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Mold issue advice?

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Gina B, Dec 28, 2012.

  1. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Mold: One of our bathrooms is totally ridiculous for the amount of mold that keeps showing up. The paint doesn't help because the way they have it painted, it's tons of rough, tiny little pieces all over that really trap it in. The bathroom has no window. It has a vent we can run, which seems to do little. The mold grows all over the WHOLE ceiling and even in the cupboard above the toilet and a lot on the ceiling above the shower.
    Got any ideas on how to keep it away? I scrub, I spray it with bleach, it just keeps coming back. I had a cleaning filter in there but I don't think it was big enough for the job and they're not exactly cheap to buy.
    What can I do? I know this isn't healthy and it just won't go away!
     
  2. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    You need to get a better fan....and make sure its vented all the way to the outside.

    I would also sand the walls smooth, use a really good latex primer, and a good latex high gloss indoor paint. Talk to the paint guy at your local store to get some good guidance....make sure they know your painting a bathroom.


    Filters won't do it. You need to dehumidify as best you can and keep the moisture in the air from penetrating the surface areas in the room. That may mean re-staining or painting and sealing of the cabinets.
     
  3. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    In addition to what was suggested, if possible, keep the bathroom door open while showering, as this will let out some of the steam that helps produce the moisture and mold.

    When done showering, wipe the shower/tub with a squeegie or towel to remove any extra water.

    Make sure your vent runs all the way to the outside, not into an attic.
     
  4. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    We don't have a major mold problem...yet. We do have a lot of condensation in both our bathrooms with showers. We do not shower with the door open, but we leave it open and have the fans run for 15 minutes or so after each shower.
     
  5. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Gina

    My brother and I "painted" our way through college----and still paint when the opportunity presents itself

    There is a paint product called KILZ---you can purchase from any paint store(Sherwin-Williams, De-Vo-Ko, Home Cheapo, Wally World)-----

    Get you an old 409 spray bottle(empty, of course) and mix you up a solution of 3/4 bleach 1/4 water------and spray it on the mold problem----and let it sit for a few minutes-----then wipe clean with a clean rag

    Let it sit for a few days---to make sure its dry completely-----then come back over it with the KILZ paint(two coats of KILZ---1 coat the first day, then 2nd coat the next day)----then follow up with a gloss latex your color choice

    ***NOTE***

    All of the above posts are good advise----I would suggest purchasing a small(10 inch) fan that you can set on the floor----and after showering---leave the bathroom door OPEN with the fan running at the door out towards the hallway---this will draw all unnecessary steam/moisture OUT of the bathroom

    SAVVY?????

    Your friend, Blackbird
     
  6. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
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    Lots of good ideas there, you really don't want mould to breathe in. Friends of mine who lived in Proserpine North Queensland, swore that they could see the ould growing on their walls..... it is extremely hot and humid there.

    Good luck....vent,fan and when able redo the paintwork as has been suggested.
     
  7. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Thanks for the great ideas. I got a number of them from here and other places. I think I'll go with deep cleaning, working on keeping it dry, and then this summer (when management is willing to work on paint and such and windows can be kept open and there's less humidity) I will request they either allow me to do what's needed or have maintenance do it.

    Gonna look up types of mold to figure it out.

    The really tough part with cleaning is getting the ceiling. Not because of the height...for that I use a Swiffer handle and attach a washcloth to reach (that's a great way to clean windows by the way, when I was cleaning the windows at our church I attached paper towels to the Swiffer handle and could reach the really high stuff and do big windows quickly and efficiently) but the texture is so rough that it seems about impossible for anything to really scrub it and reach down enough to get the mold off. It's very frustrating. I should take a picture so it'll be easier to understand why this is such a tough task.

    Okay, here's a pic: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/15zhjiqt6goGyXjkNSvxyNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

    Do you see what I mean about the texture, and how I'd be afraid of trying to repaint that on a ceiling?

    BTW, the management really is nice and they do try to help with what they can, but this is an old place, even if it's about the best one around. (the best in this area isn't saying a lot, but for the area...) Part of why I like it despite how old it is, well, it's just that. We're in tornado alley. This place has never been hit, but we've had stuff wiped out within a quarter of a mile, sometimes more than once. The path of tornadoes here seem to somehow just skip this place and that's pretty amazing, considering how close they get.
     
  8. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    Been there, done that and wheezed my way through. Dollars to donuts the mold is very bad inside the wall. We lived in a place just like yours. Little mushroom looking things would sprout from behind the baseboards overnight. When we tore out the sheetrock the wall was black with mold including the studs. Wheeze!
     
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