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Is this mould?

Evening all

Live in a fairly old, pre-1900s house. The walls in my little one’s room desperately need painting (the existing paint is terrible and leaves black / grey discolouration / marks if I try to wipe them down at all. 

I’ve chipped a bit of paint off and the gypsum (presume it’s gypsum as whoever owned the house before seems to have had no regard for it’s age / materials to use) and its got little black specks in it. Is this normal? The paint didn’t look mouldy on the outside. Can’t find anything online to confirm or deny mould / not mould. Photo below.

Many thanks 

Comments

  • CatLady87
    CatLady87 Posts: 113 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    photo of the offending area. I’ve seen isolated patches of black mould in this room (very small) but not here, a bit further over. This is in the window and I keep it well-ventilated
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Hard to be certain with no reference to size but they look like black specs in the plaster and not mold.
  • CatLady87
    CatLady87 Posts: 113 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks so much for your reply. Sorry, size? Of the area? I can’t seem to chip any more off. Is it normal to have black specks in plaster?
  • Grenage
    Grenage Posts: 3,116 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It depends what's in the plaster.  If it was mould it would form large patches.
  • CatLady87
    CatLady87 Posts: 113 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks. Hard to know what’s in it I guess.
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 2 August 2021 pm31 7:33PM
    Is there sand in plaster? The specks look like black sand. I'd treat any mold with white vinegar then clean the wall with sugar soap before painting.
  • CatLady87
    CatLady87 Posts: 113 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    It was plastered before I bought it so I’m not sure. Is black sand a common feature in modern plaster? Any other areas of exposed plaster seem to have similar (recently had an area skimmed that has damp (another story) and that also has these specks in - I just figured in that area it was mould from the damp
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 4,639 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Have you tried wiping it with bleach or white vinegar? If it's mould the specks will disappear, if it's black sand they won't.
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