Canvas

[stuc]

Two questions
1-has anyone figured out how to remove the stain left behind after mold has been removed from canvas.
2-when waterproofing canvas do u waterproof both sides and which is the best waterproof liquid -clear or milky white.

[bondebond]

I just realized I never addressed your second question. Sorry.

For this, we need to know that you know what material you are actually dealing with. When you say canvas, do you mean the cotton cloth that is woven from thick thread (duck) and is 100% natural, or is it a Sunbrella cloth that is also woven but uses synthetic materials, OR do you really have vinyl that looks like plastic on the outside and woven material on the inside?

Each one of these materials needs different waterproofing treatments. Also, if you could put your PUP's model and year in your profile or signature, that would lend a clue to us for many different questions you might have in the future.

Please respond with this information so we can get you an appropriate answer. And I would categorically say to NOT use the silicone spray from most camping departments at the big box stores. If the original waterproofing method from the manufacturer was chemically based, silicone sprays are almost always incompatible with the original product and will cause very inconsistent protection and ultimately will fail. Additionally, silicone attracts a lot of dirt which can hasten the growth of mold. No thanks. Silicone sprays have their place but on a PUP's exterior is not one of them.

[bondebond]

Please do not use bleach and bleach-based products on your PUP's material surfaces.

Bleach is great for getting rid of mold and mildew on non-porous surfaces but not so for surfaces like canvas and vinyl.

I can point you to a number of resources that explain this in greater detail but the short technical reasons are:

- Mold spores are smaller than bleach molecules. Mold gets into the fabric and bleach does not penetrate as far into the fabric as all of the spores are. The result is that it appears to be clean but in fact the next time that area is exposed to moisture, mold is already present and will return with less incubation time than previously.

- Bleach will hasten the deterioration of the canvas if not completely and thoroughly rinsed. Most people cannot adequately remove all of the bleach from the material, especially if it is on the inside of the PUP. Stitches will become weakened and results in seams coming apart. The material weakens over time and either thin spots or holes will form.
This is not an immediate effect but will develop slowly over time. This process is inevitable with any PUP but it will be sped up significantly when bleach products are used.

There are a number of products out there that are not bleach-based but the one that I've found (and I am not tied to nor compensated in any way) is Iosso Mold and Mildew Stain Remover here on Amazon.
It is non-toxic, has no odor, is safe to use indoors and is purpose-built to remove mold from fabrics, canvas, vinyl, etc safely. It's not as cheap as a gallon of bleach but it won't harm your PUP in any way nor will it overpower you with chlorine odors when you're using it inside the PUP.

Unfortunately, I have a partially used jar of the stuff that just sits on my shelf at home because it did the job right and no new mold has happened since - partly because I'm very careful to make sure everything is dry and that there are no more living spores in the treated area to quickly return.

[DutchmenSport]

When we had our pop-up, I used a simple mix of bleach and water to remove any mold and stains left behind. Worked pretty well. After the spot dried, I followed up with some simple tent spray sealer and sprayed around the area on both sides.

I sprayed the entire canvas once a year (both sides) and the awning using tent sealer. Looking back, I think it was clear.