cleaning off mould...

want2bmortgage3

my property has an outside north facing wall that is a magnet for condensation and as such has ended up covered with mould stains.

my tenant has tried to keep on top of cleaning it but has let it go a bit. i have decided to sell the property in a few months (tenant is happy she will get a move), but in the meantime need to clean and redecorate.

so first step will be cleaning off existing mould, can i use sugar soap for this? an article i read says 'thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces. use a stiff brush, hot water and a non ammonia (?) soap / detergent or commercial cleaner. collect excess cleaner and cleaning water with a mop/sponge'.

step two, once all visible mould is removed, will be applying some fungicidal wash i have had lying around for a while which is mixed with water, i guess this is similar to bleach/water, but i might as well use the commercial product i've got already? this will be allowed to dry on the surface so as not to wipe off the disinfectant.

last step, probably a second visit, will be repainting. i've heard about anti mould paint and that its expensive. seeing as its much warmer now than it was, and that i'm selling the place is it worth using this or standard paint.

i will add, i lived in the property myself for at least 6 months and a lot less mould appeared during this time, so condensation from the tenant and family is the cause and nothing structural.

on the same subject, i can get cavity wall insulation for this wall in question for £75 while my tenant is still in there. should i do this even though i'm selling, as it will improve the energy rating on the EPC?

cheers

absent_dad

Yea for sure get the cavity wall done, and at that price...One of the main reasons you have the mould in the first place is that warm moist air is condensing on a cold surface...like the bathroom mirror after a shower etc. Warming the wall up will certainly help as will circulating the air.

Sounds like you know how to get rid of the mould, personally I just use a bleach solution, leave over night and wash n paint. When I was living out in Majorca you had to do it every season as the houses out there do not have cavity walls but would turn black with mould overnight.

Wouldn't waste my money with anti-mould paint, tried it and it still keeps coming back.

Edit...that anti-mould paint...it stinks

Hope this helps

want2bmortgage3

thanks for the reply, what i'm not 100% sure about is with the cleaning part, it says:
hot water and a non ammonia (?) soap / detergent or commercial cleaner
not sure what sort of cleaner this means? what is non ammonia?

absent_dad

What you do not want to do as the second part contains bleach is use an ammonia based product to clean, you are going to get fumes off this that could be dangerous.

See here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A795611


Simple washing up liquid should do the job, it already contains a bleach, check the label, wander up the isle of the local supermarket, it will say if it contains ammonia.

littlesnuggy

absent_dad wrote: »

Wouldn't waste my money with anti-mould paint, tried it and it still keeps coming back.

Edit...that anti-mould paint...it stinks

Hope this helps

Not sure which paint you used, but my landlord cleaned & repainted our bathroom ceiling with an anti-mould paint as it was getting covered in mould above the shower. That was over a year ago, and no sign of it returning (and it didn't smell at all after it was done!)

strawberries1

Hi, there is a lot of mould in my bedroom and I think it's responsible for the numerous colds, sore throats and coughs I've had in the past yr. I keep cleaning but it still comes back. It's slightly better now that it's warmer.

The window condenses a lot and it is a north facing window.

This wall cavity thing you refer to can be done for as low as 75? I had complained to my landord about it a yr ago and he got someone to make a whole in the wall and put vent over it but that has done absolutely nothing!

What do you guys think?

Thank you.

want2bmortgage3

a lot of companies are offering cavity wall insulation for £149, i said £75 as i plan to pay half of my neighbours share.

not sure about the hole in the wall/vent, this might improve ventilation, but it will also let the heat out and cost you more in heating. is it just a vent, or does it have a fan or anything?

strawberries1

No fan, nothing. Just a hole in the wall and a screen on either sides....

want2bmortgage3

this is what i'm talking about......this wall was newly decorated about 5 months ago

dampdaveski

I see this all the time
We use the gear on this link daily http://condensationproducts.co.uk/aspbite/categories/index.asp?intCatID=23&content=mould_control_systems
sterilise everything using the mould killer, then add the additive to whatever paint you want to use and it should improve the situation dramatically, same applies to most of 'em

the main reason we use this is because the cleaner has no bleach in it, and it has good 'green credentials' which housing associations (most of my work) like
You can also get kits from
www.twistfix.co.uk
http://dampness-info.co.uk
www.dampshop.com
www.kiltox.co.uk

The only thing to bear in mind is these mould treatments arn't actually treating the actual CAUSE of the problem, which is usually condensation
hope this helps

DD

Chris_Michael

Unfortunately this is a rather common theme that I come across every day and more often than not it is the lack of the space for a tumble dryer in a smaller property that is one of the most common causes. The moisture that is produced during everyday living (bathing, washing, cooking etc) stays trapped in the property during the winter months as we do not open winter because it is too cold outside. Then unfortunately the moisture finds a cold surface and mould will grow.

I would recommend buying and using a dehumidifier once you have redecorated to avoid the problem happening again.

As for whether mould is bad for your health the answer can be yes. Mould gives off seeds (also know as spores) which float in the air and are inhaled. This can trigger an allergic reaction, most common issue is for asthmatics. If you have mould you will also have an increase in the number of dust mites in the property because they reproduce in damp conditions. Their dropping are also released into the air and again can trigger a reaction. Not everyone is effected, but a significant number of the population are.

Again a dehumidifier will keep the relative humidity down and discourage them from reproducing.

Hope this helps.

Chris