Mildew in the camper. Ugh!

[Chock_Full_o__N]

We live in GA and our camper is in unheated storage. There was a leak under the sink at some point and it was fixed. Then we left a window open one time, thinking it would be good to have some air circulation and I think it just was too humid. There is powdery mildew everywhere! It's all over the fabrics, it's in the wood grain of the cabinets, in the closet, on the dinette and the couch. I have already been over every wall, cabinet, ceiling, dinette and couch with both bleach and vinegar. The mildew came back as bad as ever. In my opinion, the camper needs a complete gut. Well, actually I think it just needs to be junked.

According to the NADA blue book, our camper in fair condition is worth about $5000; obviously, this camper is NOT in fair condition. A friend says he knows someone who wants to buy it for $500 to use as a hunting cabin. He knows about the mildew, so we wouldn't be pulling a fast one on him. DH (who really doesn't want to sell it at all) insists that he wants to get at least $1500 for it because "it's such a nice camper." Well, it would be a nice camper if it didn't have mildew everywhere.

As it is now, we cannot use it. I refuse to spend one night in there breathing mildew. DH has stage 4 lung disease--the last thing he needs is to breathe in mildew. DD22 insists that we could replace all the fabric covered items, sand down the cabinets and paint them, and replace the A/C filter. I am very hesitant to do all this. I don't want to expose myself to the mildew and I don't want to spend several hundred dollars (and a LOT of time) cleaning and rehabbing, only to find that the mildew re-asserts itself in 6 months.

Sooo, say you were thinking about buying such a camper to use as a hunting cabin. What would you think you'd want to pay? (and don't say you wouldn't be so foolish as to buy it. I am fully aware that this is a loss but I'm trying to entertain my husband.)

[pasusan]

Chock Full o' Nuts wrote:
Okay, I just read all your responses to DH. I think it *finally* is sinking in that we canNOT save this camper. I say, it's better than having to pay someone to haul it to the junkyard. He sighed and said he'd give his assent to sell the camper for $500. He and my son will need to go up next week to give over the keys. They can retrieve the things that can be salvaged while they're there(TV, DVDs, folding chairs, utensils, cookware, tools, etc.)

It's truly the close of an era for us. We've been RVing for about 14 years. Due to serious health problems and PTSD, we had to give up towing. It was just too anxiety-provoking. Maybe some day we'll decide to buy a MH or Class C, but now is not the time. I think we'll "camp" in cabins for now. There's still a lot of this country to see, and our Prius gets a lot better mileage than our old F250.

I wouldn't let your DH go anywhere near that camper. As someone who cleaned up a badly mildewed classic car interior and developed a lifelong mold and fungus allergy, I would advise against anyone breathing any of it in. And you say your DH has lung problems already - please keep him away. Those spores are teeny-tiny and fly around easily.

[mabynack]

I live in Florida and have a lot of problem with mildew. I keep a dehumidifier running in my FW during the summer and I have a fan on a timer in the bedroom to keep the air circulating. I also prop the bathroom door partway open to make sure air circulates through there. Even with all that, the bedding sometimes smells moldy.

[Chrisatthebeach]

Halmfamily wrote:
Maybe try running a dehumidifier in the trailer and try to find the source of the moisture. If you find and eliminate the moisture clean it again. Leave the roof vents opened, make sure you have vent covers, and see if it stays clear. If all else fails you'll have to sell it or scrap it. Good luck

X2, The first year after moving back to the coast ours sat pretty much closed up through half of the first summer with no a/c or ventilation running. I did notice the musty smell and some powdery mildew starting on the wood panels on the refrigerator door, I assumed the worst but could not find a leak. I had a thermometer in there with a humidity gauge that read over 90 percent humidity. I did start running the air conditioner to bring it under control until I realized a dehumidifier could do the job year round for less. I bought a dehumidifier and leave it running pretty much year round. We are right on the waterfront so it is always moist.
Before you take a hit on it I would at least try to dry it out and see if that takes care of the issue.
It worked for us, no more musty smell, I keep the dehumidifier set at 35 percent and the original wood smell has returned.

[2012Coleman]

someone wrote:
I have heard that when storing things in Florida you need to keep them air conditioned or they will mold.

This is fiction. The bad advice taken was leaving the windows open to "let air circulate" in a humid environment. I've stored my TT in the Florida sun since I've had it. I don't crack windows, or run the AC. I keep it covered, and it does not leak.

OP - if you don't want to sell, consider hiring a company like Servpro. The link is for the one in Brunswick, or just Google Servpro.

You will have to resolve the water issue, otherwise the mold will return.

Good luck.

[DutchmenSport]

Sometimes it's hard for us old "coots" to accept change. But things do change, and then things change us! I think you're making the best decision. There are alternatives if you still desire to go camping... including purchasing that Motor Home now! Good luck! and maybe your friend will let your husband come up and go hunting with him. Who knows?

[kaz442]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Concrobium-1-gal-Mold-Control-Jug-025001/100654369

[2gypsies1]

Sorry for the problems. However, if you really like traveling in a RV consider renting one occasionally. Don't give it up completely. Cabins can be pretty creepy also and we all know how RVers feel about motels.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Okay, I just read all your responses to DH. I think it *finally* is sinking in that we canNOT save this camper. I say, it's better than having to pay someone to haul it to the junkyard. He sighed and said he'd give his assent to sell the camper for $500. He and my son will need to go up next week to give over the keys. They can retrieve the things that can be salvaged while they're there(TV, DVDs, folding chairs, utensils, cookware, tools, etc.)

It's truly the close of an era for us. We've been RVing for about 14 years. Due to serious health problems and PTSD, we had to give up towing. It was just too anxiety-provoking. Maybe some day we'll decide to buy a MH or Class C, but now is not the time. I think we'll "camp" in cabins for now. There's still a lot of this country to see, and our Prius gets a lot better mileage than our old F250.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Thank you. You all have confirmed what I already thought.

Last time we were there, the smell of mildew was evident before I even opened the door. At first, DH insisted he couldn't smell anything (he really thought I'd buy that!) So I swiped my fingers over some of the powdery stuff and showed it to him. Then I invited him to stick his nose into every fabric-covered piece of furniture in the camper. At that point, he declined.

I really don't think we can rehabilitate this camper. I am very leery of spending several hundred dollars (and hours) replacing furniture, mattress, sanding & painting, etc. We do not have a place to store the camper under roof or in a climate controlled space. My fear is that we could go to all the expense and effort to rid the camper of mildew, but the first time it gets dampish (which it does in Georgia, all spring and summer) the mildew is going to be right back in there.

IMO, $500 is decent. This trailer should be condemned and DH just can't hear of it.

[lizzie]

Not having seen your camper I can't say that it isn't a complete loss but I wonder? Folks who live in Florida get used to dealing with mildew and it can be completely cleaned up. We have a guest cottage that was closed up for three years after it flooded. Wow!!! The original owners left everything in it, sheets, towels, curtains, furniture, and it was all fuzzy and moist and the smell was unbelievable. The paneling had to be stripped from the walls. BUT.. we got it under control and we keep it that way with a very good dehumidifier that runs 24/7. Best of luck to you no matter what you decide. lizzie

[FLY_4_FUN]

If the tables were turned and you were on here asking advice about buying a rig that is in the condition of your current one im sure we would all say "RUN AWAY".

Knowing that I say if you have a serious buyer for your rig take it and be happy to have gotten something for it.

Daryll

[DutchmenSport]

I think you have answered your own question. You know you are taking a loss. You know you will never use it again. You know it will be difficult to sell. You know you don't want to invest any time or money into it. You know there is a risk of return mold if you do clean it up. You do have a buyer willing to offer $500.

The longer the trailer sits unused, the more chance the mold will return even worse. Are you a gambler? You have no guarantee someone will purchase it in the future for any price. But you have a buyer right now. No guarantees later! Sell it for the $500.

The seller always sees more value in an item than the buyer does. The next offer may come from a salvage yard and you have to pay $500 for them to "take" it. Take the current offer and tell your husband the "gamble" is not worth it. You need to rid the item now! Every time you or your husband step into that camper, you are putting yourselves at risk! Sometimes, you just gotta clobber us old men over the head and do what you ladies know is best! Money isn't everything, but YOUR health IS!

[Halmfamily]

Maybe try running a dehumidifier in the trailer and try to find the source of the moisture. If you find and eliminate the moisture clean it again. Leave the roof vents opened, make sure you have vent covers, and see if it stays clear. If all else fails you'll have to sell it or scrap it. Good luck

[azrving]

I had an older trailer that had water get in the windows during a bad rain storm. The fabric and and some of the wood did develop a sort of fuzzy mold and it wasnt too bad to fix it but that was in Michigan. I have heard that when storing things in Florida you need to keep them air conditioned or they will mold. I dont know if that's true or if your rig is that moldy just because of storage or does it still have a lot of moisture in it from the leaks? If you did repair it and store it again, will it need to be air conditioned to keep it from molding? How do they store rv's in high humidity areas?

Either way it doesn't sound good when coupled with health issues. Some times it's just better to take the pain and move on.


Before I would take $500 I would put it on Craigslist at much more money, even $3,500 or so and then come down. Someone can come and look at it and laugh at that price but all you have to do is lower the price to $3,200 or so and wait for the next guy.

Describe the issue clearly in the ad and state AS IS. If you get zero calls then start dropping the price every couple weeks by a couple hundred dollars. When you make out a receipt, make a copy for you and a copy for them that says mold damage buying as is and both of you sign both copies. Cash moola CASH