Guest guest Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I think mentioned using vinegar on new clothes. I just wanted to add that it's important to first make sure you got rid of any of the bad clothes and the bad washing machines, as for me, I noticed that vinegar made the mold toxins worse. Also - any clothes, even if new, that were washed in ammonia have to go, too. We tried to wash and wash the ammonia out after we also got that bad suggestion (if you have MCS, it is a bad suggestion), and it just spread to the machine and other clothes that were good. Chlorine is hard to not have since it's in most water -- , what do you think about the Vit C tabs used in wash to remove chlorine? Would that interact with anything and make the situation worse? Has anyone been able to tolerate places that they once cross-contaminated? (parents' homes, friends' homes?) I have not been able to yet, and ended up cross contaminating our stuff again when I tried. That is the tragic part. You can replace clothes, but what do you do about family and friends? Jill **************Snoop, Lil Wayne, Lady GaGa -- land the tix you need for this summer's biggest tours. Tourtracker.com (http://www.tourtracker.com/?ncid=emlcntusmusi00000007) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 At 09:47 AM 7/19/2009, you wrote: > I think mentioned using vinegar on new clothes. I just wanted to >add that it's important to first make sure you got rid of any of the bad >clothes and the bad washing machines, as for me, I noticed that >vinegar made the >mold toxins worse. Washing new clothes is an art. I agree. No vinegar the first time is fine. Why? New clothing is sanitary, not in need of the disinfecting effects of vinegar. Glad you mentioned this. I never have used vinegar the first time. I wash new clothing, by hand, well my cleaning lady does, as it's cheaper, alone, each piece alone, so oils and lubes wash away, without getting on my other new pieces. They get washed twice by hand, just soap flakes, and some washing soda. No detergents for me. Rinse triple each time. And then the entire lot of new clothing is added to a washing machine, no other clothes (no old clothes), and washed with the machine agitation level, rinsed again (a second run), before I will wear them. Vinegar is an acid, and will dissolve or break bonds in all the nasty manufacturing chemicals, oils, lubes, anti flame additives, (about 8 to 20 chemicals per garment), and put those oils into the fibers. Some will not wash out quickly. Better to rinse, soap off, the oils first, before using an acid disinfectant like vinegar. >Also - any clothes, even if new, that were washed in ammonia have to go, >too. We tried to wash and wash the ammonia out after we also got that bad >suggestion (if you have MCS, it is a bad suggestion), and it just spread to >the machine and other clothes that were good. To stop this " spread " , one can run a washing load with no clothes, and a 1 to 2 cups of vinegar. A whole gallon if you want to. >Chlorine is hard to not have since it's in most water -- , what do you >think about the Vit C tabs used in wash to remove chlorine? Sure. Vinegar removes chlorine as well. Just 1/4th teaspoon is needed to force the free chlorine to turn to gas and bubble out of the water. However, I do recommend allowing the tub to start filling first, add the vinegar and stir it in, stir it in well, and let the tub finish filling. Having the vinegar added first and well stirred will cancel the chlorine, and thus not bother the clothing. It's all in the timing. The same applies to washing soda, to cancel water hardness (minerals), to prevent soap scum (if using soap flakes), and to boost the soap cleaning action (factor of 2 to 3 - yes, you can reduce the amount of soap flakes). Washing soda, vinegar or borax can be added to detergent as well. It's safe to mix them. Most detergents have some washing soda in them already. Also, TSP (real, not substitute) can be added. Oh, TSP is great on new clothing, as a degreaser. TSP is used by painters to remove grease off walls, so their paint does not peel off within the year. >Would that >interact with anything and make the situation worse? There is so little in city supplied tap water... Over time, 2-3 years, perhaps. YMMV. >Has anyone been able to tolerate places that they once cross-contaminated? No me. Though I do not test it any more. I might be cured now. >(parents' homes, friends' homes?) I have not been able to yet, and ended >up cross contaminating our stuff again when I tried. That is the tragic >part. You can replace clothes, but what do you do about family and friends? Invite them to restaurants, to see them. Never have them over to you place, unless they can change clothing outside (hair?). Never go to their place. People who came directly from their homes, or were there that day, do not come into your home either. Not even your car, though your car