How to remove/kill mold behind RV walls?

And it was right around 2003 when “mold” became a thing to be skeered of.
I recall mold training requirements at work being required then, in construction work. The laughable part was we were in Yuma at the time.....
To the OP, unless you have respiratory issues or allergies, my opinion is it’s simPly not a huge deal. But im not in your position. I also slice mold off cheese or tomatoes and then eat the rest, so......

From the CDC:

Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold. These people should stay away from areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.

In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.

https://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm

My take on it was that we all lived for many years with mold in our house or cave so a little bit of mold can't hurt. I've seen the distress it causes certain people, though, so have come 180 for it's elimination in my houses.

Changing the environmental conditions needed for the mold to establish is typically the easiest. Raise the temperature and get some air flowing across it. You may still have spores to deal with but the maker of spores will be gone. A good quality active air filter deals with spores pretty well.

For the van, I'd study to see if it is worth the work to get it mold-free. Gutting and rebuilding can be therapeutic and the results can be better than what you have. I wouldn't get rid of it, those older Dodge vans were durable and easy to repair.

daboognish88 wrote:
. I then tested the air for mold spores and it tested positive

What did you use to test it? I've been house-shopping, and that smell is unmistakable. A company told me it's very expensive to test for that.

The part of mold people are allergic to is the waste product, not the mold itself.
Killing the mold does nothing to remove the "waste" it leaves behind.
The only safe way to do it is to gut it, kill the mold and scrub away all "waste" wearing a haz mat suit and respirator.
As long as it is undisturbed, such as not moving the motorhome, or opening doors etc, it is not super dangerous in the walls.
I agree, I would not expose my family to it. Why would I ?

I'm not guessing, I hold a mold re mediators license.
I would get rid of it, one way or another. Not worth the risk to me.

An ozone generator kills the mold and mildew it can expose to at a high enough concentration.

Concealed mold and such is difficult in all cases...

Ozone in too high concentration is hardest on rubbers and such. Do not overdo it, limit the exposure per the instructions.

White vinegar/Borax kills the mold spores it is in contact with, but then you need to vacuum those up, hopefully with a HEPA filter.

Good luck!

Grit dog wrote:
And it was right around 2003 when “mold” became a thing to be skeered of.
I recall mold training requirements at work being required then, in construction work. The laughable part was we were in Yuma at the time.....
To the OP, unless you have respiratory issues or allergies, my opinion is it’s simPly not a huge deal. But im not in your position. I also slice mold off cheese or tomatoes and then eat the rest, so......

Me too. I guess am one of the lucky ones. I live and work on the farm and I have been around things like mold, livestock dander, all sorts of dust, pollen, rotting animals, and countless things that I can't think of and I have never had a allergic reaction to any of them.

I get lots of canned food for free these days because the cans now have that "Best if sold buy" date on them. My friends think that if you eat it one day past that date that you are instantly going to die a horrible and painful death. So they give the food to me and I eat it at my leisure.

To the OP. Dry the camper out. Get what mold you can see out of it. Air it out. If you are not having a allergic reaction to it don't worry about it.

Have fun and go camping. Life is to short to worry about everything that might be bad for you.

( I do understand that some people are allergic to mold and other allergens though. And , I understand why they have to be careful.)

I've already put so much money into this van fixing it up over the last three years that it'd be such a shame to just sell it (probably for way cheaper than I've spent on it). I'd like to try and save it.


Well I had a look and there is no way that I can tear out the walls to hand clean anything. The way my van is built- Its a normal Dodge Ram van which they cut the back off of and then added an extension onto the back for the bedroom. Thats where the leak is.. which I'll fix asap. And the only way to take the walls out would be to remove the entire extension which is obviously not possible.
I could just drill some holes in the wall back there and put some Mold Bomb foggers in the holes if that's feasible. I'm pretty sure all of the insulation has shriveled up which means its just an empty cavity for the fog to make its way through. After all that's done I was thinking I could fill the cavity with some sort of spray foam insulation that is mold proof. Not sure how to go about that yet either so if anyone has ideas let me know.

DiskDoctr wrote:
An ozone generator kills the mold and mildew it can expose to at a high enough concentration.

Concealed mold and such is difficult in all cases...

Ozone in too high concentration is hardest on rubbers and such. Do not overdo it, limit the exposure per the instructions.

White vinegar/Borax kills the mold spores it is in contact with, but then you need to vacuum those up, hopefully with a HEPA filter.

Good luck!

I'll get a ozone generator and run it for a short time so rubber doesn't break down. (does the ozone generator kill the spores? If not.. how is there nothing invented to kill those suckers?!)
I'll get a dehumidifier and run it during humid summer days and cold winter days. (I'll have to try to find one that's energy efficient since I'll be doing a lot of dry camping).

This may not be the perfect fix, but....if it were my camper and I planned to keep it, this is my plan:
Drill some 1/4" holes near the top, center, and floor area around the damaged area.
Get one of the $5 pump up sprayers at Walmart
Mix Clorox and water 50/50.
Then spray into the pre drilled holes (try to keep from getting any spray on fabric or carpet).
Since you can't see inside the walls, you're sort of flying blind, but just try to get as much 50/50 inside the walls as possible.
You might also try to drill a few holes in the floor area behind the walls that will let any excess 50/50 drain.
Finally, air that puppy out! open up every door/window and blow as many fans as possible throughout the camper.
The mold will die when you remove moisture and dark areas, and the clorox will kill it.
Good luck and good camping.
Oh, and I hope all will remember, I said this is what I would do, others may disagree.