Spores from Bark Mulch

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Rene T

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Joined
May 20, 2011
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22,979
Location
Farmington NH
I've got thousands of those tiny little spots on the side of my RV caused from bark much spores. Has anyone come up with a chemical or a simple way to  remove them? Thanks.

Rene
 
The spores will be from a fungus or a mold of some sort as well. Not sure if it makes any difference - I would think that any standard biocide (bleach, vinegar, ammonia or a commercial biocide like Sniper) should do the job. Have you tried to wash them off with a solution of strong detergent plus some bleach?
 
The spores are from the mulch,called artillery(sp) fungus. It is very difficult to get off. Something like a scotchbrite and go slow. Also,nothing has been founf to kill it. It may be slowed down by mixing i a mushroom compost . The best solution is to remove mulch, the fungus can launch up to 12 feet an is attracted to shily surfaces.
 
Thanks guys.
I've tried Goo Off, Simple Green, Awesome and other household detergents. I did use 4/000 steel wool. It took them off but it also left a small dull area where the spore was. I don't know if I'll be able to restore the spots with a paste wax.  I'm moving ahead very slowly for fear of damaging decals. I'm going to leave them on the decals because you can't see them there.  I'll be travelling back to NH next week from Florida. When I get home I'm going to experiment further. I'm going to try the paste wax on the dull spots and I'm also going to try a oven cleaner on a  rag.  I may go to a auto body shop and see if maybe they have a cleaner which will not hurt fibreglass.  Any more ideas out there?  Thanks.
Rene
 
You don't need a paste wax for the dull spots - you want a polish that will buff them up to a shine.  Most any of the fiberglass polishes that boast de-oxidizing" or "color restoring" should have the necessary abrasive content to polish it up. Do not apply to decals, though.

You can also get synthetic polishing pads (not steel wool!) from 3M in finer grits that will buff it to a shine. Steel wool leaves behind tiny shards of steel that soon rust and leave a stain. Not recommended for outdoor surfaces!
 
I heard on TV the other night that the best way to remove shoe scuff marks on a floor is a tennis ball. That got the me thinking. Once I get the RV back from the body shop I'm going to try that with a little dish detergent or whatever. Anyone else have any ideas?

Yea, we just got back from spending the month of February in Lakeland Fl. On the way down, we were stoped at a toll house and we're rear ended in our fifth wheel. Took it to a Campers Inn locally and they said it would be around $9,000 to $10,000 just to repair the back. We also have other issues caused by the accident so I'm expecting the bill to be over $12,000. Thank God the guy had insurance.

RT
 
We both ended up in the emergency room with whiplash. We're OK now. It's funny, two days after the accident, I got a call from the insurance company wanting to settle for pain and suffering. I told her she was crazy and not to bother me for at least 2 months. They're trying to get out of it as cheap as possible. The initial offer was $500.00 each. 2 weeks ago she called again and the amount went up to $1400.00 each.   

Rt
 
It looks like I won't have to worry about the spots on this RV anymore. I finally got the quote to repair the damage. It's about $21000 just to start. No telling what they'll find when they get into the belly to find out why my gray water tank is leaking. My insurance agent told me that usually if the estimate comes within 60% to 70% of the value, they usually total it. Looks like we may be looking for anothe FW. Damm!!!! We really like this one.
 
I'm sorry to hear this. However, on the bright side, think of all the shiny new 5er's you get to look at! AND you don't have to worry about the mold either!!!! ;D ;D ;D
 
Winnie
As you can see from a previous post, it looks like I will be looking for a new RV because there is a good chance they're going to total mine. In case I ever need to go thru this again, what is a Magic Eraser?
 
Magic Eraser is a foam block with cleaners in it, kinda.... You can find it at any grocery store. made by Mr.Clean I think. Works wonders on all kinds of stuff.
 
captsteve said:
Magic Eraser is a foam block with cleaners in it, kinda.... You can find it at any grocery store. made by Mr.Clean I think. Works wonders on all kinds of stuff.

Yes, and I also found a generic "Mr. Clean" that seems to work OK.

It really didn't take much rubbing and the results were pleasing.

I hope all goes well with the search for a new RV.
 
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