What can I do? Everything in my home going mouldy

[AngeloMysterioso]

I live in a 2 bed flat on the ground floor of an Edwardian house. We’ve had problems with condensation for a while- we only have single glazed windows (double glazing going in this week after a 6 month wait) and we don’t have a tumble drier so until now, unless the weather has been nice enough to hang laundry outside we’ve had to dry it indoors.

We first noticed a problem when I realised that some of my shoes and boots which are kept on shoe shelves in the bottom of my wardrobe were going mouldy. Then it was the clothes which I keep in the drawers under my bed. I’m 6 months pregnant and DH and I have just checked the pram bassinet which was in its travel case under the changing table in DS’s room- mouldy. A cooler bag in the cupboard under the stairs- mouldy. Clothes of mine in a drawer in another wardrobe- mouldy. Stuff I’ve already washed once when it got mouldy has gone mouldy again.

I’m at my wits end. My shoes all stink because I’ve had to spray them with white vinegar. There’s piles of shoes and clean laundry everywhere because I’ve got the mould out of them but I’m too scared to put them away in case they go mouldy again (which they will, it’s already happened once). We’ve bought a bunch of those little disposable dehumidifiers that you put in drawers and on shelves which appear to have made no difference at all. I’ve bought a heated airer with a cover and plan to use that to dry clothes (with a small electric dehumidifier turned on underneath) but with things like the bassinet, I can’t put that in the washing machine so will have to find some other way of cleaning it.

What else can I do? We hoped that the new windows would help solve the problem but we spoke to our neighbour in the other downstairs flat the other day and it’s a big problem for her too, and she already has double glazing. I’m terrified that when I get out our next 2 me cot from under DS’s cir or the old baby clothes from his wardrobe that they’ll all be mouldy as well. Clothes can be washed, but how do I deal with the things that can’t? We can’t afford to replace everything.

Help!!

Way up thread, you mentioned you had air bricks on the outside. You should have them on the inside too. See if you can see lumps in your walls where they will probably have been plastered/ blocked over by previous owners. They need to be re-instated.

As others have said, ventilation is key. It's the big issue with insulating and sealing our houses with double glazing, you still need air flow.

Even on days where you think washing won't dry outside...you'd be surprised. Even if you put it out to get the worst of what water off the clothes then bring it inside to finish it off, I think would be a big help.
id be leaving a window in each room open (wide) for at least an hour every day.
You can buy little bags that absorb water from Lakeland. I'd be buying them and putting them in your cupboards.

I'd be really concerned about using a baby bassinet that had been mouldy. Mould is such a serious health risk. Please change it.

also, whilst you have sash windows, (if they are not stuck or painted in place) the best way to use them is to have a gap at the top and bottom, it helps to circulate the air better.

@AngeloMysterioso

Bathroom door is always kept closed as a rule, mainly so DS can’t go in there and drink water from the loo. Ironically nothing in there seems to have gone mouldy! It’s just the bedrooms where it’s an issue so far…

This tells you that your problem is poor ventilation. The one room where you open the window is fine.

@AngeloMysterioso

You are very focused on cleaning stuff and not on prevention of the mould issue.

I’m really not, but I would quite like to know how I can clean the bassinet that my newborn is supposed to be sleeping in in 10 weeks time… I can’t just leave it mouldy can I?!

I don’t know what a bassinet is (old, didn’t have them in my day), but what is it made of?

Can I just clarify? are you saying you put a massive wardrobe actually in front of the radiator in your bedroom?

It’s next to a (small) radiator, not the radiator- there’s a bigger one underneath the window.

It’s too late to cancel the windows, they’ve been made and paid for and are going in in two days, and we do need them- some of the old ones are cracked and the frames are an absolute state.

I am taking on everyone’s advice about ventilation- will be looking into dehumidifers and keeping the windows open (spiders be damned) as much as possible. I think the new windows have trickle vents but can’t remember for certain, have asked DH to email and double check.

In terms of cleaning I have been using white vinegar on my shoes and putting a cupful in with each laundry load along with some zoflora (or napisan in DS’s laundry)- is that enough? For the bassinet, I was going to get a new mattress anyway and I think the other textile parts can be removed and machine washed.

The problem is because the flat is so small, we have so little storage that we need the massive wardrobes and the under-bed drawers- I’m having yet another clear out soon which will help but there’s only so much stuff I can chuck away.

I think it's oil of cloves that kills mould, that's what is used in bathrooms with a mix of vinegar.

www.biome.com.au/blog/6-things-to-know-about-using-clove-oil-for-mould-removal/

Interesting tip about putting it in chalk to go in wardrobes.

For mouldy shoes and clothes I use this spray

Furniture Clinic Mould Remover... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PWDUC44?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

I have a mould problem and have thrown away so many shoes previously. That spray seems to actually kill the spores and stops the mould coming back without ruining anything.

