Well, to begin with, I live in the mold capitol of the universe. However, this particular situation was caused by a water heater that decided to die. Like all the other duplexes on this block, it’s in the attic, right above two closets (and the breaker box.) Luckily, I was home when it happened and caught it quickly. There was much screeching and mopping and buckets and franticness until the plumber showed up to turn off the water. It’s about two weeks later, and I just now realized that both closets have MOLD on the walls. One has very little (that’s the one that I had the fan in for a week after it happened,) and one has black/green spots along all the corners and some on the walls. Probably about 10 sq. feet overall.
I’m going to clean it up myself, largely because if I wait for the landlady to do it, the Apocalypse could come first. I’ve been asking advice from friends and looking on the web, and the general consensus seems to be:
– wear goggles and a mask, and gloves
– seal off bathroom and bedroom door with plastic sheeting and duct tape
– clean the mold with soap and water
– 10 to 1 bleach solution, let stand for half an hour, then rinse
– let dry. There’s no ventilation, unfortunately, so I’ll have to use fans.
Does anyone have more advice to add? All will be much appreciated!!
Might be tough to find, but hang a UV (not blacklight) lamp in the closet for awhile. It will pretty much sterilize anything airborne or on any surface it shines on.
Use a good mold test kit to make sure it is all gone after your cleanup. Don’t forget to pull up the carpet (if any), baseboards and anything else that could have trapped moisture long enough for mold to get established.
Mold abatement of walls and floors is not a job for amateurs.
Before you do anything, call your health department. They can compel your landlady to bring in a professional mold-abatement company. Your landlady may be liable for paying for you to stay in a hotel while the work is being done.
That’s mostly true, because if the mold has grown in the areas inside the walls, it’s a cast-iron bitch to get rid of. You have to take down the wall covering to get to it.
However, if you’re absolutely certain it’s superficial, washing it with uncut bleach will do the job very quickly.
Old house had a serious mold problem caused by leaking roof and termites, and it was inside the walls. We ended up with a major drywall job to rid the place of the termites and mold, and still didn’t get it right.
New place had black mold on the wall behind the fridge, and I did the bleach bit. Worked great, and no problems so far. I’m also pretty mold-sensitive, so I’d know…
Check your lease. Here in Alabama, it reads that you have to be provided with a live-able space in exchange for rent. That might help your landlady keep up her end of the bargain.
Here’s a link to EPA’s mold guide. Basically, mold grows wherever it’s warm, wet, and there’s food. Wet wood and sheet-rock in Tennessee makes mold very happy and prolific. You have to kill the mold and stop the warm, wet, food cycle in order for the mold not to recur. EPA suggests that if the area is larger than 10 square feet you need professional help.
Talk to your local hardware people. They’ll have some pointers for what works best in your area. And vinegar works just as well as bleach. I find I can use it in a stronger solution and everything smells like a pickle afterwards.
You’re right. Here’s a blurb from a medical supply sight:
“Make sure you get UV bulbs [designed] for sterilization applications. UV germicidal lamps transmit UV light at 254nm. This wavelength is lethal to microorganisms and prevents the reproduction of various bacteria, viruses and mold spores by preventing DNA replication. In medical applications, UV germicidal lamps are used to reduce the spread of disease, especially in areas where the risk of infection is high. Laboratories use UV germicidals to limit the amount of live organisms in the air and to provide a clean, sterile environment. Germicidal lamps are also used as an additional protective barrier in drinking and water processing applications…”
However, this particular situation was caused by a water heater that decided to die. Like all the other duplexes on this block, it’s in the attic, right above two closets (and the breaker box.) Luckily, I was home when it happened and caught it quickly. There was much screeching and mopping and buckets and franticness until the plumber showed up to turn off the water. It’s about two weeks later, and I just now realized that both closets have MOLD on the walls. One has very little (that’s the one that I had the fan in for a week after it happened,) and one has black/green spots along all the corners and some on the walls. Probably about 10 sq. feet overall.