We have black mold growing in out shower wall. The reason i say in, is because someone put clear tape over cracks in the wall and mold has formed. Help!!!
2007-01-23 05:51:00 · 6 answers · asked by Sparkle Fairy 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
There is a common misnomer that mold is deadly. If you are a healthy adult, you most likely will experience only allergy or flu-like symptoms. There are no documented deaths for adult humans. Mold has been attributed to, but not proven to have killed children. If you are allergic to any certain type of mold, it can be dangerous, but most likely not deadly. This includes Stachybotrys, which is commonly called black or toxic mold.
Prior to cleaning, you will need to identify the source of excess moisture. If the mold is in the shower, there most likely is not an outside source of moisture. You should run the vent fan for 20 min. AFTER showering or bathing to remove the moisture. Maintain indoor humidity between 30%-50% to reduce the chance of mold growth.
DO NOT clean with bleach. Bleach will not effectively kill the mold. You will need to remove the mold from the house. If it is an area smaller than 10 sq.ft.: fine mist the area, use a solution of detergent and water to clean the area and remove, rinse with clean water. Be sure to wear eye and mouth protection.
If the area is larger than 10 sq. ft., call a professional, the issue may be more than bathing moisture.
While the article from the link provided above is helpful, testing is two-fold. First, it identifies the amount of mold spores in the air. Second, the results are used to determine if remediation efforts are successful. While I don't think you need testing in your case, a professional is the only person who should determine if testing is necessary or not. And yes it is true, that there are people in any profession who will lie to you. Feel free to email me with any other questions. Good luck.
2007-01-23 08:40:44 · answer #1 · answered by tim r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if you breathe in enough, you can die from it. Aside from the lower level problems such as respiratory or pulmonary problems, I would say death is pretty high up there. I just saw an episode of Extreme Home Makeover, and the husband dies from something very similar.
Anyways....
I would begin by wearing a respirator, then tearing out the shower, and replacing it. If you say it is in the wall, this is what you will definetly NEED to do. If it is on the surface, or in a crack or grout then a simple cleaning with Lime Away or Ajax will do.
But if it is in the wall, and not exactly something you can get to, you need to tear out your shower and treat the mold with a 50/50 mix of chlorine bleach and water sprayed on the area. Then rebuilding the shower properly.
2007-01-23 06:06:24 · answer #2 · answered by jeff the drunk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mold can cause people to get sick and it can cause stains on fabrics and walls. The only way I have gotten rid of mold is with strong cleaners. I used to use the same chemicals that I put in my swimming pool. If you do this, be very careful, as the fumes can do lung damage. I would put something over my nose, turn on the exhaust fan and still hold my breath. There are some chemicals on the market that do a good job on mold, but they are expensive.
2007-01-23 05:58:26 · answer #3 · answered by Loyless H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are some types of mold that are worse than others. Clean it with bleach. By cracks in the wall, do you mean grout lines? B/c you can clean the bleach off then re-grout. Tape does not sound like a good solution. Mold can make you sick, cause pneumonia, skin irritations and sinus infections and more.
2007-01-23 05:57:57 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Toxic molds have been causing serious health conditions in humans for hundreds of years. These dangerous types of mold can exist in damp environments in our home or workplace without us ever knowing it. In the last ten years, there have been many reports of toxic molds causing serious and even fatal consequences for infants and sensitized individuals. get professional help or learn all there is to know before you try it yourself. this is very Dangerous stuff.
2007-01-23 06:04:53 · answer #5 · answered by t-bone 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
read this link on mold
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/emergency/natural/floods/mold.html
i know from experience that you can get the listed problems if you have a lot of mold around, but then again, you can get those problems from drywall dust, paint fumes, etc. just clean the areas out with a bleach solution and ventilate the area
2007-01-23 06:00:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