Hurricane Wilma Mold and Mildew solutions
If you were in the Florida Keys last month, you experienced the harsh conditions of Hurricane Wilma at your door and possibly, water lapping at your feet.
After the lifting, packing, mopping, washing and throwing out your once precious “stuff”, here is what you can do to keep what you have left, and keep it from any future mildew damage.
Mildew and molds are fungi – simple microscopic organisms that thrive anywhere there is a moist environment. Mildew (mold in its early stages) grows on wood, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, plants, foods, insulation, glue and leather. You can recognize mildew by an unpleasant musty odor and by discoloration (fuzzy splotches) in walls and ceilings. Mildew can cause serious health problems if allowed to go unchecked.
The first thing to do is to open all your windows in your house and/or car and let the air ventilate the mildew prone items when the humidity level is lower outside than inside. Use your air conditioner to remove moisture if the humidity is above 60%. Rinse and dry all wet material. Hang what you can on a line outside to dry. Quick and efficient cleaning of the product with a bleach sanitizing solution (¼ cup to one cup regular bleach per gallon of water) will help to disinfect all non porous items. First wash with a mild detergent and rinse each item with clean water, then soak it in the sanitizing solution for two minutes. Drain and air dry.
If the interior walls have been soaked, remove the wallboard to a foot above the watermark and discard. Open interior walls on both sides and check for mildew. If you have painted walls, clean with a solution of ¾ cup bleach per gallon of water. Wooden walls can be cleaned with a solution of four to six tablespoons washing soda per gallon of water. Start at the bottom and work up the wall towards the ceiling. You can use 2/3 cup tri-sodium phosphate (TSP), 1/3 cup detergent per three quarts of warm water to remove mildew on house siding or outside items. Tri-sodium phosphate sells for $3.95 in a one pound box or $12.95 for a 4.5 lb. box and can be found in paint stores. It would be wise to wear protective clothing, gloves and a mask when cleaning mildew.
Throw out or clean and thoroughly dry any upholstered furniture, fiberboard, carpeting and bedding if there are signs of mildew and mold. Solid wood furniture can be repaired and cleaned. Wood alcohol or turpentine applied with a cotton ball may remove mildew spots on wood.
Be sure the interior walls are completely dry before painting. Test an 18” square wall area by drying first with a blow dryer then covering the area with a piece of clear plastic sheeting and sealing the edges with tape. Check the plastic after twenty-four hours. If there are beads of condensation on the side of the plastic that faces the wall, it is still too damp to paint. Prep walls with a mildew inhibitor paint primer before applying regular paint. These primers require 14 days to fully cure. Once you know the primer is dry, you can paint over them to restore your home to a pleasant and safe living environment.
Think “green” living as you replace your furniture and appliances. Choose energy saver appliances and conserve your resources to preserve your health, money and our environment.
Additional information is available from the University of Florida/Monroe County Extension Service, 1100 Simonton Street, Suite 2-260, Key West , FL. Phone (305) 292-4501, Fax (305) 292-4415; e-mail or visit our web site. Our services are free and available to all without regard to race, color, sex or national origin.