To ask how you keep mould away?

[Rudolphrum]

For those of you mumsnetters who live in older houses how the hell do you keep mould in the windows at bay?

We recently moved into a rental where all of the upstairs rooms are not double glazed. Every morning we wake up to a pool of water on each window which we try to wipe off. We now have mould on all the upstairs windows which I've been bleaching tonight.

This can't go on - surely there's a trick I am missing? A friend told me to sleep with Windows open but it's fucking freezing!!!!!

Rudolphrum - well, I need a bedroom window open to sleep, sO that's no change anyway. Downstairs the window is only open a tiny bit, just a crack really, and the heating comes on about half an hour before we get up so it's not as bad as you'd think unless it's really cold weather, and if it's really cold I would keep the window closed and leave some microfiber cloths to catch the drips on the windows I know attract the most condensation.

Do those boxes containing granules do any good on window sills?

We dry washing inside as there is nowhere else. Also can not afford to run a tumble dryer not buy one nor more to the point have space for one. Also trying to cut down electricity consumption.

This was one of our problems, but I read loads of people saying a dehumidifier was a lot cheaper to run than a tumble dryer with the added bonus that by reducing the moisture in the air it could even help reduce our heating bills slightly.

It's been brilliant with the laundry, we have a special tent thing for it, you put your clothes horse and the dehumidifier under it, put the laundry setting on and leave it. I'm sure the house does feel warmer as well, I seem to need the heating on for an hour or two less a day than before I got it.

Don't mix bleach and vinegar! Either works fine on its own.

I do the following:

• Window vacuum to any visible condensation (e.g. in the morning, or after cooking).
• Open the windows and blast the room when everyone's finished in the room. I close the door and even 10 to 20 minutes makes a difference
• Dehumidifier in a room with laundry or any room that has that kind of damp cold feel.

I read a lot on here about people managing to dry their clothes outdoors so long as it's not actively raining. I've tried and tried, but it's not true in my part of the country - fog from the river is too persistent.

Do those boxes containing granules do any good on window sills?

Depends on the level of your problem but I've never found them even vaguely effective. A good quality, adequately-powered dehumidifier is a good solution.

Agree spiky

I live right by the sea and if it's not warm there is no way anything dries. It can be out there all day and will come back in as wet as it went out.

Bound - please do not mix bleach and vinegar, together they create chlorine gas!

arranbubonicplague thanks.
However I'm not up to having a dehumidifier in every room yet.

@Miscella I only do it in well ventilated area. Done it many times and no issues so far.

But of course it’ll most likely work without the bleach. Think it’s the bicarbonate and vinegar combo that works.

I’ll ask for my post to be removed just in case. I often do it but would hate anyone to cause a gas reaction.

Wasn't chlorine gas used in WWI?

Still slightly considering it if it'll work....maybe with a mask on....

I buy a lot of those little plastic box things with the granules in them. I put 4 in each room, one in each corner. They always end up full of water so I’m guessing they do something but we still have black mould so maybe it would just be worse without them!

Another vote for vinegar and tea tree wiped over it.

We only get it in one room and I really don't understand why. It's upstairs and has the same number of outside walls as the room that doesn't get it.

A dehumidifier did nothing. It pulled water out but didn't stop the mould.

I have double glazing and still get condensation every morning when it's cold. I use the Karcher window vac but still have to wipe the black seal with a towel every morning.

I’ll also echo Spiky, I lived by the sea for a while and I used to hand wash some stuff, unless it was baking hot (never) my stuff (usually just bras and tights) never dried. Everything else I sent to a launderette to be washed & dried. I had mould in my flat, it was in the walls though, I ended up having to pack all my clothes in plastic boxes and keep them in my living room. It is miserable, my living room was the only room that had hardly any external walls (weird shaped property) and was the only room that wasn’t mouldy. I had crappy storage heaters so it never got warm enough to ‘dry out’ and I was ground floor so couldn’t really open windows unless I was in and I never felt comfortable having them open overnight.

Even now (no longer by the coast), unless it’s boiling hot washing will not dry outside. Today, the highest temp has been about 7 degrees and it’s cloudy and damp, so not suitable for washing to be dried outside.Thankfully, I now have a warm house and a condenser tumble dryer. I do occasionally dry such as my running stuff on a clothes horse and no ill effects yet. We do tend to keep all the upstairs windows locked in the vent position though.

I often do it but would hate anyone to cause a gas reaction.

Why do you risk it? I know someone who ended up in hospital after accidentally inhaling chlorine gas from mixing cleaning products.

Please don't go mixing any acids with bleach.

I haven't had any mould since using a dehumidifier and tumble drying most of my washing.

However I'm not up to having a dehumidifier in every room yet.

Unless your home is very large, you need one dehumidifier that is sufficiently powered to cope with the volume of your home.

Ah, well I have two at the moment and still get a lot of condensation on the windows where the are not dehumidifiers and black mould on walls and window sills of most rooms.
The ones I have say they cover 20m2 each

I have exactly the same problem! I got a big ‘electricq’ dehumidifier for about £124 and it’s enough for a large house. It’s amazing how much water it sucks up, I can’t believe it!
I also use my karcher window vac on the windows in the morning and open them if it’s not too cold.
I use mould spray once a week which is brilliant stuff.
Also make sure there’s a gap between furniture and beds just enough to let air circulate and check curtains if they’re against the window or wall as they could be effected too.
I also use those little boxes which turn granules to water. They’re not really powerful enough but they do catch a bit.
Trickle vents are also good but haven’t got any yet
Oh and the best thing ever - double glazing film! I’ve only used it on one large window but it works! No condensation and keeps the warmth in just like double glazing. You tape it over the window and shrink it so that it pulls taught!(using a hairdryer) they’re about £7 and do quite a few windows. They should really help. It’s one less window to have to hoover up in the mornings

Can anyone recommend any good humidifiers that don't cost the earth?

And is it really necessary to have the ones that collect 20 litres etc or are the smaller ones fine if you just empty them more often?

Thanks for any tips!