Removing mould/damp

FunkyMunkey

Hi,

My fiancee and I are renting a flat at the moment, but we will be buying a place soon.

Our bedroom tends to have a lot of condensation, and as a result we've ended up with damp/mould in the corners by the windows. The lettings agent has said that it's our responsibility to keep the flat properly ventilated so that this doesn't happen, and that it should just wash off.

I've gotten rid of most of it with washing-up liquid, but there's still some there. What is the best way to get rid of the remainder?

Thanks in advance

ccygirl

Diluted bleach will do it.

Mine'sAPintPlease

try mould killer...you can get it from b&q

southwestmaid

I swear by Dettol Mould & Mildew Remover, you can buy it from any supermarket, just spray, leave for a couple of seconds then wipe away.

FunkyMunkey

southwestmaid wrote: »

I swear by Dettol Mould & Mildew Remover, you can buy it from any supermarket, just spray, leave for a couple of seconds then wipe away.

Thanks

You know what: I've just remembered that we have a half-used bottle of that in the cupboard. Funny thing is: we didn't buy it, and the landlord lived in the flat just before us! Methinks he's used it before.

I'll give it a go, and let you know how i get on

Mine'sAPintPlease

yes that works well too...especially in bathrooms on tiles and the grout. Just don't get it on clothes - I ruined an expensive pair of jeans once :-(

I have some mould that I can't shift from the seals around my windows...I've tried all of the above, with only about half of it gone. It's been there for a long time, so is there anything that might do the job, or do I just have to accept that the seals are ruined for good?

FunkyMunkey

Dettol worked a treat. Thanks very much!

zxr_lad

Your letting agent is being out of order.

Yes, it is your responsibility to ensure the flat is ventilated adequately, however, they must also provide systems within the flat to shift a certain volume of air (in cubic feet determined by the size of the room), and if there is a history of damp, they should ensure it is treated using correct paints and not simply 'wiped off'.

If you have cheap double glazing with no breather vents, and no extractor fans in rooms such as the bathroom and kitchen then I beleive they are breaking the law. We went on advice from the CAB and got some compensation from our landlord following threats of civil action after they failed to rectify a damp problem for 3 months.

If you regularly have to keep your windows open to maintain a relative humidity of between 55 and 65%, then your landlord must provide a heating system capable of dealing with those lengths of time when the windows are open. It'll be fine in summer, but imagine it in December.

Finally, remember that your letting agent is responsible for your health and wellbeing, so if the flat is damp and sufferring from mould growth, you need to ask them to treat it quickly. They are responsible for any damage to the interior of the building caused by a defect in the structure of the building, and within that umbrella term, 'services provided' such as heating. Condensation forms on a cold wall, so therefore, it makes sense to have the external walls heated - terrible efficency for a concrete, or single skinned construction, but good for mould prevention.

good luck.

Lad.

dampdaveski

there are several types of mould & condensation control remedies available on the market, the thing you have to remember is that mould growth is forming as a result of a bigger problem, i.e. condensation / poor ventilation.
If you have a flat that has good extractors in the kitchen / bathrooms, decent heating, loft insulation etc then the landlord is probably doing more than most.
Sticking in a dehumidifier is one way of tackling it but you have to remember that this only tackling a 'symptom' of the problem, it is not tackling the actual cause, and the cause is a lack of air changes, if you have effective air changes in a property, you usually don't have a problem -.-
you might find a bit more info on the following sites
http://www.diydata.com/problem/condensation/condensation.php
http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/PDF/HsDampPrevention030408.pdf
http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Homeowners/Problemswithyourhome/Makeaclaim/PDFs/filedownload,31929,en.pdf
Some of its a load of rhubarb but you might find it useful
a typical supplier is
http://www.condensationproducts.co.uk
There are plenty of similar suppliers out there

Hope some of this helps