Best way to stop mold

[abunaitoo]

I've been using Lysol spay.
When I see mold growing I spray it directly.
It seems to work, but the mold comes back.
I've seen something called a mold bomb. Kind of like a bug bomb.
Anyone tried it????

[454 shooter]

one word, CONCROBIUM. That comes from a mold specialist. I do construction work and have done some mold removal and remediation. Mold requires 3 things to live; food, warmth and water. Your house is food, if you are warm so is mold, the only thing you can do is stop the water. Concrobium will kill and prevent mold. There are other products but just get concrobium. It is available in this area at Home Depot and is not expensive at all. If you want to remove the mold use bleach and dish soap. Be very careful not to mix the wrong soap with bleach as it can kill you. There is a warning on most dish soap bottles not to mix with bleach so get one that does not have that warning as to avoid the cloud of toxic gas. Brush the mixture with a stiff bristle brush until the mold is gone. let it dry then spray on concrobium. The bleach will kill the mold but the water in the bleach will promote the growth later. Concrobium will kill and prevent but not remove the stain.

[Jeff Michel]

Bleach then white vinegar. That will work for a while. If there is excessive moisture present, get a dehumidifier, that would be best in the long term.

[jonp]

Dollar General Cleaner w/ Bleach. Spray it on, let set a few then wipe it off. We have a wicked problem with mold in the bathroom especially the shower. There, we just spray it on the walls and let it sit then rinse with the shower. This is a ventilation problem that I have not fixed as I'm gutting the bathroom this winter and will install a ceiling vent to help.

You don't say where you are having the problem? Under the house then you need to ventilate it, cellar then a de-humidifier. If it's in your house again a de-humidifier, attic then a vent or power vent, in your walls then you need to tear down the walls and properly insulate them so that they can breath outwards.

[CastingFool]

Mixing bleach with dish soap as someone suggested is not a good idea, especially indoors. Many manufacturers add ingredients to their products that may react with bleach. The reaction usually releases chlorine gas which is highly toxic, and was used in trench warfare during WWI. To remove mold, I use a mixture of bleach and water, dispensed from a spray bottle. 2 oz. of bleach to 1 qt. of water. Spray and let it sit for a while, then scrub with a brush or a rag, then rinse off and allow to dry. If possible, turn a fan on the area, to ensure all the water is evaporated.

[Beagle333]

Bleach then white vinegar. That will work for a while. If there is excessive moisture present, get a dehumidifier, that would be best in the long term.

This is the truth. It will return if it is humid. It is like a virus. The bleach will remove the stains and kill some, the vinegar will kill more and slow regrowth, but if it is humid..... it will return from mold that was not killed. I don't even know if it is possible to remove all mold. That stuff gets in there deep! A dehumidifier is my protector here in the muggy soggy swamps of South AL.

[ubetcha]

I had read that borax( as in 20 mule team that us old timers will remember) kill mold. Hey ,come to think of it, isn't Marvelflux borax? If so , that would be the place to get rid of Evilflux.:bigsmyl2:

[georgerkahn]

I whole-heartedly agree with Beagle333 -- and I reside but 15 miles south of the Canada border -- quite a few miles north of South Alabama's soggy swamps! We, too, get mold -- mostly on basement walls. Fyi, Clorox has an article on it, using their products, of course, you may find of interest: https://www.clorox.com/dr-laundry/getting-rid-of-moldmildew-on-walls/
Good luck! geo

[williamwaco]

This is the truth. It will return if it is humid. It is like a virus. The bleach will remove the stains and kill some, the vinegar will kill more and slow regrowth, but if it is humid..... it will return from mold that was not killed. I don't even know if it is possible to remove all mold. That stuff gets in there deep! A dehumidifier is my protector here in the muggy soggy swamps of South AL.

Doesn't matter if you do kill it all. It is in the air all around you. It will just come back from airborne spores.

[Garyshome]

Best way to stop mold......Get rid of the moisture causing it.

[Blackwater]

Good responses. Beagle and williamwaco gave particularly good advice, I think. The trick is to get rid of all, or as much as you can, of the residual spores that later develop. Vacuum helps some there, but first the bleach/vinegar. Apply for several days until you see no further signs of mold development. A hair dryer to dry it can be useful here, too. If it's persistent, chances are you either didn't follow up with subsequent preventative treatments sufficient to reduce it down to the barest minimum possible, or as WW said, you've got a place there where the spores are continuing to enter and breed. In that case, find where they're getting in and shut the entry way however seems best and most complete.

Molds are the most common allergen, too, and whenever I pass deer feeding on those little mushrooms that pop up almost immediately after a good, soaking rain, I'll go about a mile or so and then start sneezing so hard I've actually jerked my truck off the road onto the shoulder! I also know I'm alergic to pine and pecan pollen, plus ragweed, so where else would I live but south Georgia? :? Fighting mold is a battle you may never win with finality, but you can darn sure launch some effective attacks. Nothing succeeds like persistence with it.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Good thread! Here's a slightly different problem maybe someone has the answer for. Long time ago I purchased two of the CZ-52 pistols. They came with holsters that have the appearance of being pigskin, but I don't know for certain what they are other than leather. They both developed mildew and turned white. I cleaned them with just about everything I could think of, with vinegar seeming the most effective, but they've always eventually started turning white again. Other owners of these holsters have had the same problems and no one has seemed to have the answer, except one guy advised that a certain individual brought in a supply of newly made holsters that don't have that problem and to buy a couple from him. So--anyone know the cure for this problem?

