Black Mould and pregnancy

[rachael872211]

We moved into a house with a tiny shower room and a black mould problem on the ceiling.

I've read that there are different types of black mould and some can be toxic and some are not.

Is it safe for me to remove? Or should I get OH to do it?

Thing is its just going to keep coming back too. There is a fan in the room and I open the window but it isn't stopping it

 

[moomin momma]

we have this in our bathroom too, normally I just wipe it off but since I've been pregnant my husband has insisted he do it - he's a bit paranoid about me using any strong chemical cleaning products (he's even cleaned the oven for me, what a sweetie!). What we've found is that once we've wiped it from an area it tends not to grow back in the same place - I think the spray we have stops regrowth.

 

[rachael872211]

Oh thank you.

What spray do you use or where did you buy it from? I had a look at the supermarket but couldnt find anything.

I think I will get OH to do it. Plus he's taller than me and can reach it better. x

 

[moomin momma]

Polycell Mould Remover. I don't know where to buy it from as our landlady gave it to us when we told her we were concerned about the mould.

 

[Weeplin]

Sorry I don't belong in 3rd tri but I saw this pop up on the main board. I used to live in a severely damp/rotten house when I was pregnant with DS. When you try to clean the mould it will come off but release spores into the air which can then be breathed in. I would really get your partner to clean it as black mould can be really nasty for you, your baby and your partner so make sure he has the room well ventilated. I have no idea how you can stop it coming back...you can get anti mould paint or perhaps wiping the walls after the room has been steamy might help if it is happening because of condensation. My house was damp throughout so there wasn't really anything I could do..except move which I did. Hope you get it sorted hon..I'll pop back to first tri now lol x

 

[Hunnybear]

Better safe than sorry, get oh to do it. After you clean it with the mold remover you can get mold and moisture resistant paint and cover it up to stop it from happening any more

 

[shell87]

i had this problem and bought a dehumidifyer to stop the moisture in the air. They are quite expensive, £50 from argos, but well worth it coz the mould and wiping the windows was driving me mad!!!!

 

[mrs_park]

Have you tried those little pots of moisture absorbers? We have a brand over here called "damp rid"

Something like that may help stop the mould returning after it's been cleaned. I would defo get OH to do the cleaning

 

[origin]

hydrogen peroxide is good at killing it. just put it in a spray bottle and keep spraying it on. and hydrogen peroxide is despite it's chemcially name 100% natural. it's what all cells in our bodies r made of so you could use being pregnant without any worries. but u will have to do the other stuff to e.g. airing out etc. if you gogole h.p 35% food grade you can buy it online. x

 

[peonies]

I was tidying our bedroom yesterday and discovered a big patch of black mould in the corner hiding behind the laundry basket As LO will be in the room with us for the first 6 months, and I'm already overdue so she could be here any minute, I am determined to get rid ASAP! Bought some of the Polycell Mould Remover, which came from Homebase. I think most DIY stores should have it. Going to tackle it today, I'll let you know how I get on if you like so you don't waste the money if it's rubbish! Was £7.99 I think

 

[BlessedTwice]

I was tidying our bedroom yesterday and discovered a big patch of black mould in the corner hiding behind the laundry basket As LO will be in the room with us for the first 6 months, and I'm already overdue so she could be here any minute, I am determined to get rid ASAP! Bought some of the Polycell Mould Remover, which came from Homebase. I think most DIY stores should have it. Going to tackle it today, I'll let you know how I get on if you like so you don't waste the money if it's rubbish! Was £7.99 I think

If your concerend with your LO being in the same room with the mold get a Air Purifier. We had some mold issues recently and got one for each room in our house to try to keep me safe while pregnant, they are a bit pricy, but they say they take mold spores out of the air too along with anything else you're breathing.

 

[freja]

We have a re-occurring mould/damp problem and have found as a quick fix to wipe the area with bleach and then spray (just get a cheap spray bottle or dab with sponge if you can't find one) with vinegar 0 I use white vinegar. The bleach cleans the area while the vinegar kills the mould - unfortunately as we do have a bad problem, this is repeated on a monthly basis.

 

[PeanutBean]

hydrogen peroxide is good at killing it. just put it in a spray bottle and keep spraying it on. and hydrogen peroxide is despite it's chemcially name 100% natural. it's what all cells in our bodies r made of so you could use being pregnant without any worries. but u will have to do the other stuff to e.g. airing out etc. if you gogole h.p 35% food grade you can buy it online. x

I'm sorry but I have to ask, who told you our cells are made of hydrogen peroxide? Our cells are made of a great many things indeed but hydrogen peroxide is not routinely one of them as it is damaging to DNA. It can be produced as part of the immune response.

We have lots of mould issues in our house because it's 150 years old with solid walls so condensation is a big problem. I don't really worry just try to clean is regularly. We usually use Safe4 which we get from our veg box supplier.

 

[N1kki]

get O/H clean it off and get some antibacterial cleaner like detox or something to keep it at bay or some mould cleaner that can help kill it.

 

[CottlestonPie]

Only certain types are dangerous. Where I lived previously, one type made me come down with cold/flu like symptoms and an incredibly bad cough. We did have water leaking in from outside though so we couldn't get rid of it. The others seemed fairly harmless but I wasn't taking any chances and bleached it all until I moved out!

 

[rachael872211]

i had this problem and bought a dehumidifyer to stop the moisture in the air. They are quite expensive, £50 from argos, but well worth it coz the mould and wiping the windows was driving me mad!!!!

