2006-10-11 01:18:46 · 14 answers · asked by Lisa S 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
You need to get rid of the mould first before you can think about stopping it from coming back.
There's products around that are specially formulated for removing mould and mildew, but if it's widespread you may need to get it professionally looked at. If you're in rental acommodation and it's rising damp, I believe it's your landlord's responsibility to do something about it - it counts as unsafe living conditions and they have an obligation to get rid of it. They may have to damp-proof and stuff as well as just the cleaning, so it may be a case of finding somewhere else to stay while they do it, but it's better than putting your health at risk.
Once it's gone, and the source of the problem has been treated, it should be easy enough to keep mould-free. Dehumidifiers will take excess moisture out of the air, and make sure not to leave anything wet lying around for long, and you should be fine.
2006-10-11 01:29:18 · answer #1 · answered by plainoldnanny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air. The usual technique used to remove the moisture is to condense the moisture onto a cold surface.
Anyone who has poured a cold glass of iced tea on a hot, humid summer day knows that moisture will condense on the glass. When air cools, it loses its ability to hold moisture; in the case of the cold glass, the moisture in the air condenses right onto the glass. If the glass is left on a table long enough and if the air is very humid, a significant puddle of water can form. You may have noticed the same phenomenon in any air conditioner. The moisture in the air inside the room condenses onto the air conditioner's cold coils. If it's a window unit, the water drips out the back of the unit onto the ground.
A dehumidifier is simply an air conditioner that has both its hot and cold coils in the same box. A fan draws the room's air over the cold coil of the air conditioner to condense the moisture (which normally drips into a bucket). The dry air then passes through the hot coil to heat it back up to its original temperature. That's all there is to it!
If you have a room that is air conditioned, it should not need a dehumidifier -- the air conditioner should be doing the dehumidifying for you.
2006-10-11 01:27:21 · answer #2 · answered by baxterstuds 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Firstly, consider where the water comes from (assuming there is no structural fault). Most of the water comes from cooking, drying clothes and from exhaled air (lots!). Over 24 hours this will amount to a few gallons and is floating about in the air of your rooms as water vapour. The warmer your rooms, the more water vapour there will be in the air.
Secondly, do you enable this moist air to be flushed out? Do you keep your windows open (& door too)? Even in winter you must open your windows whenever you can.
When moist air laden with water vapour meets a colder surface, the vapour will condense into water droplets. This happens mostly on windows and walls and as you have discovered, even inside cupboards.
You can minimise the effect in cupboards by fitting thermal insulation sheets (about 5mm thick) – but make sure they are properly glued to each surface.
Ventilation extractor fans help, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. Dehumidifiers are O.K. but costly to run and their noise can be irritating. Water-absorbing chemicals help but they don't solve the problem.
The most effective solution is to keep your rooms cooler (18-19 degrees Celcius) and make sure they are well ventilated. Or you could stop breathing.
2006-10-11 02:50:49 · answer #3 · answered by bumperbuffer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could be a dehumidifier but these are expensive to run. You can get dehumidifiers from B&Q/homebase these work by the use of crystals and attract the water in the air. You can put these boxes in your wardrobe and you will see a result within a few days. You can then forget about them - not forever as you must empty the water out. I had this problem myself and it stop the mould on my clothes! They are relitively cheap and can be reused tyou just need a new bag of crystals. Hope this helps
2006-10-11 01:30:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anne H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your in a council or housing association housing get them to sort out the problem or move you to another property. The only other recource if you own the house is as others have said is to get a dehumidifier and try to get the reason of the dampness sorted out by an expert. It may only be a small problem that is causing this. Good luck in sorting this problem out.
2006-10-11 01:39:54 · answer #5 · answered by hakuna matata 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy a de-humidifier from ebay. Leave the cupboard door open as much as possible.
2006-10-11 01:29:04 · answer #6 · answered by Tony h 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try a dehumidifier, you can probably get one from Homebase and they just suck up all that excess moisture. We tried one at home and it certainly helps.
Its quite scary the amount of liquid you end up tipping down the sink as well!
2006-10-11 01:26:59 · answer #7 · answered by Mark R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
silica gel works too! But obviously in smaller places - thats what its for - to absorb moisure and stop mould! I dont know if you can buy it itself, but next time you buy a bag or something with it in, then just put a couple in your drawer or wherever the mould is forming
2006-10-11 01:31:07 · answer #8 · answered by Naomi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
talk on your actual belongings as they might positioned the wear and tear lower back onto you for not informing them of the fault and bleach water mixture in spray bottle and a water bucket and sparkling rag to wipe down after a minute do a try patch first.
2016-11-27 21:11:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn the heating on, and keep it on even if it is on a low temperature. When the weather in nice, open your windows. Or get a humidifier.
2006-10-11 01:27:46 · answer #10 · answered by ribena 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