Clothing contaminated by mold is not a fun thing to have to deal with, especially if it happens to affect an old favorite item of clothing that we found lying in the back of a closet or behind a dresser. We are usually hesitant to throw it away, but sometimes we are unsure if the item can be completely cleansed or not.
The Bible talks about mold contaminated clothing in ancient times and these items were always seen as untreatable and were always thrown away. It is fortunate that these days we know that these items can usually be completely cleaned, but we may not be able to completely get rid of the stain the mold left behind. This is particularly true for leather items, since this is a piece of dead skin and the natural role of mold is to decompose dead organic matter.
The cause of moldy clothing usually has something to do with moisture and forgetfulness. Sometimes we get our clothes wet and just toss them into the laundry basket or into the bathroom closet and forget about them. Doing this is a mistake, because if they are not dried within about 48 hours, mold will start to grow on them. What is even worse is that dry clothing is usually thrown on top of it and the infestation spreads to other clothes. Mold can also start growing on items that have been left behind dressers or in closets that become humid and do not get enough ventilation.
Molded clothing can usually be cleaned by using borax laundry detergent in the washing machine and allowing the clothes to soak for a few hours. Wash in warm to hot water, depending on what the clothing’s dye will tolerate without the colors bleeding everywhere.
After the clothes are done the first time, using a stain remover on them before washing them the second time could help remove any stains that may exist on the clothes. Washing the clothes at least twice is generally recommended, since most of the time it takes more than once to get rid of the infestation completely. Do not use your dryer to dry moldy clothes, however, since an artificial heat source like this usually sets the stain further into the fabric. Put the clothes outside to dry instead.
Depending on the amount of clothing that you have to wash and re-wash, it might be easier to just throw the afflicted clothing away than try to restore it, especially if there are a lot of stains. Most clothing is salvageable, though, as long as you treat it properly
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Sump Pumps and Flooded Basements
If you have ever had a flooded basement, then you know that the cleanup process can be both expensive and can take quite a while. Drying out a basement completely can take days or weeks and replacing the damaged carpet and furniture can cost thousands. Installing a sump pump is the best thing that you can do to defend your basement from floods.
Flooding in your basement is typically caused by soil that is so saturated with water that the water starts to seep through the concrete walls. What sump pumps do is pump water out of the lowest part of the basement before the water reaches the level of the rest of the floor. When the water level in the basement rises up, the excess water is pumped into a sump pump hole and after it reaches a critical level, it starts to pump it out of the home through a pipe and away from the foundation.
Flooding can also end up causing problems with the plumbing, rotting wood, or a damaged foundation. These will all reduce the value of your home greatly and all water damage can lead to mold growth, which is a problem all to itself. Installing a sump pump into the basement can save you all kinds of money by safeguarding your basement belongings from flooding.
When you do install one, you need to check it regularly to be certain that it is working correctly. Do this by removing the cover and slowly pouring water into the tank. The float in the tank should rise and trigger the pump to start. When the pump turns on, the water level inside the tank will quickly go down and the float will trigger the pump’s shut off. This is how a sump pump should operate normally.
Most problems with a sump pump’s operation are related to the float. The float could be getting stuck on something inside the tank if the pump does not activate as it should. Repositioning it should probably fix the problem, but if it does not, the float may need to be replaced. The pump should turn completely off when the water level goes to the very bottom of the tank and if it does not, then a new float will be needed.
Some homes even have backup sump pumps, but if you keep an eye on the one that your home already has or the one you just installed, you should be fine. If excess water flows into your sump pump, it may completely shut off. Foreign objects getting into the pump will also cause it to malfunction.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Flooding in your basement is typically caused by soil that is so saturated with water that the water starts to seep through the concrete walls. What sump pumps do is pump water out of the lowest part of the basement before the water reaches the level of the rest of the floor. When the water level in the basement rises up, the excess water is pumped into a sump pump hole and after it reaches a critical level, it starts to pump it out of the home through a pipe and away from the foundation.
Flooding can also end up causing problems with the plumbing, rotting wood, or a damaged foundation. These will all reduce the value of your home greatly and all water damage can lead to mold growth, which is a problem all to itself. Installing a sump pump into the basement can save you all kinds of money by safeguarding your basement belongings from flooding.
