We have bought a cotage and there is black mold on the washroom wall?

Question

this cottage is fifty four years old. there is 1 washoom but there is no shower. the walls are made of drywall and there is mold on the wall behind the toliet. please note that the washroom is very small. there is a soft carpet on the ground. may anyone give us advice on how to remove the mold?

(we are thinking of removing the wall)

Answer 1

*This information was gathered from-- www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/GOT_Mold.html

Decide if you have a large or small area of mold. A small area is less then about ten square feet, or a patch three feet by three feet square. To clean a small area, follow the advice below. You may use a cotton face mask for protection.

If you have a lot of mold damage (more then ten square feet) consider hiring a cleaning professional. If the moldy area has been contaminated by sewage or is in hidden places hire a professional. To find a professional, check under "Fire and Water Damage Restoration" in your Yellow Pages. If you decide to clean up on your own, follow the guidance below.



*Use protection*

Wear goggles, gloves, and breathing protection while working in the area. For large consolidated areas of mold growth, you should wear an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) approved particle mask.



*Seal the area*

Seal off area from the rest of your home. Cover heat registers or ventilation ducts/grills. Open a window before you start to clean up.



*Remove items*

Remove all your furnishings to a mold-free area. Clean the surrounding moldy area then follow cleaning directions below for the items you removed and the new space.



*Bag moldy trash*

Bag all moldy materials and tie off the top of the bag. Bring them outdoors and place in your garbage container right away.



*Scrub surfaces*

Scrub hard surfaces:

• First wash with a mild detergent solution, such as laundry detergent and warm water. Allow to dry.

• (Optional step) Then wipe with a solution of ¼ cup bleach to one quart of water. Wait 20 minutes and repeat. Wait another 20 minutes.

• Last apply a borate-based detergent solution and don’t rinse. This will help prevent mold from growing again. A borate-based laundry or dish washer detergent has “borate” listed on the ingredients label.



*Clean and wash*

Give the entire area a good cleaning, vacuum floors, and wash any exposed bedding or clothing.

*Monitor*

Check regularly to make sure mold has not returned to the clean-up area.

Answer 2

You're going to have to take the wall out and redryall it. I would recommend taking all of the walls out in the bathroom, or at least the adjoining ones, because you never know, and with mold, it's better safe than sorry. If you don't get it all out, it'll spread and come back and you'll have to do it all over again!

Also, be sure to take up the carpet. The subfloor underneath it could be moldy and need replaced as well.

I would then recommend having it inspected by a specialist if you aren't sure if you got it all.  

Answer 3

First, it is definitely a good idea to remove the drywall and eliminate the source. Mold should be taken very seriously...

https://moldrx4u.com/Symptoms.asp

BTW: EPA says DO NOT use bleach against mold...

https://moldrx4u.com/Poisons.asp

For an option to protect yourself while "remediating" the area, to easily provide more activity against the mold spores that have permeated the cottage, and to make it hard for them to get re-established, check out the remarkable research on toxic mold removal done by environmental expert Dr Ed Close. Simply diffusing Thieves essential oil regularly will likely result in an environment very hostile to mold.

http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm

Cost of the Thieves Household Cleaner, a diffuser and a couple bottles of the Thieves oil that Dr Close recommends to his remediation clients: about $250.

Answer 4

If the wall is not soft, wash it off with soap and water, dry with an old towel and then spray with lysol.  Put a little clorox in your soapy water and that should get rid of the mold.  I would pull the carpet, you can buy enough tile to fill the room that is peel and stick and would work fine at Home Depot for about 10 or 12 dollars.  Keep lysol in the bathroom and spray often to prevent return of the mold.  Dealt with flooding in NC for 8 years.  Good luck---no need to tear the entire place apart first try a quick fix.

Answer 5

Hi, its a must that you remove and replace anything with mold on it. If there is a leak behind the wall you will need to replace any wood or insulation with mold on it as well or it will cause you to become deathly ill.