Question about removing musty odor

[Guest guest]

Sick Buildings Information and SupportWell, thank goodness we " escaped " the

home that was making us sick. (My landlord, by the way, took $50 from my

deposit to clean the windows. All of the windows had visible black mold

growing on the interiors of them--gross. There was NO way I was going to

clean them and risk making us even sicker. I understand that when you stir

up mold like that, you release the spores into the air. Plus, per allergy

testing I had years ago, I am allergic to mold and mildew. What a cheapskate

that landlord is. The windows were very old and in desperate need of being

replaced. Single-pane windows with some rust on them.)

Anyway, as of several days ago, we're in a newer, clean, and (I hope)

mold-free setting. I have been busy washing clothes, linens, etc. I threw

away as much as I could. I've been adding borax to my washing machine; I

understand that helps to get rid of the mold? Anything else I should be

doing?

How do I get rid of the mold smell in my closets and dresser drawers now?

(There are things in the closets that I can't wash or can't wash yet, and

the large closet also contains items other than clothes that also smell

musty.) Any kind of air fresheners I could hang in closets and put in

drawers? Maybe something that would act like a " magnet " by pulling the mold

smell out? (I prefer something that's nontoxic and natural, relatively

inexpensive, and even homemade would be great.) Is there any way to get rid

of the musty smell in books and papers?

After being away from the mold for less than a week, I am already starting

to feel better. I seem to have fewer memory problems, am able to concentrate

better and keep better track of things in my mind, have more energy and

oomph, my son seems to have more pinkish color in his skin (his coloring was

almost yellowish before and in general he looked sickly--is this a mold

symptom?) My appetite is better now, and I don't feel nauseous every single

day like I did before. Is it possible for symptoms to start clearing up this

quickly after leaving the moldy environment? I guess the clearing of

symptoms is further proof that the house was making us sick?

Has anyone developed food intolerances due to mold exposure? Recent tests

confirmed that I cannot have gluten, dairy, or soy. I've also determined

that I can't have yeast; I noticed that anytime I ate it, it made me feel

nauseous. (This stands to reason, given that I was being exposed to mold;

mold is related to yeast, right?) Let me tell you, a diet without gluten,

dairy, soy, and yeast is a major challenge.

Anything else we should be doing to " detox " from the mold? Diet, vitamins,

etc? Any detox baths like maybe epsom salts or baking soda? We do eat quite

healthy and take vitamins already; maybe this protected us to a degree while

being exposed to mold and maybe is also helping us heal relatively quickly?

I have been SO worried that we could have permanent damage from the mold

exposure.

Last night, I was unpacking some books and things. When I woke up today, my

hands were so swollen, especially my right hand. Can mold contribute to

swelling? I also notice that as I'm unpacking and handling the moldy items,

my hands start smelling musty--yuck. So I'm trying to wash my hands as much

as possible when handling these things.

Now this is a little odd (but then again, not really): last night I put

books on 2 large bookcases. Today when I sat close to those bookcases, I

could definitely smell the mustiness coming from the books. After a short

time, the recognizable " mold fatigue " came back; it's a certain type of

fatigue. Anyone know what this fatigue is that I'm talking about? It's so

unpleasant and drags me down, physically, mentally, and emotionally. When I

left that area, after a little while, I started feeling better--more energy.

I feel for anyone who's still living or working in a moldy, musty

environment or other type of sick building. Please try to get out as soon as

possible!!