Keeping Living Quarters....well, livable!

[SailorBuoy]

If anyone is experiencing issues with getting stains out, smells, or don't know where smells are coming from (as is usually the case with a Male-Owned boat....except for Dexter....Dex I'm sorry but you know its true, If you lit a match in the cabin of Express Extra it would implode then post your concerns here!

If anyone has any tips or tricks that keep your cabin clean and smelling less like a locker room and more like a greenhouse. Let us know how you did it and what the problem was.

For instance, does anyone have any tricks for removing mildew and mold that collects in the seams and corners of counterspace and other areas inside the cabin?

What about keeping and maintaining your cushions. Thoughts or fixes?

Any good ideas for keeping your rope in good condition and mold free?

I am looking into the purchase of a live aboard in the next few years and would like to start taking notes on how to get things done properly in the living quarters. Maybe help some other people out too!

Chad

[robertd]

All I can suggest is Javex for corners in the counterspaces and as for the rope just leave it in fresh water and hang it to dry.

Cushions?...........hey I'm just a guy but I've seen people spray Febreze on their cushions to mask those nasty odours.

[don]

I wonder how those 'kitchen type' citrus based disinfectant sprays would work. Especially the spray on/wipe off type.

[brianpickton]

Don,
My wife and I lived on board for the better part of 7 years, sailing from Vancouver to the Caribbean and so am happy to share what we learned in that time.

Our experience was that spray on disinfectants only lasted a short time if wiped off immdediately. They need to be left in place for at least a minute. Unfortuntely the environmentally sensitive types were less long lasting then the chemical types. We used household cleaners for most stains but our secret weapon for stubborm stains was Simple Green. Anything it couldn't remove had to be sanded, which is where Ajax and similer products come in. On new countertops you want to avoid abrasive cleaners since they will dull the surface over time, although on occasion they are the only thing that will work. I'm looking at a kitchen counter that needs to be replaced right now. Abrasive cleaners should form part of your cleaning inventory but should be used as a last resort.

The key to keeping mildew and mold under control is eliminating moisture from the cabin and cushions. This is particularly tricky with cushions that are on boats because as we sail there is always a micro amount of salt water moisture in the air. When this gets into the cushions, even if they are dried out, the salt remaining being anhydrous, will continue to attract and absorb moisture causing mildew and mold. If your cushions have gone beyond the pale make up your mind that replacement and a good program for cleaning them is in order. Don't underestinate the power of dry cleaning before you decide to toss them, however. We got several more years of use out of or cushions through this simple annual expedient.

I like the Febreeze suggestion for covering odours short term, but I don't know if that will result in a permanent cure for the problem. In our case diesel contamination resulted in our getting rid of the settee cushions. The best thing we found we could do tp preserve them was to spray new cushion covers with Scotch Guard and renew it regularly, at least once a year, and in our case more often. The other key was good ventilation. Burning even a single light bulb will help keep air moving and warm it up. We dried cushions and lines in sunlight after fresh water washes a lot.

For wiping mildew and mold from the overhead and wood we found that a strong vinegar and water solution with a small amount of bleach was as effective as any other thing we tried. The ascetic acid in the vinegar seemed to keep the mold at bay. We wiped the interior hard surfaces down regularly to eliminate salt accumulation as well.

Condensation is a killer. We had a Force 10 diesel heater that worked well in our case in southern waters, but I would look at installing an Edson diesel heater up here. If you can't keep enough heat in your boat to keep condensation from happening, and in northern waters, who can? you might if you are doing a major overhaul of the interior install an insulating material like etha foam before installing the head liner. This helped tremindously with the condensation issues in the aft cabins of The Legend which were not adequately ventilated, particularly in the more remote corners. When the hull liner in the back cabins of The Legend turned into a a penycilin plantation we replaced the hull liner but insulated first. The adhesive we used were both an upholstery adhesive and 3M Super 77. Use headliner, not carpet or anything like it on the hull. It stretches and conforms to compund curves far better than a rubber backed or other carpet material. If any one needs to get involved in that kind of project drop me a note and we can take the conversation offline. There was a lot to it but the result was worth while.

Brian Pickton