Mold! - Replacing Bed Platform

UPDATE:
We did some more research and found that the cabinets are a structural element and that they are screwed through the roof and walls. We will leave the cabinets in place and try our to best to cut around them.

We have started to cut through the plywood and found out that it is glued down onto the joists so we are prying the platform off section by section. Unfortunately, there is mold on the joists as well, which we will try to bleach.

Although removing the moldy platform may not be the easiest nor cleanest method, but it may be the most surefire method. We will lay down new plywood, caulk the seams, paint on a sealer then ensure air flow under the new mattress. We will also be disinfecting all surfaces inside the camper, removing as much fabric and carpet as we can and laundering all our clothes.

When we found the mold, we bee-lined to our nearest relative in Texas. They are kind to let us stay in their mold-free home during this renovation. Things are progressing and we have a solid plan. Hopefully we will be back on the road soon.

Thanks all for reading my posts and chiming in. If you have any more tips or comments, please share.

Thanks.

ORIGINAL POST:
We have just discovered this disaster (see attached picture). Mold is seen all across the wood platform where we lay our heads. Clearly the platform will have to be replaced. We see that we have two options, either to do the work ourselves or bite the bullet and have it done professionally. I'd like to see how I can do it myself first.

I would like to replace the entire platform regardless of whether the mold is visibly present. The platform runs under the whole bed area including under each cabinet/closet.

How do I removed the cabinets? (I've poked my head around and can't seem to figure out how they are attached).

I hope someone with the right expertise and knowledge on how these things are built can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Christine

***
Some extra info:
- 2002 Lance 1121 Truck Camper (We bought it used in June 2018)
- Had the camper professionally re-caulked and sealed from a reputable company in early Oct. then started traveling full time in it 2 weeks later.
- During our travels, the escape hatch above the bed was leaking in the rain despite having had the whole camper professionally sealed. We caulked it ourselves early on before any damage was done (or so we thought).
- Our speculation is that unbeknownst to us, water had pooled on the bed platform prior to us inserting a mattress and starting our trip. The platform had a dark carpet so we must not have seen the water saturation when we put the mattress on top. 47 days later, unaware of all the water beneath us, we find the underside of our mattress covered in mold (see 2nd picture).
- Having found the mattress with mold, we pulled out the carpet and insulation beneath and found this disaster at the head of our bed, which we actually feel might be due to something else other than the leaking escape hatch and that it has been stewing since the previous owners had the camper. Maybe it's caused by condensation on the window above? I can't find an obvious reason. Any thoughts?

Welcome to the RV forum

To even start, you will need to tell folks what you have here. Year, Make, Model?

Hay you located where the moisture came from?....Leaking window maybe?

I would be concerned that the fabric below the window may have mold as well.

I'd just wash it with a bleach solution to kill off the mold spores, and then maybe paint it with a sealer/primer if it makes you feel better about it. I've re-used mold-stained wood with far more mold than that.

I'm thinking it's a truck camper with a front window. If it is, you probably have other issues as far as water infultration.

I agree with Gary.  Bleach solution and paint with sealer.  Find the source of moisture.

You might also consider ozone treatment to kill the mold

Thanks for the warm welcome, Gizmo, and the reminder to add some detail.

Regarding the comments about treating the mold then sealing it, I'm afraid that this mold has penetrated deep into the wood. I don't know for sure but since it is present at the head of the bed where there is a seam in the wood at the wall, I could imagine that the mold has gotten through and under the platform as well.

I would feel most comfortable replacing the platform. I just need to figure out how to remove those closets on either side of the bed.
Does anybody know how best to remove them and whether or not the closets play an important role in the structural integrity of the camper? 

And is the platform glued down to the fiberglass shell?

Thanks

You may want to research killing mold with bleach. It's my understanding that bleach doesn't do that well on pourus surfaces. Straight vinegar is supposedly better. There are also " made for that purpose" mold killers available that may be better than homebrew remedies. Have you contacted your insurance company? Though it's the owner's responsibility to check the sealing of an RV, it seems as though you did so with diligence. The insurance company may pay for repairs. The worst that can happen is they say "no".

Condensation can and will collect on the window and wall at the front.  It is the high point in the camper so humidity from living (showering put out a lot of humidity) in the camper will rise & flow to the front.  Is there a vent above the bed. Keeping that open 1" may help. 

Additionally, 2 people with their heads up against the front window for 8 hours a night put out a LOT of humidity just breathing.

Additionally, the warmth & moisture from your bodies on the 6" to 8" mattress, with the very cold floor beneath will cause condensation to collect below the mattress.  Shoving something under the mattress every morning to let it air most of the day may help.

Here is a blog (Utube Video) from a couple who put a spring system under their mattress:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOxYZ433OMM

And links to where to buy:  http://www.nickleatlantic.com/  https://froli-systems.myshopify.com/pages/froli-buying-guide

I am not saying this IS your problem, but it is something to look for. 

