Mold on Fiberglass

[Alan P.]

It may be late to be asking advice on how to remove mold as i spent a few hours yesterday with light rubbing compound and an electric polisher. The day before I tested hand cleaner (orange with pumice) but feared it was too abrasive. The rubbing compound (i think it is turtle wax brand light duty compound - white colour and less abrasive feeling than red/brown stuff) It is working but very slowly and does not completely remove the mold. When up close I can see the previously very black spots are still there. They are just very pale grey now. Will anything completely remove this stuff without doing damage to the 32 year old surface?

Once I get it as clean as possible what is the recommended treatment to keep the mold from returning? Wax? What brand?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Alan

[Kevin K]

This is the best stuff I have found.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none

[Darwin Maring]

I use regular Clorox and water mixed 50/50.

[Pamela H]

I use regular Clorox and water mixed 50/50.

Too strong of a concentration, you will give yourself burns and destroy your clothes...usually for mold and bacteria, 1/4 cup of bleach to a gallon of water is all you need. Might need a bit more elbow grease, but at least you won't be breathing noxious fumes.

Pam

[Alan P.]

Thanks for this advice. The job is half done and I'm going to try the bleach tomorrow if it ever stops raining. Then will have a go with the rubbing compound.

[Dave Baston]

Thanks for this advice. The job is half done and I'm going to try the bleach tomorrow if it ever stops raining. Then will have a go with the rubbing compound.

Hi,
I just restored my 5th Fiberglassrv. I used "Bar Keepers Friend" Make it into a past andworks 2-3 foot sections, leaving it on the entire trailer for 3-4 hours in the sunlight. Wash twice and rinse well. The original gelcoat will come through like you can't believe.

Dave
"The Trillium King"

[Scott Corsaro]

my scamp was moldy as all heck, when I got it, I towed it to the quicky wash and pressure washed every square inch of the outside, blasted it off pretty good, took about 15 bucks in quarters thou, but it worked really good.

[Carolyn Patterson]

Hi,
I just restored my 5th Fiberglassrv. I used "Bar Keepers Friend" Make it into a past andworks 2-3 foot sections, leaving it on the entire trailer for 3-4 hours in the sunlight. Wash twice and rinse well. The original gelcoat will come through like you can't believe.

Dave
"The Trillium King"

Dave,

I've used Bar Keepers friend to clean my trailer and it does work very well but I've never kept it on very long. Do you mix it up prior, or just put it on thick? The week before 4th of July I went over every inch of my trailer cleaning it with 2 cans of the stuff from the top of the a/c shroud to the bottom. Took 2 days - then I read somewhere on here that someone used "NuFinish" and while it looked nice for about 4 days, I'm back to square 1 again...no shine.

I'm all for trying anything to get 'some' shine...I realize it's 23 years old...heck I don't shine as well as I used to 23 years ago either...can't expect my trailer to!

[Andrew Gibbens]

I've never cleaned a fiberglass trailer but there are products made for getting the scummy line off boat hulls just above the waterline that work quickly and easily without doing any harm to the gel coat. They contain oxalic acid (dilute for sure) - which is exactly what Barkeeper's Friend has in it.

However it might be a toss-up between the premium price for a brand name product like Barkeeper's Friend in small quantities and the premium price for anything to do with boats in larger quantities!

Andrew

[Kevin242]

"Spray-nine" from Canadian Tire works well. Scrub with a brush and rinse off with water.

[Mary F]

I'm all for trying anything to get 'some' shine...I realize it's 23 years old...heck I don't shine as well as I used to 23 years ago either...can't expect my trailer to!

Probably another coat of the NuFinish would help... when you've cleaned so thoroughly (sort of a chemical peel), the gelcoat seems to absorb the wax. So, "just" put on another coat. (I realize it's a lot of work!)

BTW, I used NuFinish when my Casita was new. In more recent years, I've switched to Meguiar's; but, the brand isn't as important as the doing.

Good luck with it!

[Carolyn Patterson]

Mary,

You're probably right...it's a lot of work and very disappointing when the shine just isn't what you had hoped it to be. Before putting 'her' in storage, I'm going to give that Poli-glow a try!

As far as mold, I'm still a big fan of the Awesome Spray cleaner I wrote about on another thread. Cleans everything from tree sap to tire marks....someone stated that it also removes wax and I'm sure it does - but rubbing compound does too and spray and wipe is so much easier!!!

[Mary F]

Rubbing compound not only removes wax, it also removes gelcoat... and gelcoat isn't very thick to begin with

You might enjoy reading this old (very old) topic on Waxes and polishes. Suz is (or was then) the "queen of shine" and her 1989 Casita was her willing victim. I wish I had the old pictures that she posted of her results!!

ON EDIT: No, wait! I found her old post, which includes a link to where she resubmitted the pics. See Old like New (almost) and Want the Shine.

Just keep on working and don't give up. Don't think you have to do the whole thing at one time or you may never get started. Just go out there and just do a little at a time. That's what I've done, and that is what has worked the best for me.

[Mary F]

Ha! I've inspired myself to go out and put some wax on my trailer! See y'all later!

[Vi Turner]

Another 2-cents worth! We agree that bleach water, followed by a soapy wash and clear water rinse really takes off mold. Then we treated our Trillium to Poly Cleanse for any stubborn stains, rinse and follow with several coats of Poly Glow. Our 30 year trailer shines like new, and the beauty of it is that we do not have to do anything for a year...and then it is just another single coat of Poly Glow. Since it is a marine product, it really lasts! Why work hard when all you have to do is work smart? Vi & john

[Booker B.]

Hi Vi,

Personally I found that Poly Cleanse (Poly Wash) didn't take out the really embedded black moss and I SCRUBBED like a maniac with the included scotch pad and other pads I have around. It did a great job on the rest of the trailer though for bringing the gelcoat back to one color. I will be trying the spray nine this weekend to see if it works.

[Carolyn Patterson]

Anyone here use OxyClean on their trailers?? I use it to scrub our deck and to remove the mold in spots every spring, and it doesn't kill the plants I have planted nor the grass...I know Big Lots here sells an 'outdoor' Oxyclean too, but the regular works fine for me, my plants, and even in my wash!! Might be easier on the finish than a regular bleach solution.. Just another idea...