[Blackwater]

I'm not sure this would work, but it seems to me that somewhere in my now foggy memory of long ago now, I had a similar problem, and IIRC (not a given these days), I think I soaked it thoroughly in acetone, let it dry completely, and then reoiled with Neat's Foot Oil. This isn't very definitive, but as far as I can remember, this is how I treated something similar. Someone with a better guess or real info should come along shortly, I expect. I used the acetone thinking it might dissolve the outer crust of the mold spores. That's why I left it in soaking for a good while, like (again, IIRC) overnight. Mold spores and viruses, I think, have difficult to deal with outer crusts that prevent most cleaners from getting to the hearts of the spores and actually eliminating them.

Just remembered that this might (?) wind up being useful in the above cases as well. Acetone is a really good solvent that works pretty well on organic stuff, too, as well as mineral based stuff. And it's very toxic to whatever it permeates, generally. Just upsets the whole chemistry and biology of living things when it gets saturated inside.

[bangerjim]

Mold.............our leeeeetle friend! Where would the cheese industry be without it?

Moisture is your BIG enemy as said. Get rid of the wet and the mold will subside. But it is everywhere.

Your friends in this never-ending battle are chlorine-based products. Once the mold infestation is minimized and the surface is dried and prepped, spray it well with a white shellac coating like Zinsser makes. Get it in the paint section of big boxes. Seals the surfaces to minimize the air contact.

You will NEVER totally eliminate molds if you have humidity and wet. We even have molds down here in the dry deserts of Arizona.

banger

[abunaitoo]

It's been raining for about a week now.
So lots of moisture in the air.
I have the problem in only one room.
Not much ventilation.
Don't want to use bleach. Smell to bad to use indoors.
The CONCROBIUM sounds good.
I'll see if I can find some at HD.
Thanks.

[bangerjim]

It's been raining for about a week now.
So lots of moisture in the air.
I have the problem in only one room.
Not much ventilation.
Don't want to use bleach. Smell to bad to use indoors.
The CONCROBIUM sounds good.
I'll see if I can find some at HD.
Thanks.


I did NOT say bleach. I would never use simple laundry bleach. Do a search for chlorine-based no odor mold eradicators.

[jsizemore]

You'll have to move to the other side of the island. Mauka to makai. After many sunrises seeing Rabbit island, I'd put up with the mold.

[SSGOldfart]

I use bleach Clorox brand,some of the off brands don't work as well.once a year keeps mold out of my greenhouse.

[duke76]

Get an ozone machine and run it in there for a few hours, you can buy a decent one for around 100 bucks on amazon or ebay, it kills the mold, you might have to clean it off but it will kill the mold that is there and you may have to use it after a while again but it also gets rid of any smells, I would recommend the bare bones model with just transformer and plates around 7000 mg machine and just blow a fan on it in the room. lots of stuff on google about mold and ozone machines, the thing about ozone is that it can get everywhere because it is in the air so you get complete coverage not just what you can see and scrub.

[Blackwater]

Thanks, Duke. I just learned something.

[FredBuddy]

This spring I used "Wet & Forget" ( as recommended by Gary Sullivan, the home improvement radio guy) on holsters and slings and other stuff that had mold on them. Haven't seen any mold on the sprayed articles since.

[Outpost75]

Scott's Mold Control 500 aka "Sandia Decontamination Foam"

http://www.sandia.gov/media/cbwfoam.htm
http://intelagard.com/easydecon-a-better-and-safer-solution-than-bleach/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RGbj8PNfhM


Available commercially as:

http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-Liquid-Gold-50001-Control/dp/B000H0IOYW

[abunaitoo]

Ozone kills mold????
That's something new to me. I'll have to check it out.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't ozone attack rubber????

[bedbugbilly]

ubetcha . . . your mention of "20 mule team borax" sure brought back some memories! Every week we were glued to the new fangled machine (TV) to watch "Death Valley Days" hosted by "the Old Ranger".

That doesn't have much to do with the OP's topic . . . but hey . . . I'm old and probably a little "moldy" myself!

[454 shooter]

I personally cannot say that ozone will kill mold, but whatever you do, don't run the ozone machine with anyone in the house.
Close all windows and doors then turn it on and leave for several hours.
Put a sign on the door not to enter.
When you are done go in quickly, turn off the machine, open all windows and doors, leave until the house has aired out.

[duke76]

Ozone kills mold????
That's something new to me. I'll have to check it out.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't ozone attack rubber????
Ozone can be harmful to rubber, that is why they say to treat in 30 to 60 minute cycles then let set and do another cycle after a few hours, that way it never has enough time to damage anything rubber in your house, as t your question, do a little googling on ozone and mold there is tons of information

[abunaitoo]

Thank you for all the good information.

[dakotashooter2]

As stated "moisture control is the only thing that will keep it from coming back. It's unbelievable how many people freak out about a little mold ( thank you CDC). Most must have flunked biology class.

[abunaitoo]

I have to get more ventilation for the room.
In the summer it's the hottest room. In the winter, it's the coldest.
It's the only room with a mold problem.
Anymore suggestions on chlorine mix????
A friend does outdoor mold and mildew cleaning with chlorine.
He doesn't do indoors cleaning.

[jsizemore]

If you get a gallon of household bleach from Walmart it will be about 8% sodium hypochlorite. I mix it 1 part bleach to 2 parts water. I spray it for normal household cleaning but also on painted drywall and wood. You can sponge it on if overspray will damage carpet or drapes. I let it dry and it will not compromise the pigment of the paint on the wall. Don't worry about washing it off.

[.45Cole]

If it's a place that can be treated and left alone, baking soda works pretty well. Will dry out the area and adsorb the odors!

[abunaitoo]

I picked up a bottle of Concrobium mold control today.
Had to go to three places before I could find it.
Sprayed some mold in the room.
We'll see how it goes.

[abunaitoo]

It took a little while, but it worked great.
Even the black stain from mold is gone.
No un-pleasant smell.
I didn't have to do anything but spray it on.