Re: Mold in bedroom

[Guest guest]

If you do better in another room then that's where I recommend sleeping. Is

is possible for you to remove the carpet from the other room? Perhaps the

mold is in the carpet. If you can cut it into squares piece by piece and

put them into large plastic bags. You can also use a spray water bottle to

keep the dust down as you cut. Run a dehumidfier, check the attic and

basement for any water damage or leaks.

YES, Mold Warriors is a good book for information.

>>>

Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress

and threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that

room for even just a few minutes. I then ran the air purifier in there for

3 days straight before sleeping inthere again. T

[Guest guest]

Sorry to hear you are going through this! Do you have any idea why there is such

high humidity in the room that your mattress got moldy? A dehumidifier would

help lower the humidity but carpet holds mold like nobody's business!!! If you

have mold in a mattress I think it's likely it's in the carpet too. What are

your options for leaving or getting help from your landlord?

I would also see if your state or area has an advice line for tenants and a city

environmental health dept. In my area, tenants have a lot of rights.

On Sep 24, 2010, at 7:51 AM, Dana S <candalah@...> wrote:

Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that room

for even just a few minutes.

[Guest guest]

What does the landlord have to say about the mold? Right now you need to

detoxify your system, the way it sounds by sleeping in that room your doing the

exact opposite.

[Guest guest]

Sometimes one spot of mold triggers a worsening of sensitivities and then all of

a sudden everything seems moldy even if you threw out the mattress. This happens

to me all the time-first I smell some mold in my car-deal with it, think I've

moved on but now because of the exposure I'm much more sensitive and I suddenly

smell mold in my bedroom AC when 2 MINUTES AGO I smelled nothing! It's SO

frustrating. So it could be the carpet. Can you get down on the floor and start

sniffing? I know that's horrible but it;s foolproof.

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that room

for even just a few minutes. I then ran the air purifier in there for 3 days

straight before sleeping inthere again. That seems to have helped however now i

seem to be reacting once again. There has been rain here over the last few days

and that seems to have flared things up in the room again?

[Guest guest]

Do you have window a/c in there? If so, check the inside of a/c. Do it

outside. Do you have carpet in room? If you don't have ac, is there attic or

another apt above room?

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that room

for even just a few minutes. I then ran the air purifier in there for 3 days

straight before sleeping inthere again. That seems to have helped however now i

seem to be reacting once again. There has been rain here over the last few days

and that seems to have flared things up in the room again?

[Guest guest]

How did you determine the mattress got moldy and how do you think it got moldy?

Would seem difficult to me for only mattress to be moldy unless you bought it

second hand and place it came from was moldy.

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out.

[Guest guest]

Re: Moldy Mattress

It is important to understand that the term " mold mattress " or " moldy anything "

can refer to numerous conditions, which can include (1) actual growth due to

sufficient moisture to cause mold colonization. The moisture can be in the form

of bulk water or condensation; (2) settled spores, toxins, or other fungal

propagules that originated from other areas of actual growth; or (3) microbial

volatile organic compounds, mvoc's, that were consequential to actual mold

growth. Any of these conditions could require that porous padded furnishings be

replaced. If actual mold growth is apparent in an indoor environment, spores,

toxins, fungal fragments and other propagules have likely been aerosolized. The

health impact on these contaminants to building occupants can depend on many

factors, including (1) magnitude of contamination, (2) longevity of

contamination, and (3) underlying health of exposed individuals.

In most situations, attempts to clean porous padded furnishings are not

successful, which requires that such items be discarded.

Connie Morbach, M.S., CHMM. CIE

Sanit-Air, Inc.

cleanlinest.wordpress.com

> >

> > Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies.

I determined the mattress was moldy as I could see the mold all through it!! It

was a second hand mattress so could have already been moldy, however the

humidity in that room is often 70%. It is mostly over 60%

I'm renting so I cant really remove carpet etc which is why I would like to know

whether running a dehumidifier, vaccuming once a week and running my air filter

would be any good? The owners really don't like to spend money on the house and

they take months to getting aruond to looking at things, we have to remind them

etc. etc.

Its not so easy to just get up and move as I now have MCS to deal with and the

rental market is extremely tight here at 1% vacancy, there are often over 50

people at house openings and rents are very high as a result. There is a lack of

housing here. I also cannot just move rooms or sleep in the lounge room

permanently as it is a group house.

I could go stay with my mum temporarily but her house is gas heated, has gas

cooking and water etc. and Im very sensitive to petrochemicals. I'm not sure

whether the gas could be completely turned off outside the house or whether it

would still cause issues? My mum is very suportive and would do what it takes

for me to live there temporarily short of having hte gas appliances actually

taken away or removed.. she would be happy to turn gas off for the time I need

to be there though.

I'm a little lost so I really do appreciate the replies and I really would know

if it is possible to control these type of situation by taking the measures with

vaccuming, dehumidifer and air purifier.

There may well be mold in the crawl space. The house was built in the 1930s and

it wouldn't surprise me if there are leaks in the roof but I doubt the owners

would do anything.