gets heated in the sun to 140 degrees, and can be safe most of the time. However, the car carpet, at the bottom of the car, the temperature is less " under " the carpet, due to the insulating effect of the carpet, and any outdoor breeze cooling the underside of the car. Most mold in cars grows under the carpet, on it's backing, and both the carpet, and anti noise padding (glued to metal floor for best sound deadening) have to be removed. Pulling out the glued noise padding, gets mold spores over everything in the car. I heard of a plastic sheet that is slightly sticky on one side, that I plan on using. The worse part is... the new noise padding is all modern chemicals and can outgas terribly, though I have found some neoprene that is bubbled with nitrogen or carbon dioxide, but it was very expensive (3 to 10 times more). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 This brings up an important question for me. Is there any way to remediate a washing machine and dryer that's been in a moldy home? I think mentioned using vinegar on new clothes. I just wanted to add that it's important to first make sure you got rid of any of the bad clothes and the bad washing machines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 At 08:23 AM 7/20/2009, Sam wrote: > > >This brings up an important question for me. Is there any way to >remediate a washing machine and dryer that's been in a moldy home? Use only white distilled, grain vinegar, from the super market for this. Avoid any vinegar without the word 'grain' on it. Distilled means it will not leave it's own smell, like apple cider vinegar. I posted about 1-2 cups of vinegar in the wash tub. Or a gallon, or two. The dryer can be hand wiped with vinegar on a towel. Anything coating the inner tub comes off quickly with vinegar, as vinegar is an acid. Do the inside of the door, the window and the seal, on both the door and the machine. Inspect the dryer vent, as it's easy to remove, for blockages. Some dryers have an internal filter for the rear vent. Find out if yours does. Clean it. This is not the filter in the front of the dryer, for lint. Consider replacing the entire exhaust duct. I recommend only metal. There is bendable aluminum expanding ducting that I use. I avoid plastic as it can smell. You can tilt the machines over, and inspect their interiors. And clean them. Be aware that washing machines hold some water, and it can drip out on you, or onto the electronics, so POWER DOWN, pull the electrical plug before doing this. WARNING: SHARP EDGES: Be careful reaching inside the interior as metal edges are sharp, and might not be deburred, meaning they slice you quickly like the sharpest knife. You might not even feel any pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 -The dryer, no, buy a clothes line, it is good to sun your clothes. the washing machine might be able to be used, as long as it is not brought to the new space, soaking overnight with a strong bleach solution might aide your bring able to use the machine-but only out of doors. Ozoning the machine would negatively impact the gaskets in it. Of course this all depends on you're being able to use a machine that was soaked in a bleach solution, if you are MCS that won't work. I used a machine outside for a year-if it is not too cold you put a light bulb underneath it for the winter-if you are in a really cold climate this is not an option. > This brings up an important question for me. Is there any way to remediate a washing machine and dryer that's been in a moldy home? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I think mentioned using vinegar on new clothes. I just wanted to > > add that it's important to first make sure you got rid of any of the bad > > clothes and the bad washing machines > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 , I completely agree with you. I have always said that the cost that came about from this in the first place is a whole lot more that the fanciest washer on the planet would cost. As with most things (remediation wise) I just cannot prove to myself or anyone else why it is not worth it to not take chances. That is more fact than anything I have ever said. -The dryer, no, buy a clothes line, it is good to sun your clothes. the washing machine might be able to be used, as long as it is not brought to the new space, soaking overnight with a strong bleach solution might aide your bring able to use the machine-but only out of doors. Ozoning the machine would negatively impact the gaskets in it. Of course this all depends on you're being able to use a machine that was soaked in a bleach solution, if you are MCS that won't work. I used a machine outside for a year-if it is not too cold you put a light bulb underneath it for the winter-if you are in a really cold climate this is not an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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