Ewww... mold growing on the baseboards!

[LovelyGourmet]

In my boys bedroom on the outside wall. The room is really cold. We don't heat it much because the boys don't play in there very often plus it's old electric heating and really expensive.

We live in a rental. Every time I call the landlord about something they send over a "professional" that seems to think everything is fine.

Once the little boy upstairs accidently turned on the handheld shower and sprayed water all over the floor and it started pouring around the pipe the comes from their toilet through our ceiling! The guy came over and said it wasn't the pipe that was leaking so it was fine :hunh :scratch last time I checked there is no time that water should be getting through the floor!

Any ideas why we would be getting the mold or what can be done to fix/prevent it? Is it something I should really press our landlords about? How can we make sure it gets taken care of rather than having someone come out and say "oh put some bleach on it, it'll be fine" :rolleyes4

[Rabbit]

When the floor and walls get wet, the water will get to the lower floor.

There is nothing for the landlord to do about the baseboards. You can scrub them with baking soda, and then keep the room heated.

It is the nature of old houses.

[Blue Savannah]

Mold is the one thing I will without hesitation clean with bleach.

[LovelyGourmet]

So this is something that's fairly common in older homes? I don't want to bother the landlords if they're going to be like - uh duh! Is it something they should know about?

I was always told bleach doesn't kill mold it only, well... bleaches it. :shrug

[BarefootBetsy]

Every house we lived in when we were in WA had mold issues :shrug3 Except the brand new apartment we lived in for a few months. Every other place needed some bleach on certain walls or floor boards periodically.

[3boysforme]

I would spray it with an essential oil blend like Thieves oil or even just Tea Tree oil.

[Damselfly]

I have read thyme EO is helpful for mold. I have never tried it, however. Mold is something I use bleach for and that is saying a lot.

I have never lived in that area but just personally, I would try to get the landlord to do something. I have a history with mold and it terrifies me.

[lucie]

So would bleach help to prevent the mold from reappearing as often? We have mold around our windows (there is condensation on them when it's cold outside)... I wipe it off all the time, but it keeps coming back, yuck.


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[BarefootBetsy]

Usually once or twice a year was plenty, IME :think But it's been a while... we haven't had any mold issues since moving down south.

[LovelyGourmet]

From everything I've heard bleach is not a good way to kill mold.

http://www.moldforce.com/how-to-kill-mold-bleach-myth-exposed/

[sweetpeasmommy]

So would bleach help to prevent the mold from reappearing as often? We have mold around our windows (there is condensation on them when it's cold outside)... I wipe it off all the time, but it keeps coming back, yuck.


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No! Don't use bleach. It explodes the spores into the air. :sick I use thieves.

[LovelyGourmet]

Here is a list of things that do kill mold and how to use them. According to this article bleach is good for killing mold on non porous surfaces only i.e. glass, tile etc. And even then there are better alternatives.

http://blackmold.awardspace.com/kill-remove-mold.html

[Auroras mom]

Also, it will keep coming back if you can't keep the area dry and warm. A space heater might help?

[lucie]

True, or maybe I need to wipe the condensation off every morning and not just when I notice the mold :lol. That's a good point about keeping the area dry. And thanks for all the recommendations on how to clean it! Sorry if I sort of hijacked this thread, OP. :-)


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[babyb4us]

No! Don't use bleach. It explodes the spores into the air. :sick I use thieves.

To add to this. Do not spray anything on it. The force of the air in the spray will blow the mold spores into the air. Use a cloth with water, and your cleaner, then gently wipe it away.

[LovelyGourmet]

True, or maybe I need to wipe the condensation off every morning and not just when I notice the mold :lol. That's a good point about keeping the area dry. And thanks for all the recommendations on how to clean it! Sorry if I sort of hijacked this thread, OP. :-)


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No problem Lucie hijack away :thumbsup

I talked to my dad and he said to keep the door open to that room and that even a small fan to keep the air moving will help prevent the mold from coming back. Thought I would pass that along in case it would be helpful to your situation as well.

[houseforjoy]

a product called "mold armor" is the only thing that will take care of it. first you use the mold armor stain remover, then you need to use the mold armor blocker. you can get both at amazon or most home improvement stores. the blocker is really key because it does keep it from growing again. you need to apply it every few months.

this is the one thing where i am not "all natural" about but only because i have tried EVERY natural remedy out there. i have tried the EO's, the baking soda, vinegar, and other stuff . it won't work:shrug3

[JoannaV]

Unless the mold was pre-existing or actually, like, inside the walls I would not talk to your landlord. He may well tell you that it's your fault and you need to keep the house at 75 degrees or something :doh
Hopefully you can clear it up quickly :)

[daughter_of_faith]

The air circulating trick will not work for some molds. Don't ask me how I know. :shifty

[ShangriLewis]

We live in Washington State in a big ole house. We have a few spots that get moldy. I use Tilex on them. And, I am a crunchy gal. But, I don't mess with mold. I keep my heater higher than I would prefer as well.