I want to avoid taking silly risks but at the same time I really dont need the

hassle of moving house. I feel it would take months of searching to find an mcs

suitable house and then there would be lots of competion for any house I found

anyway and I may not get it. Plus any new house we moved into would be sprayed

with pesticides etc before we move in.

I've ordered a brand new mattress for a couple of thousand dollars and I also

don't want to risk the mold growing in that. It hasn't been delivered yet but

will mostly likely be delivered in the next couple of days.

Thanks again for replies, it helps to have the advice of those who have been

there as I'm kinda freaking out. My health has declined over three years that

I've been in the house but that could also be due to a number of factors, but I

keep thinking what if the mold has been an issue the whole time???

[Guest guest]

Dana, you said new mattress is on the way. Get a allergy cover for it asap so

when you get it, you can put it on right away, otherwise you may ruin the new

one too. I get them at nationalallergy .com but there are many other places to

get them. Get the pastic ones that totally enclose mattress top and bottom and

after zipping shut professional here says to tape the zipper shut as well. Then

you can cover that with a thick mattress pad so you aren't sleeping on plastic.

What area of the country do you live in that humidity is so high? Do you have

any air conditioning? You can put plastic over carpet to keep whatever is down

inside carpet and not airbourne, but you don't want to put it over damp carpet

of course. Maybe you could do that when humidity comes down in the cooler time

of year if you are still there. There is tacky backed plastic you can put over

carpet and then you can buy large area rug to put over that if you don't want to

be walking on plastic. Everything else in room should be washed or thrown out if

possible, and yes it would be better to stay some place else until humidity is

down. No use cleaning it up if humidity is going to stay that high. If it's 70

percent in room, it could get 90% in carpet.

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out.

[Guest guest]

candalah@... wrote:

If there is a way for you to move, please go to your mom's. Most landlords just

don't care.

 We were stuck in a rental & tried to get the owner to fix things. 4 1/2 yrs.

later we were lucky to get out w our lives.  We had many respiratory infecitons.

The last few weeks our cat vomited e times a day,  fell over, 3 of us had

balance problems.

Mold is serious. Only test if you can swing it. You could save some money at

your mom's  & look for an MCS rental down the road. 

Blesssings, Kathy

candalah@... wrote:

Thanks again for replies, it helps to have the advice of those who have

been there as I'm kinda freaking out. My health has declined over three

years that I've been in the house but that could also be due to a number

of factors, but I keep thinking what if the mold has been an issue the

whole time???

[Guest guest]

Thanks barb, so there is no point using a dehumidifier to keep humidity down? Im

actually in australia. Its not a particulaly humid part of the country but it

has been raining lots over the last couple of weeks. Just checked and loungeroom

which iS huge is 65% humidity as well. Hmmm.. We are just coming into spring so

things could get worse in the house, especially when it rains. The house is

surrounded by trees and never gets direct full sun which cant help!

I was not so keen on plastic due to mcs but better than mould i would think! No

air con in this house. Thanks for you reply

> >

> > Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Kathy, i hope the family is doing ok now? That sounds horrible! I really

really dont want to move but maybe have to. Is testing expensive? I might stay

at mums until we.can get the place tested. Boyfriend is not going to want to

move either grr but i need to be proactive. I really hope you and family are

doing much better!

>

> Thanks again for replies, it helps to have the advice of those who have

> been there as I'm kinda freaking out. My health has declined over three

> years that I've been in the house but that could also be due to a number

> of factors, but I keep thinking what if the mold has been an issue the

> whole time???

>

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[Guest guest]

Oops and i just realised all the new bedding, 100% organic chemical free bedding

is sitting in that room. I have not used it but just sitting in the room it may

have now got infected? Grr ive paid a lot for this new bedding to create a safe

room. I really hope i dont have to throw it out??

Im already getting some testing done on me for paradites etc and that incoudes

mold, its the microbial ecology profile by metragenix or metrametix or whatever

they are called. Has amyone found this test to be any good?

>

>

>

> Thanks barb, so there is no point using a dehumidifier to keep humidity down?

Im actually in australia. Its not a particulaly humid part of the country but it

has been raining lots over the last couple of weeks. Just checked and loungeroom

which iS huge is 65% humidity as well. Hmmm.. We are just coming into spring so

things could get worse in the house, especially when it rains. The house is

surrounded by trees and never gets direct full sun which cant help!

> I was not so keen on plastic due to mcs but better than mould i would think!

No air con in this house. Thanks for you reply

[Guest guest]

If the problem is indeed in the bedroom, and not in the wall cavity or room

above or below, then dehumidifier might help but if it is in the room, you

should SEE it, unless it's under the carpet. I would use it while you are NOT

in the room, since anything that stirs the air, keeps allergens and mold

airbourne where you breath it ,rather than settling out onto table tops ,etc. Be

sure to put a filter on to dehumidifier or it will grow mold itself. Get down

on hands and knees and smell around on carpet to see if there is a stinky area

unless you are afraid but if it's down there, it will be up in air too, so might

as well know. If it's in carpet, you can cover carpet with plastic BUT not if

there is humidity in carpet. Only okay when it dries out, probably when weather

dries out. It sounds like something that would be coming in from wall cavities

or room/attic above or basement or crawlspace below. Surrounded by trees and

no sun, doesn't sound good. Does the air outside smell okay, perhaps you could

put fan pulling air in and one pulling air out, airing out room during the day

or when it isn't raining. Air cleaners can help for lightweight problem but not

significant problem and of course won't help the humidity. Dehumidifier will

make roomer warmer. Is that a problem? Can you put window ac in? That should

help dry out room but put a filter on it also or it will grow mold. It sounds

significant problem though. If you could stay elsewhere during humid weather at

least would be better. Is your car big enough to sleep in?

