Ah, bit of a disaster then. If the TT was dry how did that happen? You've got to figure that out (leaking cover, for example) otherwise there's no point in bothering to treat it.
Mildew is not good, has to be said, and in advanced cases can weaken the canvas really badly to the point of it rotting away. So get it up asap and let it at least dry out a bit. Then brush off any surface spores using the upholstery brush attachment on your hoover, to avoid spreading mould around. Then the procedure goes like this:
1) Wash well using a product like Granger's Tent & Awning Cleaner.
2) Rinse about x20.
3) Treat stubborn stains using a very dilute solution of Milton.
4) Rinse about x20.
5) Wash again using same product.
6) Rinse properly this time...I can't emphasise this enough. Rinsing the residue out is the key here.
7) Allow to dry completely.
8) Reproof using Fabsil, also made by Granger's, or Thompson's Water Seal. There are lots of posts on here as to the various methods of doing this. Basically though several thin applications are better than one thick globby one. Allow to dry well between coats and for 24 hours after.
Big job and will take more than a weekend, plus all the products are expensive. Which is why it's best to figure out what caused the mildew in the first place, of course! But the usual culprit is the tent being not quite as dry as you thought, alas. It's always worth getting your TT out and opening it up if you have a fine sunny day, just to get a bit of airflow into it.
|
Topic: Mould and mildew
