Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think our house is making DC sick

234 replies

Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:03

Please, need some urgent help.

DC is 4. She used to be lively, happy and full of energy. Since about late October time she started getting colds. We thought the usual, oh it's that time of the year. Except the colds never went away and kept on coming. Since then she's been ill and "congested" every single day. She now looks pale, yes I know it's winter time but she has this weird tint to her that she gets when is run down. She has big black bags under her eyes, her energy is higher but restless and irritable. Again, we thought it could be down to her age and a phase but now I'm not so convinced. As well as permanently being congested and always choking on it, she's become highly wired at night time. She wakes up multiple times during the night sleep talking/walking. The other day she randomly woke up, complained of pain, vomited and then was fine?

The thing is we live with family and can not afford to move out at the moment. The house, to me anyways, seems riddled with black mold. When I bring this to DH or his families attention I get shut down. But there is evidence of black mold, in the corners by windows. On the floor, in the carpets, in the corners of the wall/skirting. At its worst it can go up into the ceiling and this is all just the visible external part of it, god knows what is happening behind the walls. I'm worried her sudden onset of illness and not seeming to get better despite the diet change, heavy vitamins ect is due to black mold poisoning? DH claims it's common from old homes to get this, but surely not every week/month? We clean the mold and it seems to return with about that time frame. If left untreated it can get really bad. The wall paper in the house in many places is peeling/bubbled but again it gets dismissed from just being an old house.

I feel convinced that unless it's a random allergy she has developed it's the house doing this. Her symptoms align with black mold exposure but no one seems to take me seriously. Also there isn't really anything we can do about it being in the financial predicament we are in.

The drs don't seem concerned. They have referred her to an ent and said her to sols look big but that it's "normal for most kids and she will grow into them". This feels more than that, and I'm scared for my child despite being shut down by everyone. Gp won't even do basic allergy/asthma tests on her. I'm at a loss and so so worried. Help!!!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
SmokeRingsOfMyMind · 14/02/2025 00:29

This doesn't make any sense. Why have you decided to have another child when you live in an overcrowded, mouldy house because you can't afford to house the child you have?

Dolambslikemintsauce · 14/02/2025 00:29

Is there a carbon monoxide detector? Is the boiler in proper working order with a safety certificate?

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:27

More pictures of the 'not quite so bad' mold around the house

To think our house is making DC sick
OP posts:
everychildmatters · 14/02/2025 00:26

Not sure what choice you have, OP? The only way to solve this is to move house I'm afraid. The mould will keep coming back. We had exactly the same issue in a rental property (private rent - landlord did nothing about it). We cleaned and scrubbed but it kept coming back.

Vegboxwonder · 14/02/2025 00:25

Do the family you live with own or rent the house?
Realistically, after dealing with any obvious causes (e.g. cleaning gutters and repairing if necessary, repointing brickwork if needed, using a dehumidifier if drying washing indoors, ensuring adequate ventilation), whoever owns the house needs a damp and mould specialist round. They'll be able to advise on what type of mould it is and how to deal with it.
As a previous poster has said, whilst mould and mildew generally isn't good for people, not all black mould is the super-toxic black mould. From your photo, it could be powdery mildew, which is relatively common in old houses where furniture is kept pushed up to external walls.

OneAquaPombear · 14/02/2025 00:24

Corners of windows and ceilings is more than likely to be condensation. Clean it off with a specific mould and mildew treatment, Dettol do one, also Cillet Bang do one, you can get them in most supermarkets. If the windows have trickle vents clean them and leave them open all the time. If you don’t have them see if you can leave windows on the latch. Or open all windows once a day for a hour. Do you dry clothes in the house? You need airflow in the property. Don’t allow the property to get too cold, keep heating on when it’s cold. Cover pots and pans when cooking and use the extractor fan when bathing or keep the bathroom window open when you’re in there. Some lifestyle changes could make a great difference to this. It’s not nice but it does happen and can be remedied. Black mould is really dangerous and you can do something about this.

AcquadiP · 14/02/2025 00:24

Mold is not healthy at all, I agree. It's easy to treat and kill though: 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water in a spray bottle. Saturate the damp on a daily basis, leave for an hour, gently wipe with a cloth and bin it. Repeat until it has completely disappeared. White vinegar kills damp at the roots so it shouldn't return.

Also, running a medium to large (15 to 20 litres) dehumidifier for a couple of hours a day will make a big difference to humidity levels. They're more economical these days: I have one (15 litres) that costs just 7p an hour to run, I have a larger one (22 litres) that costs 9p an hour to run. I wouldn't be without them: I have no damp in my house.

Schoolrefusa · 14/02/2025 00:24

That would really stress me out too OP, and especially not being heard when you raise concerns . We moved house due to mould as I'm convinced it made our teen ill - her room used to smell of mould and try as hard as I could with vinegar on the windows and airing the room it still grew mould. She definitely recovered when we moved and it took time

MoonWoman69 · 14/02/2025 00:23

I'm also thinking you should go down the council house route. Make it clear the family aren't prepared to do anything about the problem and that you're worried for your childs health and have no other option housing wise. I'd say go to CAB, but you hear good and bad about what they do and don't do to help x

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:22

@TheFatCatsWhiskers1 I do wonder if it's a black mold allergy, how did you go about testing this and finding it out?

