Road trips with family and friends in your RV or camper are an enjoyable way to see the countryside and spend quality time with the people you love. However, getting sick while on vacation is one issue that can put a dampener on your excitement. If you are traveling in a mobile home, RV, or camper, you may not realize how your vehicle’s cushions are affecting your health.
RVs and campers have a reputation as a common place for microorganisms such as mold and mildew to breed. This is especially true of used RVs that many travelers purchase at lower prices. Mold and mildew cause uncomfortable allergic reactions such as runny noses, itching, sneezing, coughing, and even asthma attacks or difficulty breathing in the worst cases.
The reason why mold and mildew are so common in many campers and RVs is that these fungi thrive in damp environments. Since RVs are usually stored for a long time when not in use, they can be susceptible to moisture. There are also other reasons why moisture can be prevalent in RV or camper cushions. Since RV passengers sit or recline on cushions, they may absorb sweat and other liquids from human bodies. Furthermore, if passengers have eaten food while resting on cushions, they may have spilled liquid on them, which can lead to more dampness.
You can usually recognize mold and mildew by observing multi-colored stains or your cushions or smelling a foul odor. If these signs are accompanied by allergic reactions, there’s a good chance your RV or camper is a breeding ground for fungi. You can use a dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of your vehicle and avoid further problems. But you may also need to take other measures if you already have fungi in your vehicle.
If your cushions are moist or damaged by mold and mildew, you may need to get new RV or camper cushions from a retailer such as The Foam Factory. You can even order custom-cut cushions made of materials such as Dryfast Foam, which resists moisture by drying quickly, even if the cushion is completely soaked. Dryfast Foam is also made using a formula that resists the growth of microorganisms, providing ample protection against the growth of allergy-causing mold and mildew.