Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Repairs & Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-21-2015, 02:12 PM   #1
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
Mold/Mildew??

We've been in the FL panhandle for about the past 7 weeks. After about 4 weeks my wife complained to me about the yellowish/pinkish/orange residue I was leaving in the shower. I wasn't that I was aware of. She has been cleaning the walls and using a brush on the floor. Today she wiped down the walls inside the bathroom......yellowish/pinkish/orange residue came off on the towel. Before she wiped the walls she said she had put her hand on it and it felt tacky. Once wiped you could actually see the discoloration on the wall as it was wiped off.

We both shower daily and I try to leave at least one door open afterward. It has it's own AC vent. I do close the sliding door to the bedroom each night after taking a shower because the skylight over the shower is so bright in the AM. Reckon this is some kind of mold or mildew? With that color? It must have something to do with the moisture because it's not anywhere else. I have a vent fan in the bathroom but have not been running it. I just turned it on to see what happens. The heat has been pretty high here along with the humidity so I've ran the front bedroom AC in the afternoons. It works great but it sure seems to put out more moisture than the main one. It is a Dometic Penguin II 13,500. The sheets feel sort of damp after it's been on a while sort of like a swamp cooler, just not nearly as bad. Maybe that's a factor? Just trying to figure out if orange mold/mildew exists in anyones experience.
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 03:12 PM   #2
hankpage
Site Team
 
hankpage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
Sounds more like some kind of algae too me. I have seen it around pools and showers where people have been previously swimming in the ocean or gulf. I was told it was called "watermelon algae" I'm guessing because of it's color. The color you described made me think of it. As you mention ... moisture is the main culprit for it's growth .... we always run the exhaust fan while showering mainly because our shower is in the bedroom. JM2˘, Hank
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
hankpage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 03:23 PM   #3
14george
Senior Member
 
14george's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 1,271
We always run the exhaust fan when we shower and a good 15 - 30 minutes after we are done.
__________________
Navy 1980-1984
14george is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 03:52 PM   #4
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
sourdough -
Why not pick up a small, cheap portable fan and run it during and long after showering. Mold, mildew, algae love both heat and moisture and by moving the air around you can reduce or eliminate the amount of moisture. This, in addition to your overhead exhaust fan, should help to reduce the chances of the yucky stuff growing on the shower walls and help make your bed sheets feel a bit drier.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 03:59 PM   #5
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
Thanks for the feedback. I was kind of skeptical of mold/mildew etc. thinking it was something to do with the soap/water (I use Caress which is kind of pink). When she showed me the wall I was really surprised. I didn't use the vent fan because with the heat and high humidity I didn't want it to get in; but in retrospect, the fan is pushing air out so I would assume the heat/moisture should be held at bay. I take pretty long, hot showers so from now on it will be "vent on".
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 04:02 PM   #6
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
Thanks Festus2. We were thinking along the same lines. I had turned a fan on after I posted to hopefully help things along.
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 04:29 PM   #7
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
A late thought --- what about a dehumidifier to help pull moisture out of the surrounding air in your RV?
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2015, 04:58 PM   #8
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
The dehumidifier is a thought and I think I'll do it. We just don't have this problem in most of the places we go but since our daughter and her family moved here we will be spending at least 2-3 months a year here and the humidity is definitely a fact of life. Thanks.
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2015, 03:09 PM   #9
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,600
An update on the problem I spoke of:

We cleaned the wall twice with disinfectant and began running the bathroom fan for extended periods when showering. The wall feels normal now and we haven't scrubbed the "orange" stuff out of the shower yet (don't see it on the walls/floor). As a note, I spoke with my daughter in St. Marks and she said "oh yeah, we started getting that pinky stuff in our bathroom after we moved here....I just scrub it all off with disinfectant.... Guess I should have thought to ask her in the first place, but this is the first place I thought of
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:23 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.