OP posts:
Renamed · 14/02/2025 00:22

That’s damp, and it’s not good. I grew up in a house like that. The roof was crap, and it probably needed a damp course. I live now in a house older than that and don’t have this sort of damp - and no, I don’t clean behind the furniture every day.

TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 14/02/2025 00:22

Firsthingsfirst · 14/02/2025 00:19

Not all mold that is black is toxic

How do you identify toxic black mold?
Consider both the location and the appearance when you’re looking to identify toxic black mold. Toxic black mold tends to form in consistently humid environments, like attics, or in areas that were subject to prolonged flooding issues, like basements, crawlspaces, and around foundations.
Toxic black mold growth has a more potent and identifiable smell, like the smell of decay, wet soil, or rot. Visually, it may be greenish-black, grayish-black, slimy, or more furry than other forms of mold or mildew. If you try to clean it with a heavy-duty cleaner, you might find that it remains on the surface and doesn’t completely wipe away.

does it fit this description OP?

It doesn’t have to be black to cause illness. I’m allergic to various moulds/spores and get similar symptoms to what OP is describing.

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:21

@Firsthingsfirst it doesn't seem to be furry? Definitely thick. The house does smell stale but they have a lot of animals and it's an "old house" 🙄. Really hard to say. I do notice as well that both me and DH seem to now be suffering with some sort of congestion issues. I really fail to see how people can piece the puzzle together

OP posts:
MoonWoman69 · 14/02/2025 00:20

The only problem with all the removal and cleaning is that all you're doing is basically holding it back. It's going to keep reappearing because the cause of it isn't being dealt with. But if you have no other option, keeping it at a minimum is the only thing you can do x

Firsthingsfirst · 14/02/2025 00:19

Not all mold that is black is toxic

How do you identify toxic black mold?
Consider both the location and the appearance when you’re looking to identify toxic black mold. Toxic black mold tends to form in consistently humid environments, like attics, or in areas that were subject to prolonged flooding issues, like basements, crawlspaces, and around foundations.
Toxic black mold growth has a more potent and identifiable smell, like the smell of decay, wet soil, or rot. Visually, it may be greenish-black, grayish-black, slimy, or more furry than other forms of mold or mildew. If you try to clean it with a heavy-duty cleaner, you might find that it remains on the surface and doesn’t completely wipe away.

does it fit this description OP?

How Long Does it Take for Black Mold to Grow? | ATI Restoration

Mold spores are always in the environment, but they take hold fast and grow fast when the conditions are right. ATI Restoration has mold removal solutions to mitigate those conditions.

https://atirestoration.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-for-black-mold-to-grow/

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:19

@TheFatCatsWhiskers1 I have no idea! I just get fobbed off with the "oh that's old houses for you" remark. It's very frustrating

OP posts:
ImDoneOnceAndForAll · 14/02/2025 00:18

You have lived with family in a mouldy house for 5 years, you cant afford to move out, and your child is (possibly) being affected by the mould

You worked part time but now dont because you are expecting a baby

This situation is not going to get better

(Get your husband to clean the mould as soon as it appears. Every single time
Dont put furniture against walls
Keep windows open a crack if you can, open a window when cooking and showering / Bathing)

Can you contact the council and apply to get on the housing list?

In the mean time. Take your child back to the doctors, talk about the mould and see if she can have some blood tests and see if the GP thinks a chest xray is needed

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:18

@MoonWoman69 I'm not opposed to chemicals as I think the severity of it calls for just that. However I really don't think its made much difference and it keeps coming back at an alarming rate

OP posts:
TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 14/02/2025 00:17

Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:13

@MoonWoman69

That is really not good. How can anyone consider that normal?

MoonWoman69 · 14/02/2025 00:17

If you don't want to go down the chemical route, these could help?

Natural solutions
Vinegar: Spray undiluted distilled vinegar on moldy areas
Baking soda: Mix one part baking soda with five parts distilled white vinegar and five parts water in a spray bottle
Tea tree oil: Mix one teaspoon of tea tree oil with one cup of water and spray on moldy surfaces

It's so frustrating that you're stuck with this.

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:17

@MoonWoman69 that's what I thought. But it's being majorly underplayed here. Apparently it's our fault for not pulling furniture out and cleaning behind it more often. Which I feel like we do as much as anyone should?

Obviously it all got into the carpet. We tried to clean it with bang bleach mold remover but I suspect there is only so much that you can get out of fabric once it gets in?

OP posts:
everychildmatters · 14/02/2025 00:15

@Concernedmum23 Oh I see. Mat pay? What about your partner? Any chance of saving a bit each month if you're living with family?

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:15

@OneAquaPombear that was at its worst. There's lots of smaller amounts of mold in the corners of windows/ceilings. I don't want to post too many photos as it's outing a house that isn't mine...

OP posts:
MoonWoman69 · 14/02/2025 00:14

No @Concernedmum23 that's not normal at all. I'm so sorry you're in this position x

Original poster
Concernedmum23 · 14/02/2025 00:14

@everychildmatters I was working part time, currently expecting so not at the moment.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread