[nirvanaxp]

Last night I moved my guitar case from against a wall in my bedroom that faces outside to discover a triangular shaped colony of mold! I read something that said it was really bad and was wondering if any of you knew anything about it. Right outside where I see the mold is a water spigot so I am thinking that it is leaking and causing the mold. Would a repair be expensive?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Not all mold is toxic. Mold is everywhere and only a few, specific strains are harmful to people.

Just clean it up with a solution of water and bleach.

Repairing the spigot is another matter. If there's a leak within the wall, someone will have to cut the wall open to repair it. That can be expensive. If the spigot just needs a few new washers, no big deal. Call a plumber.

 

[Koolpsych]

Just to be safe though I'd wear gloves. I also know some types of mold are bad for you to inhale, so if you are really worried you might want to wear a construction mask.

 

[milkweg]

I used to have an apartment years ago that had a bit of that black mold in the bathroom. It never killed me, obviously.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Eh, gloves aren't necessary, nor is a hazmat suit or anything like that. Mold is a totally normal thing that grows everywhere and is almost entirely harmless. A few varities aren't harmless, but that's like becoming agoraphobic because there's a possibility a rattlesnake is outside. Just mix bleach and water in a bucket and clean it off with a sponge dipped in that.

My family and I own some apartments and do the maintenance ourselves. I've cleaned up plenty of mold and have had no life threatening (or even irritating) results. If the area typically grows mold, you might want to clean up, put down a layer of Kilz and then repaint. That'll do it. And be sure to fix the leak if there is one.

 

[AlanY]

"Toxic" mold is a misnomer. Aspergillius won't kill you, but it does increase the risk of respiratory ailments and lung cancer. That's all. It's a lot like asbestos.

 

[nylan8301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif It never killed me, obviously.

...I wouldn't be so sure of that...

To the OP: Scrubbing with bleach and water and fixing the leak should clear up the issue.

Mold sucks...

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nylan8301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I wouldn't be so sure of that...

Yea, I guess it could kill me *eventually*. But then so can all those car fumes you ingest every day. Air pollution from cars is far more of a killer than people realize or want to realize.

 

[iriverdude]

I eat the mould on bread.

 

[saintalfonzo]

I've seen a type of black mold (not sure which) growing in the lungs of patients on chest x-rays, and they weren't always immunosuppressed old people. Some mold can be harmful, but not most. I would just clean it up the way Erik described and watch for reoccurrance. If you don't have any symptoms you are probably fine.

 

[AlanY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saintalfonzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've seen a type of black mold (not sure which) growing in the lungs of patients on chest x-rays, and they weren't always immunosuppressed old people. Some mold can be harmful, but not most. I would just clean it up the way Erik described and watch for reoccurrance. If you don't have any symptoms you are probably fine.

You can see mycelium on x-rays?

 

[Emooze]

Did it look like this?

 

[HippieTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif I eat the mould on bread.

So do i but that is green

 

[milkweg]

Only mould I like to eat comes in Danish Blue Cheese.