather than 'Starbright' at the chandlers for £12.50.

It contains a powerful bleaching agent. Ordinary houshold bleach won't touch mildew.

Just make sure you rinse it away in the timescale given on the bottle, and rinse it well.

Oh, and stay upwind (and watch who is downwind), the chlorine released is pretty strong.

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Garden path moss killer is very effective, as is phosphoric acid (Osfor rust killer)and oxalic acid (teak brightener)

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It is worth saying that...

The active ingredient in Dettox Mould & Mildew Remover is sodium hypochlorite, otherwise known as household bleach. There's no reason why you shouldn't use it below decks. Equally, there's no reason why you should pay over the odds for household bleach in a pretty package.

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Same but different

As I said, ordinary hosehold bleach doesn't touch mildew. D M & M R does, and creates a chlorine cloud that puts Domestos to shame.

Which is a very good reason not to use it below decks, you would want breathing gear on.

Unfortunately they only do the good stuff in fancy packages, though you might find something similar in garden / DIY centres in a package big enough to treat a large area of decking or patio.

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Re: It is worth saying that...

I think there is more to this product than that.

One of the boat cleaning product makers put a mould and mildew removing product on the market some years ago. It was brilliant and the only thing around which worked. It had a warning on the bottle that it was not to be used except in well-ventillated places and was withdrawn after a couple of years because it was very toxic in a boat-interior environment.

I suspect it was based on the same ingredients as DM&MR

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ
 
A useful resource...

The Health & Safety Executive has a <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hse.gov.uk/hthdir/noframes/bluebook/Section9.pdf>useful guide</A> to the active ingredients of many "mould killer" products. You can quickly check what's in them.

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You could try Dilunett, which is essentially NaOH (caustic soda), but beware that it is a quite effective paint remover - depending on the components of the paint. Don't get on Aluminium window frames etc. as it will attack these also.

<hr width=100% size=1>PaulAG
 
You could try Dilunett, which is essentially NaOH (caustic soda), but beware that it is a quite effective paint remover - depending on the components of the paint. Don't get on Aluminium window frames etc. as it will attack these also.

<hr width=100% size=1>PaulAG
 
You could splash a bit of antifreeze on it and see if that moves it.[Ethylene Glycol]
I had a growth of a bizarre looking fungus on my boat and it dealt to that.

Good luck

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