Also if the wood is not rotted, bleach will kill the mold in the wood.  You may have to spend 2-3 nights in a motel while treating the wood though.

Brush on the bleach or vinegar solution and let it sit a while to penetrate thoroughly. It works - it's the same way the moisture got into the wood in the first place.


There is nothing structural about the side cabinets. They are probably just screwed into place. RV construction is simplistic at best! Check around the interior of the cabinets and you will likely see the screws.

Removing cabinets from a truck camper,  not always easy, depends on the unit.  Some truck campers build unit and some items are screwed in from the outside before shell is attached.  If you can't find any screws, that may be why. 

Bleaching, drying and repainting with a mold resistant paint, then plenty of time to air out will help. 

I was doing a walk thru with a Winnebago View the other day, and their bunks have a sort of 'box spring' that raises the mattress over the surface, allowing air flow and diving something other than a flat hard surface base.  Look up the rv, they many feature that in their specs on the coach.  First time I saw it.  Might be worth adding something like it before reassembly.

I did a 30 second search and found what they use.  Not sure of price, but this will help eliminate a cause of mold, but should help with comfort.

https://www.froli.com/en/bed-systems/

Use a oscillating saw to cut the plywood right even with the cabinets.

https://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multi-tool-62866.html?cid=paid_google_pla_main_newproductsgeneral_62866&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI25CUjrqB3wIVgiFpCh1wjAWtEAQYAiABEgIGYfD_BwE

I had to deal with this problem when my daughter moved out of the house. She was always shoving crap under her bed, including open water bottles.
When we gutted the room I found the mold on the floor and on lower wall

I would not try and remove the cabinets just treat and paint like the plywood.
Remove all fabric cover trims (You may be able salvage)
We used bleach keeping it wet for 5 minutes
After everything dried We sealed it with OIL based kiltz.
It's been 7 years and no sign or smell of the mold.

Note: I'm HIGHLY allergic to mold. (My wife had to handle the killing of the mold) When the room was finished I turned it into a music room. At times I would spend every evening in the room and never had a problem.

Gary RV_Wizard said:

I'd just wash it with a bleach solution to kill off the mold spores, and then maybe paint it with a sealer/primer if it makes you feel better about it. I've re-used mold-stained wood with far more mold than that.

Click to expand...

I have been told by two mold removal companies that bleach does not kill mold spores. Vinegar does. Now I'm confused.

My understanding is that bleach will work on non pourus surfaces, but will not get into the pourus areas. Vinegar will soak in kill the mold.

I spent a little time reading on this today.

Bleach is not as effective on porous surface. It will kill the surface mold but could leave live mold that could spread. The first problem is to fix the moisture problem, then treat the area. In order for the mold to grow it needs moisture.

"Vinegar will soak in and kill the mold." This appears to true from what I could find.

Of course neither will work if you don't fix the moisture problem.

When I had to deal with this problem I did use the bleach and let it soak for 5 min. this may have helped. I also sealed the sub-floor with kiltz.

It sure is not clear to me why one liquid (bleach) will NOT soak in while the other liquid (vinegar) WILL soak in.  Doesn't make sense.

As far as I know a liquid with the same viscosity will soak into a porous surface.  Bleach & vinegar are about the same viscosity.

More specific details from the "experts" being quoted as saying "bleach will not soak in" would go a long way to clearing this up.

This is not to criticize those providing the quotes.  Mainly asking them to see if they will go back to the source and find out just "why" bleach will not soak into a porous material. 

As far as my input on this subject...
I was on quite a few sites, The 2 that I recall were service master (a restoration company) and the Gov. EPA site. And they seem seemed to favor the use of vinegar over bleach.

Apparently the chemical makeup of the vinegar is more aggressive at killing the mold. It's not that vinegar penetrates any better than bleach. ( I should have phrased it differently)

That said........Everything I found seem somewhat vague as to how effective the treatment would work, It was pretty much do this and that then let it sit and see if it comes back.(At least that's what I took away after reading).

The important part was get rid of the moisture. And I'm sure we can all agree on that.

AStravelers said:

It sure is not clear to me why one liquid (bleach) will NOT soak in while the other liquid (vinegar) WILL soak in.  Doesn't make sense.

As far as I know a liquid with the same viscosity will soak into a porous surface.  Bleach & vinegar are about the same viscosity.

More specific details from the "experts" being quoted as saying "bleach will not soak in" would go a long way to clearing this up.

This is not to criticize those providing the quotes.  Mainly asking them to see if they will go back to the source and find out just "why" bleach will not soak into a porous material. 

Click to expand...

First, I never claimed to be an expert, just relaying what I have read and experienced. Not need to slam and kinda apologize.
As far as references, here ya' go:

https://moldpedia.com/mold-removal