We are going to get a dehumidifyer now. We have a damp problem in most of the house, condensation is everywhere.

hydrogen peroxide is good at killing it. just put it in a spray bottle and keep spraying it on. and hydrogen peroxide is despite it's chemcially name 100% natural. it's what all cells in our bodies r made of so you could use being pregnant without any worries. but u will have to do the other stuff to e.g. airing out etc. if you gogole h.p 35% food grade you can buy it online. x

I do have some hydrogen peroxide solution that I had for an infected ear piercing. I think it is only 5% though. I might still try it.

I was tidying our bedroom yesterday and discovered a big patch of black mould in the corner hiding behind the laundry basket As LO will be in the room with us for the first 6 months, and I'm already overdue so she could be here any minute, I am determined to get rid ASAP! Bought some of the Polycell Mould Remover, which came from Homebase. I think most DIY stores should have it. Going to tackle it today, I'll let you know how I get on if you like so you don't waste the money if it's rubbish! Was £7.99 I think

Thank you. Please let me know how it goes. x

 

[Ember]

I use disinfectant spray from the dollar store. It kills the mold and prevents regrowth. I spray it on once a day for a few days and then wash it with bleach water, and spray again when it's dry. Anytime I've done that, I've never had a problem with it coming back in the same place. Now that I'm pregnant I would definitely have hubby do it though.

 

[tas1]

hydrogen peroxide is good at killing it. just put it in a spray bottle and keep spraying it on. and hydrogen peroxide is despite it's chemcially name 100% natural. it's what all cells in our bodies r made of so you could use being pregnant without any worries. but u will have to do the other stuff to e.g. airing out etc. if you gogole h.p 35% food grade you can buy it online. x

I'm sorry but I have to ask, who told you our cells are made of hydrogen peroxide? Our cells are made of a great many things indeed but hydrogen peroxide is not routinely one of them as it is damaging to DNA. It can be produced as part of the immune response.

We have lots of mould issues in our house because it's 150 years old with solid walls so condensation is a big problem. I don't really worry just try to clean is regularly. We usually use Safe4 which we get from our veg box supplier.

Was going to say the same Peanut - Hydrogen Peroxide is something used to colour hair and since dying your hair isnt very good for your hair i dont think it will be wise to use on mould (i am a hairdresser so i know what Hydrogen Peroxide does and using a high one can burn your skin).

I also have a mouldy house but i use a mould and mildrew spray think its dettol that i buy from asda,i make sure the windows are open and everyone is out of the room before using it (although my OH has had to do it whilst i am pregnant) there are lots of things to do to get rid of condensation which i will list:
1.Produce less moisture ie. if you have a tumble dryer put the outlet pipe through an outside wall,not out of a window as this may allow the moisture to return to the inside of the house. Cover pans when cooking and dont leave kettle boiling longer than necessary,Dry washing outdoors,if raining use a clothes airer in the bathroom with window open or fan on,Do not dry washing directly on radiators,Run the cold water first when filling a bath as it prevents steam production

2. Ventilate to remove moisture to the outside ie. installing extractor fans,if you are replacing windows ensure they have trickle ventilators,do not block permanent ventilators or air-bricks installed for heating. Keep a small window open a little when room is being used,open kitchen and bathroom windows open to let steam and moisture out also close the doors when these rooms are being used, ventilate your bedroom on a night by leaving a window slightly open,Dont clutter wardrobes or cupboards;it could stop air circulating,dont push beds or sofa against outside walls which are always colder and attract condensation. Make sure there is a 9 inch gap. Bedding can get damp if air cannot circulate around it.

3. Insulate,Draught proof and heat your home ie. Insulate your loft,get rid of mould and condensation then draught proof windows and doors,Dont draught proof bathrooms,kitchens or rooms where a gas burning appliance or solid fuel is installed.Keep the heating on low all day in very cold weather.


I hope this helps if you are renting your landlord can get all this off the residential landlord association website.

Please note some mould reacts badly with bleach so dont use that and when cleaning mould off cover your body and mouth and keep room vented.

For our mould i used a mould and moisture paint and its seems to be ok but i still keep an eye out for it.
xx

 

[JakesMummy]

We use Dettol Mould and Mildew remover too..Mould is such an annoyance! We have an old house too, which has damp problems. In fact, we are in the porcess of getting the damp looked at and a new kitchen installed. All the sealant is being re-done on windows and doors. The tips above are all very useful and we did alot of these things, which have helped! The only one I casnt do, is put my airer in the bathroom (it is a small room) so that I have to put up with in the winter - I just put it in the kitchen with window slightly ajar.

Only problem we have is our property is rented through family (DHs Mum, aunt and uncle as it is inherited) so we don't have an official landlord - but being family, we just ask and take it out of rent - sorry going off on a tangent there!

I do suffer from Asthma though and noticed since living here, it has been 10x worse..I also started suffering sinus/allergy issues and am convinced it is the mould spores : (

 

[tas1]

I rent my house off my parents and luckily they said i can do what i want in the house and they have helped out loads with stuff that needs to be done,they damp proofed the down stairs and pointed the house and painted outside to see if that helps but was done in winter time so have to wait for summer to dry out the walls. Its the winter time which we suffer the most but since doing the mould and moisture paint it has helped loads and ive had to clean two bits of mould but because they have furniture on them not much circulation so had to move them out abit.
My parents are saving up or trying anyway to get us out of here and we are trying to save up too but with new arrival coming its abit hard.
xx