DIY RV Renovation: The BEST Way to Clean Your Pop-Up's Canvas
Hi! Welcome to Campfire Travelers. Back in 2015, we transformed our little pop-up camper into a shining, clean, and updated home on wheels for less than $1000. We took what we learned and wanted to help others in their own DIY RV renovation. You can learn more here. And if you ever have any questions, please feel free to contact us here.
Pop-up camping is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, but it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest issues pop-up owners face is maintaining the canvas of their camper. Over time, the canvas can become discolored, stained, and covered in mildew, which can greatly reduce its effectiveness as a shelter. But don't worry, with a little elbow grease and the right products, you can give your pop-up's canvas a much-needed makeover. In this post, we'll share with you our experience using Bass Pro Shops Mildew Stain Remover and 303 Fabric Guard to clean and waterproof our pop-up's canvas. Get ready to say goodbye to mildew and hello to a clean, bright, and refreshed camper.
**Due to the overwhelming popularity of this tutorial we have added an update and FAQ, please find that at the bottom of the original post.
One of the first things we noticed when purchasing our used pop-up was the incredible amount of mildew all over the canvas. It was gross. And all pop-up owners know the condition of your canvas can mean the difference between a comfy night and a soggy night.
How do I remove mold and mildew from RV canvas?
My first search for the mildew issue was straight to The Pop Up Princess - now let me say this - we are not all about re-inventing the wheel. When you find a person/place that has such a wealth of GOOD information you stick with it and make your own life easier. Now Larissa, THE Pop Up Princess, does not have a specific post about mildew stains, but I did see in the comments a question regarding canvas stains and she instantly recommended her reader pick up some Bass Pro Shops Mildew Stain Remover. So we tossed the kids in the car and headed down to our local Bass Pro Shop. We purchased two bottles (keep reading to see how much we actually used) and a giant sponge from the same end cap in the marine area. If you don't have a BPS close, don't fear, you can order it online. You can also try Cabela’s now that they’re owned by the same company.
*Update - BPS has created a new eco-friendly version of this cleaner. At this time, we still recommend sticking with the original formula in the blue bottle. If you decide to try the new version, please let us know how it goes so we can share more info with our readers.
When we got home I looked over the directions, all I needed was a bucket of cold water and a sponge. For myself, I grabbed safety glasses and some disposable gloves. After some trial and error, I also grabbed a scrub brush. And, of course, some good old-fashioned elbow grease became the key to the whole process.
Nervously, I followed the directions and started spraying and waiting. Then as I began to wipe with the sponge and freshwater all we could say was WOW!! Over and over. WOW!! This stain remover was more than I could have ever imagined. I grabbed the brushes for the stubborn stains, but beware that you can scrub the canvas too hard, so use brushes in moderation.
I did this side by side just to show the difference of what I had already cleaned off (really the picture does it no justice).
I quickly found a groove and a technique for using the BPS Mildew Stain Remover and I saw that letting it sit on the canvas a little longer than the bottle suggested did the best at removing the stains. The bad areas needed to be done twice. I think it also helped that we did this on a warm and sunny day since we were able to see the stains well and it dried faster. The remover has a strong bleach smell, but it suds up, unlike bleach. So don't be fooled that you just bought some overpriced bleach. It is a genius concoction of wonderfulness that I will never understand.
After the white of the canvas was clean we tested a small spot of our gray canvas window screen covers before doing the whole thing and thankfully it did not bleach it. So we were also able to clean those with the mildew remover as well. And now they're a much more appealing color of gray.
Note: We were careful not to spray our vinyl windows, so I’m unsure of what the BPS Mildew Stain Remover would do when it comes into contact with them.
Do I need to waterproof RV canvas after cleaning it?
Yes! The next step for the canvas is waterproofing. We highly recommend 303 Fabric Guard. If you have a lot of canvas to waterproof purchase the bigger bottle and a garden sprayer. Follow the directions on the bottle.
In the end, I completely underestimated just how much canvas needed to be done. Our first two bottles were gone quickly, we ended up going back for two more, and we finished the job with just about 1/4 of a bottle left in all.
The instant effect of the cleaned canvas resulted in a much brighter environment for the camper and we are so pleased! It looks like new again!
2023 Update: It’s been 8 years since we cleaned the canvas of our pop-up with the Bass Pro Shops Mildew and Stain Remover and I am pleased to say that it still looks great!! Here are a few of our most frequently asked questions from emails and the comment section:
You WILL need to waterproof your canvas after treatment. We recommend 303 Products.
Using clean water and a sponge, please make sure you are doing your best to remove the cleaner from the canvas once it has done its job. Allow everything to dry for at least 24 hours before closing your pop-up again.
BPS now offers a more eco-friendly option for mildew removal. However, we have not used it, so we cannot recommend it.
We recently had a reader write in to tell us they had fantastic results with Star Brite Mold and Mildew Stain Remover. This is great news for those who don’t live near a Bass Pro Shop or Cabela’s. Once again, we have not used it, so we cannot say if it works better or the same as BPS, but it’s probably worth a shot!
If you are sensitive to strong smells please wear a face mask while scrubbing with the original BPS Mildew and Stain Remover.
I wish I had more information on repairing tears in the canvas, but that has not been an issue for us. The previous owner of our pop-up used clear silicone, it works, but gosh it looks awful.
If you’re curious about how we renovated any other parts of our 1999 Palomino pop-up camper please check out the links below or visit our main page here.
Why we painted the furnace cover
Creating new blackout curtains
Creating a new nightlight and replacing outlets
And if you ever have any questions, please feel free to check out our FAQ to contact us or leave a comment below!
