Tarp... mould spots, help

[Dave Q]

Hi my Stearns {sp?} tarp is only 2 years old and doing good except there is getting to be more and more small blk.mould spots. They about half dissapear by rubbing hard. PLEASE HELP THANK YOU.

[perchjerker]

The solution is fairly simple. Mold basically grows where there is dirt on the cover. Keep it clean. You may have to use a mild colorsafe bleach in a washer in a laundromat or your home washer, if it will fit. One time I just soaked mine in the laundry tub, but that was a pain. Dont ignore it, it will put holes in your cover. (I am assuming its a cloth cover)

[Kaz]

Dave: I used some tile cleaner, like I used in the shower. If you want to do some "spotting", spray it on, lightly brush, and hose off. Most products containing bleach will kill the mold. Becareful not to leave it on to long, as the color of the cover may bleach too. Wonderful STUFF THAT O2.....Kaz

[Gearhead]

Bleaching does indeed do the job, however the oxidizing action of the hypochlorite seems to shorten service life of the cover by weakening the cloth fibers. Perchjerker's idea of washing is good if you can find a machine large enough or can toss it around in a stock tank or bath tub. Once line dried, treat with a stain and water repellent made for cloth, much like 3M Scotchguard. I use an Aerospace product used in release coating of molds. It has a high silicone content and repels water like a well waxed car, and subsequently is a good stain repellent because nothing stays on the cover. It is only an industrially available item, due to Aerospace NESHAP environmental air quality rules. Although Thompson's WaterSeal apparently is not recommended for cloth, someone at Home Depot said that they do make a product for waterproofing tents and other cloth items. So, if you can get it cleaned once.....then treat the heck out of it....you may be good for the life of the cover which usually is only a few years.