>

> Thanks barb, so there is no point using a dehumidifier to keep humidity down?

Im actually in australia. Its not a particulaly humid part of the country but it

has been raining lots over the last couple of weeks. Just checked and loungeroom

which iS huge is 65% humidity as well. Hmmm.. We are just coming into spring so

things could get worse in the house, especially when it rains. The house is

surrounded by trees and never gets direct full sun which cant help!

> I was not so keen on plastic due to mcs but better than mould i would think!

No air con in this house. Thanks for you reply

[Guest guest]

The plastic that comes for these mattress covers is not smelly. At least I

didn't detect any odor.

>

> I was not so keen on plastic due to mcs but better than mould i would think!

No air con in this house. Thanks for you reply

[Guest guest]

I think going to your Mom's is probably your best bet but here's a suggestion-is

it possible not to sleep in the bedroom? If, for example, the living room or

dining is uncarpeted, I would close up the bedroom and just sleep in another

room. I don't know if the rest of the house is better but I'd do it even if it

sounds crazy! I'd sleep on a porch if it made me less sick!

>

> Hi all, thanks for all the replies.

>

> I determined the mattress was moldy as I could see the mold all through it!!

It was a second hand mattress so could have already been moldy, however the

humidity in that room is often 70%. It is mostly over 60%

>

> I'm renting so I cant really remove carpet etc which is why I would like to

know whether running a dehumidifier, vaccuming once a week and running my air

filter would be any good? The owners really don't like to spend money on the

house and they take months to getting aruond to looking at things, we have to

remind them etc. etc.

>

> Its not so easy to just get up and move as I now have MCS to deal with and the

rental market is extremely tight here at 1% vacancy,

[Guest guest]

Whatever you can do to get out of that apartment do it. I found mold in my a/c

coils of the hvac and had it removed and Im still getting sick. Even though Im

taking antifungals everyday that I wake up I feel a little worst. If I stay in

this house much longer I'll be to sick to move and with no one to help me I'll

end up having to live in my truck till my health improves enough to get an

apartment, furniture and new clothes, if it was summer that wouldnt be so bad

but the winters where I live are brutal and I'd freeze to death due to the

extreme cold. You can run a dehumidifier, air purifier all day long but once you

become hypersensitive to mold it wont do any good. Your landlord could care less

about your well being, the only thing he cares about is making sure he gets paid

the rent.

[Guest guest]

mold contamination needs to be removed,very carfully,windows open,and trying not

to stir it up, body protection,mask,gloves,ect.

it may be hiding behind the walls, could be from leaks above or possably a

problem from crawl space under floor. air cleaners may keep things stirred up

which wont help. does the carpet fell damp, smell mildewy?

it seems that for the mattress to get moldy like that there may be a hiden sorce

behind walls or under flooring/crawl space.

exspecially sence removeing the mattress didn't solve the problem.

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that room

[Guest guest]

When the hvac tech found mold in the a/c coils I was told it was ok to allow him

to suck the mold out with the same hose he uses to clean the air ducts out with,

against my better judgment I agreed only because the individuals who ok'd the

procedure had years of experience in dealing with mold. Even though there is no

mold in the crawl space or basement now whenever I go into the basement I become

sick almost immediately.

No one knows my body better than I do and I know how I react when Im in a moldy

environment as opposed to a chemical exposure. I can say that its mold spores

that are coming up from the basement to the kitchen that are making me sick.

Each passing day I feel worst and worst, thank God I now have the money I need

to move and get an apartment.

To the original poster please do yourself a favor and get out of that house,

even if its just for a short period of time get out and give your body a chance

to heal. Dont do what me and so many others have done and stay there and try to

fix the problem. All the money your using to try to fix your bedroom would be

better well spent on trying to find a new place to live and replacing those

items that you left behind. If you do decide to move and you start replacing

your belongings buy cheap, you'll never know when you'll be exposed to mold a

second time and you'll have to go through this process again.

>

> mold contamination needs to be removed,very carfully,windows open,and trying

not to stir it up, body protection,mask,gloves,ect.

[Guest guest]

Dana, after you ran the air purifier and it felt better, maybe you should have

bought a new filter for it. Maybe that might be reconta minating it??

i-- In , Dana S <candalah@...> wrote:

>

> Hi all, im hoping someone can help. I found that i had a mouldy mattress and

threw it out. However afterwards i would get symptoms from being in that room

for even just a few minutes. I then ran the air purifier in there for 3 days

straight before sleeping inthere again. That seems to have helped however now i

seem to be reacting once again.