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Original poster

Mold on some of my belongings

22 replies

Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 14:30

I live in an old, uninsulated, house that is prone to dampness.

The windows are opened every day to air the place. I open my bedroom windows every day for airing the room.

A few weeks ago I was cleaning and I found mold on a pillow. I chucked it.. a few weeks after that I was cleaning some more and I found mold on another pillow. I chucked that one out too. When I was buying a new pillow I bought two waterproof pillow protectors. Those two pillows are good.

I was changing my bed clothes again this morning and I looked at the third pillow I found mold on the pillow. I only changed the pillow protector on it a few weeks ago. It wasn't a waterproof pillow protector. It was an ordinary pillow protector.

I don't how this is happening. I am airing my room every day.

I don't go to bed with wet hair.
I think sometimes I drool.

So basically 2 pillows are good because they are relatively new-ish and they have a waterproof pillow protector on them. I don't know if that would help.

The third pillow would be a few years old but I don't know how long. It wasn't completely ruined but there were stains and a musky smell and it looked like mold. It's in the bin now.

I don't understand it. I had a pillow protector on my pillow and that looks to be good. It was just the pillow.

Would it be drooling on the pillow that would cause it, I wonder?

How can it stop this and protect my stuff?

The duvet is good. I am sleeping with a mattress protector under the sheet too and that seems to be good too. It's just the pillows.

OP posts:
AuroraForever · 10/10/2023 14:33

Can you get a dehumidifier and run that in the room where you’ve noticed it? We’re in a damp old house too and have to run one as having windows open daily did nothing to stop clothes and furniture getting ruined.

Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 14:34

I have three pillows on the bed. Two pillows side by side and another pillow on top of one of them. It was the third pillow, the top pillow, that got moldy. Would it be sweat as well?

I got sick a few weeks ago and stayed in bed a lot and I also wore an oddie to bed with duvet on and during those weeks I was cramping a lot so maybe I was sweating a lot. Would that have caused it too?

I'm very disappointed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 14:35

I have a small dehumidifier in the room. I found it too noisy to run at night and I do t want to run it during the day when I am gone.

I might look for another one on Amazon.

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Home improvement
confusedlots · 10/10/2023 14:36

Yes agree that you need a dehumidifier. We lived in a static caravan for a while during house renovations and I was horrified when I found mould on our pillows. When I got new ones I made sure they weren't pushed up against the headboard/wall and left a gap for air to circulate

Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 14:40

I don't think my pillow would have been in touch with the environment as such because there was a pillow case and protector on the pillow.

I will look for a dehumidifier.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 15:22

I do t get time to go shopping in shops any more. The majority of my shopping is done online now. I checked my email account for the pillow in question and it was 2017 purchase. Probably should have been chucked before now. I'm still somewhat disappointmented in that it didn't look bad a few weeks ago and now it's stained a lot that looks like mold and smells like it too.

I will just but a new pillow and a dehumidifier.

Will a waterproof pillow protector help again, I wonder.

OP posts:
usernother · 10/10/2023 15:29

I'd also get some of those damp traps that you can place in spots around the room and behind the bed.

LadyEloise1 · 10/10/2023 17:01

I bought those hanging damp traps and hung them in our wardrobes as I had seen mould on some shoes stored there.
I was shocked at the amount of water produced in a short space of time Shock

Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 18:13

I don't have my bed right up against the wall and I don't see mold on the wall either.

I suppose it was a wet summer nas maybe condensation or wetness built on the windows from all the rain and mositure. Even though I kept the windows open.

I have three pillows on the bed. What I do t get is the two that lies side by side (1 of them is new) there was no mold. The pillow that goes on top of one of these had evidence of mold that was the pillow that my head went on. Even though it wasn't bad a few weeks ago. It only became apparent this morning when I looked and changed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 10/10/2023 19:39

I had a look on Amazon for a dehumidifier but I am overwhelmed with the choice. There's some on prime deal for approx 130 pounds. I do t have that much to spend. My budget would be 100 pounds.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 10:47

God, I was going to make a purchase on a dehumidifier on Amazon for delivery on Friday but my card is down and shut down. I got a message from the bank overnight blocking a purchase that was fraud and I had to reply back with a yes or no if the purchase was mine or not. Followed by a call this morning with a new card on the way to me.

Not the end of the world, but holy moly.

OP posts:
FredFrenackerpan · 11/10/2023 10:56

Dehumidifiers are worth every penny. I've had mould problems for years and didn't have a clue how to fix it, then someone suggested a dehumidifier. It cost £150 which is expensive to me, but completely worth it. I run mine while we're out of the house, so about 8 hours a day, and I am shocked at the amount of water it collects, around 2 litres a day. Imagine that amount of moisture just hanging around in the air! It will really help, so I would recommend you get one. Hopefully you get your online payment problem sorted!

Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 11:05

Can I ask how do you manage your dehumidifier and windows. Apparantly it's best if windows are closed. I like to leave my window open. Not fully open but open a bit.

I wouldn't feel comfortable running it all day when I am out of the house. I think I will only run a dehumidifier at night time.

OP posts:
wineandmaltesershappyme · 11/10/2023 11:12

Sorry i can't advise re mould OP but if anyone else has dehumidifier recommendations for under £100, i could do with one to help with laundry over winter.
OP with my old dehumidifier i'd still leave the window open a crack to let fresh air into the room.

AnchorWHAT · 11/10/2023 12:09

Can you pop them outside on dry days to fully air out?

SapphireSeptember · 11/10/2023 14:13

I've got a dehumidifier. It's got a 5 litre tank and some nights it's full. My landlord pitched a fit when he found out I'd bought that and an oil filled radiator last year, but this was after the boiler breaking down, we had no heating or hot water, and I woke up one morning to water running down the walls. He was more concerned about how much they were going to cost to run than about anything else. (It's a HMO.)

Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 14:37

As in the pillows? Hang the pillows outside?

I wouldn't be in a position to do that due to work and also weather. Going into the winter wouldn't be the best time either due to mor ing dew and there's no real heat outside.

I am just going to have to fully open the window every day and I bought a dehumidifier now too. I will use that and investiage the pillows more often.

The pillow that got mouldy was the pillow my head was on and not the underneat pillow. I chucked out the pillow. I can't believe how bad it got over the past few weeks. I suspect maybe it was sweat and I was sick as well, so I will try and sleep cooled down more. I don't know. I am disappointed to say the least and I am now anxious about more of my belongings and mold. I don't have the time to be deep cleaning.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 15:06

In recent weeks, I found this on the back of my neck. It's receding. It has the shape of an M. I think the M shape was always there but I think it was much smoother and softer before like 2 or 3 years ago. I wonder if this hairline has anything to do with the pillows I found?

Even though I am looking after my hair so much more better and more than ever before.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 15:07

Sorry meant to post this in my post above.

Mold on some of my belongings
OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 11/10/2023 15:08

It's not a very deep recession but it's still there.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squaretiles · 12/10/2023 16:35

Bought a dehumidifier from Amazon. I went back after the order is well and truly made and it said it's operational in temps above 10degrees C. I didn't see that at first.

It's rarely I will be able to get that temperature in the winter.

Will this machine work now or what will happen.

I didn't have the funds for an expensive dehumidifier.

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