Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

[Glocke12]

The worst trip ever : http://www.campingforums.com/forum/s...0341#post30341

continues to have fallout. I packed my Kodiak Canvas flexbow up first thing in the am while everything was still dewy..Got home 5 hours later and one of the first things I did was set it up to dry out and discovered what looked like black mold/mildew growing in one of the sleeves that the flexbow poles slide into, and on one of the walls of tent.

I followed the manufacturers instructions (water, vinegar, dish soap) to clean these areas, but on the pole sleeve there is still some spotting. Im assuming any mold/mildew is dead from being out in the sun and from the vinegar/water/soap treatment, but should I try something strong (maybe peroxide) to remove this spot or just leave it be?

Also, there is some leaf debris inside this sleeve, it must have been on one of the poles when i slid it in. Not entire sure how I can get this out and i cant imagine leaving organic matter to decay in the pole sleeves is a good idea..any suggestios?

Oh yeah...Two days later I am still picking off deer ticks from this trip from hell. :mad:

[Mike]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Five hours is awefully fast to mold. Any chance that the discoloration could be from aluminum oxide from the poles or maybe from dirt?

Once you get real mildew, efforts to get rid of it usually do more harm than the mildew itself

I don't think you got mildew in five hours.... Hope not

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

I also had mold problems with my Kodiak. The mold on mine developed while still being setup. It also started on the roof sleeves. I saw it getting a little worse each day during a very rainy period. At Kodiak, there used to be a guy named Mike in customer service who recommended hydrogen peroxide. I can say from experience that it does not remove the spots. I started using a tarp over the roof which prevented the roof mold spots from spreading. However, I still got mold along the walls where rain and dew could still hit. If not properly handled, the mold will ruin the water resistance of the fabric as well as weaken it.

Mike is apparently gone now and I think they are now recommending different treatment. I'd contact customer support and let them know about your concerns.

http://www.kodiakcanvas.com/contact/

Follow their treatment directions, but keep an eye on the tent. If the tent fails while you are following Kodiak's care instructions they should handle the situation under warranty. If you try a non-approved method, they might give you a harder time. Good luck.

[Glocke12]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Five hours is awefully fast to mold. Any chance that the discoloration could be from aluminum oxide from the poles or maybe from dirt?

Once you get real mildew, efforts to get rid of it usually do more harm than the mildew itself

I don't think you got mildew in five hours.... Hope not

Im fairly positive it was some sort of fungal growth...it was black, and nasty looking...but it could very well have been dirt..

I don't think I did any damage to anything, I scrubbed very gently with an old tshirt and an old soft bristle tooth brush...

[Mike]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

I have several canvas tents. The newest is 33 years old. They really
Took some neglect to get the mildew going - packed wet for several weeks. Lets just image and hope it is not mildew. Positive thinking might be more powerful than cleaning chemicals

In the words of John Lennon, "the mildew is over... If you want it"

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Glocke12 , looks like we posted at the same time :^) The fact that you noticed the problem on the sleeve makes me think it's mold. As per my previous post, the mold issue on my tent also started on the sleeves. It next spread to the whole roof.

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Mike, the situation might vary by camping conditions and canvas treatment. My Kodiak was never stored and started having mildew issues after about a month of use.

[Mike]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Wow, if it is indeed mold/mildew blooming in five hours, this truly is a new one for me - and I have used canvas tents since... forever (or thereabouts). I have never used a Kodiak Flexbow, but I have used many other canvas tents.

Glocke12, where are you from? Is it a warm wet environment where mold/mildew is an especially big problem?

Like I mentioned above, I have never found anything that would get rid of mildew stains; hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, oxyclean, even bleach and sunshine. I think many people (myself included) do more damage to the tent by trying to remove the mildew stains than the actual mildew stains cause.

[MacGyver]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

I've been roaming the Internet, looking at canvas cabin tents and stumbled across this cleaner. I can't vouch for the product... just thought I'd throw it out there as a possible solution here.

[Glocke12]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Glocke12 , looks like we posted at the same time :^) The fact that you noticed the problem on the sleeve makes me think it's mold. As per my previous post, the mold issue on my tent also started on the sleeves. It next spread to the whole roof.

How did you handle it ?

[Glocke12]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Wow, if it is indeed mold/mildew blooming in five hours, this truly is a new one for me - and I have used canvas tents since... forever (or thereabouts). I have never used a Kodiak Flexbow, but I have used many other canvas tents.

Glocke12, where are you from? Is it a warm wet environment where mold/mildew is an especially big problem?

Like I mentioned above, I have never found anything that would get rid of mildew stains; hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, oxyclean, even bleach and sunshine. I think many people (myself included) do more damage to the tent by trying to remove the mildew stains than the actual mildew stains cause.

I am located in PA. Aside from dew in the mornings it has actually been fairly dry, cool and crisp here the past few days...

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

How did you handle it ?

As mentioned in my first post, I'd contact Kodiak and follow their instructions. Or at least get their approval before trying any other treatment. If you try a non-approved method, it could complicate any warranty request.

My guess is that you are stuck with the stains. Since you treated it though, the situation shouldn't get worse as long as the tent is kept in a dry environment. But things could get worse if the tent is exposed to wet conditions again.

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

I am located in PA. Aside from dew in the mornings it has actually been fairly dry, cool and crisp here the past few days...

Hmm, well that would make mold more unlikely. I'd think the tent would have to be moist for more than 24 to 48 hours for you to have mold issues.

[Glocke12]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Hmm, well that would make mold more unlikely. I'd think the tent would have to be moist for more than 24 to 48 hours for you to have mold issues.

I should have probably take pictures of it to get a second opinion, but really I can't think of what else it could have been. I was able to get a toothbrush with the KC recommended cleaning solution into the sleeve and it wasn't really coming off which tells me it was something other than dirt or debris.

Honestly though, the stain doesn't concern me all that much...Given use, all tents will get stains (leaves, berries, bird droppings, etc), I call them battle scars, some can be removed and the tent re-waterproofed, but what really concerns me is the ease and quickness with which it formed in the first place (if it indeed was mildew).

[yogiyoda]

Re: Ok...so it doesnt take long for mold/mildew to form on canvas

Well, they definitely are mold prone. That's why I'm looking for a new tent. After a little over three months of use in the wet Southeastern US summer, my tent got so bad that I returned. I never stored it at all. And I tried my best to follow the instructions and prevent the mold, but the canvas eventually started leaking and tearing. It's a shame, I loved the tent otherwise.