Our lifejackets became mouldy over the winter. How should we store them to prevent this from happening again?—Michelle Laboni, Peterborough, Ont.
A: “This is an issue that’s near and dear to my heart,” says Ian Gilson, a director with the Canadian Safe Boating Council. “I take my family out waterskiing, and afterwards, my youngest would normally fold up her lifejacket and put it beside the seat. Then I’d put the cover on the boat, which makes it dark, warm, and moist in there. And then, later, guess what? You have mould.”
Assuming your lifejackets are otherwise in good shape, you’ll first want to salvage them by cleaning off the mould. “But the problem is that you usually have to use a harsh chemical to do it,” says Gilson. “And different manufacturers use different types of coverings over their foam.” Damaging that fabric in an effort to de-mould it could defeat the purpose of…de-moulding it. You can typically get cleaning tips straight from manufacturers’ online how-to guides or FAQs. If not, Gilson recommends mild detergent and warm—not hot—water. “Anything too hot can cause damage to the lifejacket’s flotation capabilities,” he says.
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Back to your question: we assume that you know to store your lifejackets completely clean and dry. But even if you do that, if you stash them somewhere that’s poorly ventilated or somewhere that experiences extreme temperature fluctuations (or both—for example, a closed-up cottage over the winter), you risk exposing them to indoor moisture.
That’s why Gilson stores his lifejackets at home during the off season. “I have what I call my ‘boat room.’ It gets increasingly fuller each year.”
Nobody’s asking you to give up an entire room to boating gear. We’re talking about lifejackets, not your in-laws. But keeping them in a temperature-controlled environment—whether it’s your house or elsewhere—will help keep the mould at bay.
Got a question for Cottage Q&A? Send it to answers@cottagelife.com.
This article was originally published in the August 2025 issue of Cottage Life.
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