Mould on artex ceiling....

Beeblebr0x

Damp Artex is unlikely to be an asbestos risk, so gently remove as much mould as you can with something like Astonish Mould Blaster, leave to dry, then repeat.  Leave for a day or two then repaint with a bathroom paint. The Dulux paint I used has a mould killer in it and the mould hasn't returned in over five years.

Address insulation issues in the loft.

A heat pump condensing drier would be worth considering and it's energy efficient.

https://groceries.asda.com/product/bathroom-cleaning-spray-wipes/astonish-mould-mildew-blaster-spray/1000150900149?&cmpid=ppc-_-pmax_google-_--_-google-_--_-dskwid-_dt&s_kwcid=AL!11432!3!!!!x!!&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA7Y28BhAnEiwAAdOJUN-xp2Jt8IkmwK9PwE5-ygUvPR07eoCRUIE-KBa8R0QSD7Rkxn57zRoCjLkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

WelshGlyndwr

Emmia said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

The artex has presumably been painted many times sealing it up.

I wouldn't spray (it will go everywhere) instead I'd spray a bleach based product (the astonish mould killer is great) onto a clean dishwashing sponge and wipe before leaving it to dry.

I'd then repaint with a mould resistant paint (Zinsser Permawhite would be my recommendation).

But you also need to look at the cause of the condensation - so more insulation above that ceiling is needed too.

Thanks this sounds like a good idea, 

GDB2222

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

You are right to take precautions, but you are worrying a bit too much.

The Artex is a solid plaster material. It won't disintegrate just because you wipe it with a bleach liquid. Furthermore, as others have said, it's covered in a few layers of emulsion paint, so your damp cloth won't actually be in contact with the Artex.

Don't scrub at it, as you don't want to knock off any of the raised bits of Artex, but you should be completely safe if you are gentle.

If you are really, really worried, get someone elderly in to do the work. Mesothelioma takes around 30 years to appear, so if you get a 70 year old in, Mesothelioma from cleaining your ceiling won't be an issue for them, as they'll die from something else first!

ThisIsWeird

WelshGlyndwr said:

Thank you for your reply, yes, we do dry clothes in that room and their is a dryer without a condenser pointing outside. 

That is a good to know you think its not disturbed. So to reverse this and get rid of the black mould, could we put a dehumidifier in the room and it might go away? Also to stop drying clothes in the room.

I don't want to wipe away the mould because it may disturb the asbestos, could you use a solution to get rid of it?

Theirs not easy access to the loft but i could try and 

Good info given by others.
Although asbestos is an issue that needs taking seriously, it does need keeping in perspective.
That Artex has undoubtedly had more than one layer of paint applied to it, so that's what you are looking at - paint. It only becomes a risk, and even then minor, if it is broken up or damaged, and dry. Yours appears to be damp, so that's 'good'!
I'd get something to stand on securely, and have a close look at it. Press and prod it to see if there's and swelling or movement, or whether the Artex has actually detached as a layer. I suspect it won't have.
Then use a damp cloth to wipe it - what happens? Is the 'black' coming away? If so, great - now make up a half-bucket of warm sugar soap or similar, although most domestic cleaners will do. Marigolds on, squeeze the cloth until damp, and get working on it. Keep an eye on what's happening - is the paint layer coming off? Is the mould being cleaned away nicely? Is the actual Artex beginning to wear away - if so, stop at that point!
Really no risk, as any asbestos will be in solution, and you'll be pouring that down the sink.
Clean it as much as possible, and then allow it to fully dry. That means the room needs to be kept heated and dry.
Once dry, get the cloth and marigolds, and spray Astonish on it, and wipe it over the ceiling - try and leave the surface nicely damp with the killer. Hopefully that will see any remaining mould bleached away.
Then it's repaint, using a good quality product as mentioned above.
Now the clothes drying... Do you have a spare room with a window? A spare bedroom? If so, shove t'orse in there, rad off, door shut, and windows opened wide. Finish it off in the TD - obviously venting outside - or slowly in a heated living space, provided it's also reasonably well ventilated.

Which room is the one shown in your pic - what's it used for?

Lorian

The only practical way to insulate may be through the ceiling (notwithstanding dealing with the asbestos). 

Bigphil1474

Asbestos containing materials (ACM's) are only a risk if you breath in fibres from dust - if you started drilling in to the artex for example, or decided to sand it flat, that would cause dust which will cause you harm. The asbestos fibres get into your lungs and slowly kill you. No breathable fibres, no nasty asbestos illness. Wiping ACM's with a wet solution is actually a way to reduce dust. 

Don't dry clothes in a poorly ventilated room - in our old house we put the clothes horse in the bathroom and left the window open all the time, we now use a spare room with the window cracked open.

grumpy_codger

Emmia said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

I wouldn't spray (it will go everywhere) instead I'd spray a bleach based product (the astonish mould killer is great) onto a clean dishwashing sponge and wipe before leaving it to dry.

A paint brush works fine and is easier to use.
It's important, that not all "bleach based products" are the same. E.g. Tesco's 70p thick bleach  is no good as it doesn't contain  'Chlorine-Based Bleaching Agent' - unlike, say, their 55p thick bleach. Read the lable!

Beeblebr0x

grumpy_codger said:

Emmia said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

I wouldn't spray (it will go everywhere) instead I'd spray a bleach based product (the astonish mould killer is great) onto a clean dishwashing sponge and wipe before leaving it to dry.

A paint brush works fine and is easier to use.
It's important, that not all "bleach based products" are the same. E.g. Tesco's 70p thick bleach  is no good as it doesn't contain  'Chlorine-Based Bleaching Agent' - unlike, say, their 55p thick bleach. Read the lable!

I wouldn't use a paintbrush on a ceiling as the Astonish will run down the handle and make the OP wet.

Emmia

grumpy_codger said:

Emmia said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

I wouldn't spray (it will go everywhere) instead I'd spray a bleach based product (the astonish mould killer is great) onto a clean dishwashing sponge and wipe before leaving it to dry.

A paint brush works fine and is easier to use.
It's important, that not all "bleach based products" are the same. E.g. Tesco's 70p thick bleach  is no good as it doesn't contain  'Chlorine-Based Bleaching Agent' - unlike, say, their 55p thick bleach. Read the lable!

I specifically referred to the astonish product rather than generic "bleach". The apple version is effective and doesn't have the same bleach-y pong as the regular version.

Personally I use a clean dishwashing sponge which I bin after use - this will be cheaper than a paintbrush, and doesn't drip!

grumpy_codger

Beeblebr0x said:

grumpy_codger said:

Emmia said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

Northern_Wanderer said:

WelshGlyndwr said:

yes it does contain asbestos. Therefore using mould cleaner might disturb it? I suppose using a dehumidifier wont get rid of the mould on its own? 

A dehumidifer will not remove mould

yes you are right but will anti mould spray disturb the artex?

I wouldn't spray (it will go everywhere) instead I'd spray a bleach based product (the astonish mould killer is great) onto a clean dishwashing sponge and wipe before leaving it to dry.

A paint brush works fine and is easier to use.
It's important, that not all "bleach based products" are the same. E.g. Tesco's 70p thick bleach  is no good as it doesn't contain  'Chlorine-Based Bleaching Agent' - unlike, say, their 55p thick bleach. Read the lable!

I wouldn't use a paintbrush on a ceiling as the Astonish will run down the handle and make the OP wet.

Don't know about Astonish, but thick bleach doesn't run if applied wisely. That said, I think a small sponge paint roller will work too, possibly even better.