How to Remove Mold from a Pontoon Boat Carpet?

Skipper August 8, 2019 Ask The Skipper

George asked:

What to you recommend to remove Mold and Stain from a pontoon boat carpet?

Answer:

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It all depends on what the carpet is made from. Most pontoon boat carpets are made from synthetic fabrics like polypropylene or acrylic and can withstand more aggressive cleaning. If you’re not sure, you should do tests in a small inconspicuous spot first before tackling the entire carpet.

A good solution for cleaning is Fabri-Klean. It’s tough on dirt but gentle on all fabrics, natural as well as synthetic. It’s also environment friendly so no problems rinsing into the lake or onto the ground and it won’t hurt your skin although I still recommend wearing rubber or vinyl gloves to prevent it from removing skin oils and drying out your skin.

First wet the carpet. Next spray on some Fabri-Klean and agitate with a scrub brush. A deck brush or scrub brush on a long handle works best and is easiest to use. Allow to work for about 10 minutes and agitate again. Now you can rinse clean and allow to dry. If the boat is on a trailer, drop the tong so the boat is on an angle. This will cause the water to drain to the lowest point and accelerate the draining. You can also use a shop vac to suck up the excess water to accelerate drying. When dry, brush the carpet to lift and fluff up the carpet nap.

If you still have mold stains, mix a solution of 1 cup Fabri-Klean, 1 cup chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of warm water. Test first to make sure that it doesn’t remove the color. Spray onto the stains and scrub with a scrub brush. Let it work for about 20 minutes, scrub again, and rinse clean. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times. Allow to dry as above.

If this is an ongoing problem, you can spray the carpet with Canvas Shield to waterproof it, protect against UV and resist mold growth. It will also make future clean up much easier.

Thanks for your question,

Captain Aurora

Richard Kittar