WW2 WWII canvas hammock-bad mildew stains -How do I remove them?

saturnkimberlly asked:

I have a WWII canvas hammock that is badly stained with huge dark spots of mold/mildew all over it. I really want to salvage this piece of history. How do I remove these stains?


Question posted courtesy of:

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Add to Onlywire

Filed under: Hammock Q&A

3 Responses to “WW2 WWII canvas hammock-bad mildew stains -How do I remove them?”

1. (:?TayLee?:) , on January 26th, 2008 at 6:50 pm Said:

   wow I would really be afraid to try anything since this is an old item. I would seek the advice from an antique shop or something similar. However all that I can think of that you could consider trying is straight white vinegar. Good luck!:)

2. extex_cop , on January 28th, 2008 at 1:53 pm Said:

   Stiff scrub brush…Wisk….and some good old elbow grease. More than likely those stains are rust stains or if it is mildew that may have eaten into the fabric and weaken it. Best to get some more canvas and replace it.

3. feyanni , on January 29th, 2008 at 7:17 pm Said:

   Vinegar will set the stain.

   Lemon juice removes mildew, but with the item being antique, I would suggest taking it to a dry cleaner. Don’t just drop it off. Talk to the dry cleaner and make sure they know what they are doing.

   Mildew on old fabric will rot the fabric. So handle the project very carefully. Do not use anything harsh, do not wring it out, do not put it in a dryer.

   Try spraying some lemon juice on the area. Rinse it out with a hose while hanging. Let it dry naturally.

   That will at least remove the odor. If the fabric appears to take that treatment well, I would use a mild spray cleaner like scrubbing bubbles on it. Then hose it off again and let it dry hanging outdoors.

Leave a Reply