I also use this dehumidifier which is always running and have the hanging gel dehumidifiers in wardrobes. I just have to constantly change them!

Inventor Dehumidifier EVA-II PRO... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XJ6H9YZ?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

It's like a full time job getting on top of it!

Do an extra spin on the washing machine before taking clothes out, it might help.

AngeloMysterioso ah ok that's good to hear then.

Even with trickle vents, opening windows daily and having some permanently open a bit will be best.

I agree with PP too, check where your air bricks are outside and seeing if they visible inside and not covered over.

Although it does sound more like a ventilation issue it is worth checking outside for broken drain pipes/gutters, or leaks from them running down the outside walls, or looking to see if the brickwork needs pointing. When its raining do you hear water pouring outside? Does the cement between bricks look like it's been eroded away?

BTW some air bricks in the past have been put in below the indoor floor level, so take into account how high your floor boards are in relation to the outside air brick, before you start poking holes in the wall looking for the indoor part

@Hopeisallineed

Bleach doesn’t kill mould, it’s not as good as white vinegar and is not recommended to get rid of the spores, it just masks it but they are still there and will eventually come back. *@Chocolatebuttercream*

If this is the case you should be able to use white vinegar on the bassinet safely.

If you can't stretch to both, a dehumidifier will both dry the air and dry laundry. We have 3 in our old house.

Jesus, this thread is making me concerned about the Edwardian house that I’m in the process of buying.

You don’t have a bathroom extractor and you don’t open your windows. Changing these two things alone will make a big difference. It’s also worth reducing the moisture you’re bringing in, as these changes tend to be free or cheap. Shorter, cooler showers, lids on pans when cooking, use your cooker extractor hood properly (bet you don’t have one of those either?) drying laundry out of the flat etc. Anything you can do to reduce the amount of steam or evaporated water entering your flat.

I would buy a couple of hygrometers (a few £ each) that measure the relative humidity of the air in your flat. Then get the extractor sorted (and running all the time) and commit to opening windows daily, and see if you can get the relative humidity to stay under 65%.

If you can’t, then you need to take further measures. My next purchase would be the 12l Meaco dehumidifier. I have a ground floor period flat, do all the right things re condensation management, and I would still struggle to keep it dry without my Meaco dehumidifier.

ZealAndArdour Why? if you read the thread, everyone is saying about letting the house breath, and a massive issue of drying indoors without good ventilation.

Plus when buying any older house, looking at the state of, pointing, roofing, drain pipes, and guttering should be standard.

@ZealAndArdour have you had surveys done on the house?
Clues would have been...the house freshly painted when you viewed it, all the windows open when viewing etc. There's a distinct smell that houses have when they have long term damp.

As others have said you need to open your windows. We live in rural Scotland in an old house. The bathroom window closes only when we go on holiday. It’s open all of the time. As are our bedrooms windows.

Get a bigger dehumidifier and sort the vent in the bathroom.

We live in a 1750 house that has terrible damp issues but mostly from condensation as it’s now triple glazed and central heated, sealed floors etc and no where for water to escape. So open windows, half an hour a day min and install trickle vents. I run a massive dehumidifier all winter long in the kitchen ( where it is worse) and have mini dehumidifiers in all the cupboards. I never pack clothes in too tightly or push furniture directly against walls so there is always airflow. Install a good fan in the bathroom, and keep doors shut. I have a condensing dryer but even that creates water vapour. Never dry washing on radiators. Keep kitchen door shut while cooking and kids on pans etc. Extractor fan in kitchen too. You will be amazed at how much water is created from just boiling a kettle or cooking some pasta. All that water vapour needs to go somewhere…

Don’t run a dehumidifier in rooms with windows open though! That’s just a waste of money.

Op if you just think about all the water that is in and around your house, the air is humid and if you don't open windows youre basically sealing it in a box to then be absorbed into all your soft furnishings and clothes.
Opening windows is an absolute must and I think this is where your biggest issue is. Especially so if you are drying clothes inside.

[quote wedwewerpink]@ZealAndArdour have you had surveys done on the house?
Clues would have been...the house freshly painted when you viewed it, all the windows open when viewing etc. There's a distinct smell that houses have when they have long term damp. [/quote]
Not so helpful when lots of people had windows open doing viewings when covid what at its peak!

You need to get a condensor dryer, find a space for it and use it. keep a window open. A big humidifer. And the money you spend on going to the laundrette will be saved in not throwing stuff away because its mouldy.

Ventilation and heating is key.

But really you need to stop drying stuff indoors.

@ZealAndArdour

Jesus, this thread is making me concerned about the Edwardian house that I’m in the process of buying.

Don't worry I am sure it is fine. We just moved to an eduardian house in Feb and it's great. The house did just undergo a complete renovation, was all refreshed pointing etc