cotton duck

[Arko]

First, is there any way to rid canvas of some mild mildew? It is not bad at all, black in color. I have scrubbed most of it off already and the material is completely waterproof. It is also still very flexible. Not brittle at all. I used only a waterhose and brush but there is a little left. It's only on one side.
Any good uses for it? I was going to try to make a cover of it but it is about two inches too narrow.
I have a piece 53"wx25'L and can get alot more if I want.
Thanks

[Jay Greer]

If your canvas is a natural fiber, a bleach such as Chlorox, in mild solution, will kill the mildew. However it can also weaken natural fibers. A better product is Consan 20 or Consan D. This is a mildewside that will not attack the fabric. And is also environmentaly safe.
http://consan.biz/
Jay

[Arko]

Do you mean natural in color or material? It's tan in color, 100% cotton. I was thinking a very mild solution of bleach and water too. Would it bleach the color as well? Thanks Jay.

[Bob Triggs]

If your canvas is a natural fiber, a bleach such as Chlorox, in mild solution, will kill the mildew. However it can also weaken natural fibers. A better product is Consan 20 or Consan D. This is a mildewside that will not attack the fabric. And is also environmentaly safe.
http://consan.biz/
Jay

With all due respects to Jay Greer, (and then some!), I feel like we would be better off using less toxic products to knock down mold spores. Chlorine in bottled "Clorox" form, suitably diluted in water for use, is far less toxic to fish and other animals than Consan and similar products are.

[Arko]

Thats what I used, a little bleach and water. I just did a small scrap about 18" square. It seems to have done a decent job but it doesn't look new or anything. I was hoping to make a cover for my boat with it.
Does anyone know if I could dye it somehow?

[Thorne]

Never had any luck with cleaning/washing/scrubbing mildewed canvas -- so either use something else or get used to the stains. Bleach also weakens the fibers for prolonged exposure to sunlight. Better spending your money and time using one of the artificial canvas-like materials that the pros buy for this purpose...

[jonboy]

Sodium Hypochlorite NaOCl (active ingredient in most chlorine based bleaches) will kill mildew and mould. So household bleach, diluted as it says on the bottle for linen and cotton. IF the canvas is 'completely waterproof' then affecting the cellulose fibres shouldn't be a problem, as chlorine definitely will degrade cotton. If it has taken out the colour a bit then the canvas isn't completely waterproof by any process other than the nature of the beast...IF it is waterproof, means coatings, means dye won't take...Used to be able to buy canvas paint years ago...recommended to me by some old showman and used once to make some manky cloth dinghy sails trad red... worked well but didn't keep the boat long enough to know how well... though the old fella said he had the same canvas tarps, painted every couple of years, for years, and he had been at Billy Smart's Circus since the war...
Probably not worth the agro now, even if you can get the paint still.

[Jay Greer]

With all due respects to Jay Greer, (and then some!), I feel like we would be better off using less toxic products to knock down mold spores. Chlorine in bottled "Clorox" form, suitably diluted in water for use, is far less toxic to fish and other animals than Consan and similar products are.d
According to informed sources, Consan is invironmentaly safe, it is used in hospitals and dairys to name a few uses.
Jay