How to Clean a Pop-up Camper of Mildew

Cleaning materials image by TekinT from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

Mildew presents more than just an eyesore: It can also cause severe eye and lung irritation, especially in young children and elderly campers. Clean your pop-up camper as soon as you see mildew, which can grow in large amounts if your camper remains in an especially damp or humid environ. Treat mildew on your pop-up camper with an at-home treatment to save money.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Abrasive sponge
Non-lanolin laundry soap flakes
2 cloths
White distilled vinegar or hydrogen peroxide

Step 1

Mix a gallon of water with a ¼ cup of non-lanolin laundry soap flakes inside a bucket. Alternatively use mold and mildew removers; however, these can cost up to $30 for a 12-oz. jar, according to the Idaho Canvas website. Scrub dirt and debris from the pop-up camper using an abrasive sponge.

Step 2

Wet a cloth with white vinegar for white canvas or hydrogen peroxide for a color canvas. Scrub the canvas using an up-and-down motion to kill mold. Wet the canvas as much as possible without causing the cleaning solution to run off. Let stand for five to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Brush the pop-up camper with an abrasive sponge or whisk brush. Use heavy strokes, if necessary, to remove deeply embedded mildew. Repeat as necessary.

Step 4

Wet a second cloth with water and "rinse" the canvas by wringing the water from the cloth onto the canvas. Position the pop-up camper in direct sunlight and let the sun's heat dry the canvas.

Tips & Warnings

Vinegar is effective at removing odor.

Mix enough non-lanolin laundry soap flakes for suds to appear.

If you cannot properly ventilate a pop-up camper, you may have to repeat the above steps; as new mildew may occur in the future.

Article Written By Charlie Gaston

Charlie Gaston has written numerous instructional articles on topics ranging from business to communications and estate planning. Gaston holds a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's degree in communications. She is fluent in Spanish and has extensive travel experience.

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