A camper shell can be a fantastic upgrade for your truck. It protects your belongings or provides a no-frills place to get some rest on the road. But as much as you love your truck camper shell, mold does too! This unpleasant and unhealthy invader can become a huge problem if not prevented or addressed quickly.
That’s why we’re taking a closer look at the topic and running down everything you need to know.
Why Is Mold Growing in My Camper Shell?
The reason mold grows in your camper shell is the same reason it grows anywhere – mold spores find a damp, still space where they can land and multiply. Unfortunately, this often includes the inside of your truck’s camper shell.
Some mold is almost always in the air around us, but time outdoors and traces of dirt, water, and other substances from you or your gear can also introduce mold into the camper shell. Without the ability to fully ventilate and dry out, mold can run rampant before you even notice.
What Surfaces Will Mold Not Grow On?
The simplest answer to this question is any surface that’s either specifically treated to prevent mold or made of non-organic material like plastic, metal, glass, or concrete. This may seem to cover most surfaces, but there’s a catch. When these surfaces accumulate dirt, dust, and other organic matter, mold can and does grow.
Pro Tip: Unfortunately mold in RV tanks is common, but luckily it is easy to fix.
How to Keep Mold Out of Your Truck’s Camper Shell
Keeping mold out of a truck camper shell isn’t complicated. But it does require a few routine steps to ensure this pesky and potentially harmful problem doesn’t get the chance to grow.
Use DampRid
DampRid can feel like a miracle solution to easily eliminate any potentially harmful moisture in an enclosed space. You can get it in hanging moisture absorbers and refillable moisture-absorbing packs. Both come with the company’s unique humidity-removing technology.
Just replace them as the package directions suggest, and you’ll already be a long way toward eliminating most mold-forming moisture.
Prevent Condensation
Even with efforts to keep out water and other moisture, condensation can still rain on your parade – somewhat literally! If outside temperatures fall while air secured inside the camper shell remains warm, moisture will condense on the windows and other surfaces inside.
The easiest way to prevent condensation issues is to keep a window or vent open at all times. This will allow the air to circulate and equalize, reducing the amount of water introduced inside that may create a fertile territory for mold.
Wipe Down All Surfaces
Giving your entire truck camper shell and bed a good wipe-down after every major use is one of the best ways to ensure mold can’t even get a foothold. It may be sufficient to remove any dirt or organic matter and dry all the surfaces each time.
Those who’d like to be extra careful can also use disinfecting wipes or sprays to kill any invisible spores that remain behind.
Use a Fan for Airflow
One of the things most mold needs to grow is stagnant air. A cheap and simple fan can literally blow mold away, removing moisture and keeping the air circulating enough to prevent any errant spores from being able to take root.
In addition, many fans can run on batteries or are fully rechargeable, making them easier than ever to stick in the back of your truck camper shell when needed.
Pro Tip: Want to DIY mold removal? We took a closer look to uncover Does Vinegar Eliminate Mold?
What Kills Mold in a Camper Shell?
There are several methods for killing mold in a small, enclosed space like a camper shell. There are numerous varieties of chemical sprays and other cleaning products, many of which include bleach, which can aggressively treat and kill mold colonies. These are typically only a few dollars and can last for months or years.
You can even make home versions with a mixture of soapy water and a bit of bleach. Those looking for a more natural approach can use standard white vinegar sprayed or applied directly onto the mold.
Will Mold Come Back After Using Vinegar?
Vinegar is one of the most effective, low-cost, and easy-to-find ways to destroy mold due to its highly acidic nature. While treating a mold spot with vinegar is an effective way to kill the current mold, it, unfortunately, won’t prevent future mold from growing in the same spot once time has passed and new moisture and mold spores are introduced.
Still, it can provide a medium-term solution in conditions suitable for mold to grow.
Is It Possible to Prevent Mold From Getting in Your Truck’s Camper Shell?
Unfortunately, there’s no surefire way to prevent every spore of mold from entering your camper. Still, with basic cleaning and maintenance practices, you should have little to worry about. By keeping moisture low and regularly cleaning out your camper shell, you’ll be able to eliminate most of the risk.
Beyond this, all you’ll need to do is diligently treat any small mold spots before they become large ones. Your truck camper shell is an excellent addition to your travel and adventure arsenal. So don’t let it become a moldy, unpleasant mess.
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