When you do install one, you need to check it regularly to be certain that it is working correctly. Do this by removing the cover and slowly pouring water into the tank. The float in the tank should rise and trigger the pump to start. When the pump turns on, the water level inside the tank will quickly go down and the float will trigger the pump’s shut off. This is how a sump pump should operate normally.
Most problems with a sump pump’s operation are related to the float. The float could be getting stuck on something inside the tank if the pump does not activate as it should. Repositioning it should probably fix the problem, but if it does not, the float may need to be replaced. The pump should turn completely off when the water level goes to the very bottom of the tank and if it does not, then a new float will be needed.
Some homes even have backup sump pumps, but if you keep an eye on the one that your home already has or the one you just installed, you should be fine. If excess water flows into your sump pump, it may completely shut off. Foreign objects getting into the pump will also cause it to malfunction.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Mold On Your Property
Mold growing in our homes can cause a lot of damage to both the home’s structure and to our health and it typically grows in areas of our homes that are dark, damp, and/or warm. Any combination of these three can cause mold to grow, but the areas most often affected are kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms. Food, carpet, wallpaper, and closets are also affected, but generally to a lesser degree unless they are located in or near the aforementioned rooms.
Mold causes damage to the air quality of your home and even though we are exposed to mold on a daily basis without much harm to us, high quantities of mold spores in the air that we breathe can be very hazardous to our health. It tends to aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, and allergies. Common symptoms of mold exposure in homes usually include sore throats, very dry coughing, blurry vision, sinus congestion, sneezing, and other respiratory problems. If you think that there is mold in your home, you should conduct some mold testing either on your own or by using a professional and contact a physician as soon as possible.
Molded wallpaper can also become a problem. When located in a warm environment, vinyl wallpaper has the ability to trap moist air behind it and this will create a breeding ground for mold. Mold eats at the drywall behind the wallpaper, the adhesive on the wallpaper, and also the wallpaper itself. Removing the wallpaper and the drywall completely is usually the only way to solve this problem, especially if the mold has been growing there for a long time and the infestation is extensive. Drywall is porous and cannot usually be completely cleansed once mold infects the whole depth of the board.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms should have steam vents installed so that steam has a place to go. These vents direct steam and hot air outside and away from your home so that moisture does not become absorbed by your walls and ceilings.
Carpet mold is a big problem in flooded areas and as soon as you can, damp or wet carpet must be taken up completely. Carpet cleaning will generally not kill mold infestations, so it and the padding underneath it must be removed and thrown away.
Wearing mold contaminated clothing can cause skin rashes and other irritations, so cleaning these items or throwing them away is recommended. Borax and hydrogen peroxide in the washing machine should do the trick, but the clothes need to be soaked in this mixture for a while before washing. Then, they should be washed a second time after having also soaked a second time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Mold causes damage to the air quality of your home and even though we are exposed to mold on a daily basis without much harm to us, high quantities of mold spores in the air that we breathe can be very hazardous to our health. It tends to aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, and allergies. Common symptoms of mold exposure in homes usually include sore throats, very dry coughing, blurry vision, sinus congestion, sneezing, and other respiratory problems. If you think that there is mold in your home, you should conduct some mold testing either on your own or by using a professional and contact a physician as soon as possible.
Molded wallpaper can also become a problem. When located in a warm environment, vinyl wallpaper has the ability to trap moist air behind it and this will create a breeding ground for mold. Mold eats at the drywall behind the wallpaper, the adhesive on the wallpaper, and also the wallpaper itself. Removing the wallpaper and the drywall completely is usually the only way to solve this problem, especially if the mold has been growing there for a long time and the infestation is extensive. Drywall is porous and cannot usually be completely cleansed once mold infects the whole depth of the board.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms should have steam vents installed so that steam has a place to go. These vents direct steam and hot air outside and away from your home so that moisture does not become absorbed by your walls and ceilings.
Carpet mold is a big problem in flooded areas and as soon as you can, damp or wet carpet must be taken up completely. Carpet cleaning will generally not kill mold infestations, so it and the padding underneath it must be removed and thrown away.
Wearing mold contaminated clothing can cause skin rashes and other irritations, so cleaning these items or throwing them away is recommended. Borax and hydrogen peroxide in the washing machine should do the trick, but the clothes need to be soaked in this mixture for a while before washing. Then, they should be washed a second time after having also soaked a second time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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