mold I think

**joeyj** · October 24th, 2018, 01:59 PM

I left an SKS in a room I thought was dry in my basement. You know the old saying "out of sight, out of mind" and it stayed here for a couple of months. When I went to get it the wood looks like it has mold on it, so I assumed it was from dampness. What confuses me is that I don't see any rust on the metal. Has anybody else had this problem, and what do you clean the wood with ? Also how do you seal it so that doesn't happen again.
Thanks fellows Joe

**Walleye Hunter** · October 24th, 2018, 02:04 PM

Joe, a picture of what you have would help the guys.

**abner13** · November 3rd, 2018, 10:16 AM

Could be. Who knows what wood or finish they used.

**wanneroo** · November 3rd, 2018, 11:08 AM

I find Ballistol works well with wood.

**mrat** · November 3rd, 2018, 11:33 AM

Vinegar works for removing/preventing mold. I just cleaned a leather sling using vinegar.

**Emptymag** · November 3rd, 2018, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by wanneroo

I find Ballistol works well with wood.

I "refinished" my SKS with Ballistol! LOL!

After soaking/wiping the stock in/with mineral spirits to get the Cosmoline off, it left the wood looking "whitish".
I took a rag and wiped it down with Ballistol and hot damn - it looked like I had stained it!

**Gunsnwater** · November 3rd, 2018, 11:45 AM

Vinegar is acid. Bleach is an oxidizer. Balistol stinks. Put it in the sun after hitting it up with Lysol.

**Emptymag** · November 3rd, 2018, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Gunsnwater

Vinegar is acid. Bleach is an oxidizer. Balistol stinks. Put it in the sun after hitting it up with Lysol.

Ballistol is downright putrid. Can't stand the smell and rarely use it, but it does have some redeeming qualities.

**littlefitz** · November 3rd, 2018, 04:54 PM

That happened to me once many years ago. I just wiped the spot down with some lysol or something similar and it never happened again.

**MARINE DIVISION TWO** · November 3rd, 2018, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by mrat

Vinegar works for removing/preventing mold. I just cleaned a leather sling using vinegar.

mrat got it right the vinegar part mix with water will clean it up. After a thourogh drying out G-96 or Balistol worked into the wood,and dont leave it in the basement in the future .