How to beat Black Mould?

ellebee1986

Throughout my entire house I have big patches of black mould. I have treated them with fungal treatment and repainted and that sorted it for a few months but now the patches have started to re-occur what else can I do ?

ariba10

It is probably caused by high humidity. (Condensation)

phill99

You need to deal with the cause of the condensation first.

ellebee1986

I wondered if it could be condensation and now constantly have my windows on the security lock rather than closed. How else can I deal with the condensation?

ListysDad

There are plenty of threads on here already that deal with problem humidity. Please search.

tlh858

Condensation is solved by ventilation, and most importantly removing the sources of moisture. This means:

• not drying clothing on radiators or anywhere else inside the house
• not draping wet towels over the bannisters
• ensuring your bathroom has an extractor fitted and it is actually used, and it's not totally blocked with dirt.
• keeping the bathroom door closed
• ensuring your kitchen has an extractor fitted (which extracts outside, NOT one of those useless recirculating efforts)
• If you have one, a tumble dryer must be vented to the outside (even the condensing models will put vast amounts of moisture into the air)
• putting a lid on pots and pans when cooking (the food will cook quicker too and therefore save energy)

robatwork

I can't vouch for this myself but have had this recommended:
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/20284/HG-Mould-Remover

mum2one

I found when cleaning the black mould to use a solution of bleach in warm water, making sure I had gloves on, and well ventalited room.

If you can get to the source of the problems, usually lack of air flow x

kerrypn

OP The last house we rented was simply HORRENDOUS for black mould, and everyone said the same condensation. However in our new house, we live exactly the same way but guess what? NO black mould. Go figure.

I think some houses are simply prone to it. For example at my grandmothers last house she even went so far as to have a patch taken back to brickwork and replastered and it still came back.

To clean it off I think Dettol Mould and Mildew is the best on the market but the smell is eye watering.

Ventilating and tips above will help, but some houses get it some dont.

Carer

robatwork wrote: »

I can't vouch for this myself but have had this recommended:
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/20284/HG-Mould-Remover

This stuff is amazing. I use it in my bathroom (it's tiny - and we had mould on grout, ceiling, walls etc) and it just eats the mould in about 30 mins. You're supposed to wash it off afterwards, but I just left it on the paintwork to dry and 6 months on, the mould is only just beginning to come back.

noelphobic

tlh858 wrote: »

Condensation is solved by ventilation, and most importantly removing the sources of moisture. This means:

• not drying clothing on radiators or anywhere else inside the house
• not draping wet towels over the bannisters
• ensuring your bathroom has an extractor fitted and it is actually used, and it's not totally blocked with dirt.
• keeping the bathroom door closed
• ensuring your kitchen has an extractor fitted (which extracts outside, NOT one of those useless recirculating efforts)
• If you have one, a tumble dryer must be vented to the outside (even the condensing models will put vast amounts of moisture into the air)
• putting a lid on pots and pans when cooking (the food will cook quicker too and therefore save energy)

as someone who has had major problems with damp/mould/condensation myself, I think these are really good tips. I have just had major work done on my kitchen and ground floor bathroom (both of these are in a flat roofed ground floor extension, the bathroom being very small and immediately behind the kitchen0.

I have my bathroom and kitchen windows open as much as possible when I am at home ie all the time unless it's night time, I'm in bed or it is absolutely freezing, blowing a gale or torrential rain. When I am out I have the dehumidifer on (dread to think what the leccy bill will be).

However, I'm unsure about whether keeping the bathroom door closed is a good idea or not. Doesn't that mean that any condensation in the bathroom just stays in there? I know that would stop it spreading to the rest of the house but wouldn't it disperse better if the bathroom door was left open, apart from when it was being used of course?