Wipe Surfaces Down With Bleach

[brahmburgers]

In this climate, a thin film of mold and mildew cover nearly everything. More often than not it's unseen to the naked eye, but a look with a magnifying glass would show it.

I've never seen a product like Lysol in Thai shops, so I use bleach ('haiteur' in Thai). Using rubber gloves, I simply wipe things down with a sponge. Most surfaces are smooth and non-porous enough to not need strong wiping action. Perhaps it would be smart to wipe dry afterwards, but I just leave the wet residue to dry on its own. I not only do it to counters and shelves, but also to doors, window sills, some walls. I'm not a clean freak, in fact I'm one of the most disheveled housekeepers known to man and beast. I have many square meters of shelf space, but there's scant shelf space to be seen - as everything is cluttered. So it goes for my mind also, I guess.

When I was a kid, I once went to a hospital to get an allergy test. The doctor had me lie face down and he proceeded to put about a hundred slight incisions all over my back. On each incision he dabbed a tiny amount of pollen - each spot, a different type. He also tested for various types of mold spores and other things. After a few moments, he went out in the hall and called for every nurse and doctor, "come and see this test result, we've got a 100% positive!" There were bright pink welts all over my back. He probably didn't even need to incise in order to get the results.

Also, am still endeavoring to deal effectively with itchy pillows and bedding. I've heard freezing kills things, but I don't have a freezer big enough to put bedding in to. Setting pillows in the sun once in awhile, fluffing them, and changing covers every day - helps a bit. But last time I had a lady stay over, she went and slept the second half of the night on a mat on the floor (plus, she said it was cooler).

[cathyy]

FWIW, letting the bleach solution air dry is the way to actually kill germs and mildew. Drying the surface would be counter-productive.

Itchy bedding?? Sounds like a dust mite allergy. If so, you need mite-proof covers for your mattress and pillows and to have the bed linens either washed in hot water every time they are washed, or dried in bright sunlight.

[taxexile]

But last time I had a lady stay

did she also get a wipe down with bleach ?

[Sheryl]

As Cathyy said, putting things in direct sunlight is an excellent way to kill off molds and mildew.

Other things that are helpful for wardrobes/closets are:

- intalling a light and keeping it on (say 40 wat bulb)

- keeping a bag of lime to absorb moisture (will need to replace it when it becomes saturated)

- keep doors open esp in the rainy season

In bathrooms, installation of a fan helps

A/c greatly reduces humidity. In other countries I have seen dehumidifiers used (machines that extract moisture from the air) but i haven't run across them in Thailand, does anyone know if they are available? They greatly reduce the need for a/c and I assume use much less electricity. They do need frequent emptying, but the water so extracted can be used to water garden etc. I'd love to get some if they are available here...

[Jingthing]

What strength of bleach do you use? Doesn't it whiten things?

I have used Pledge furniture polish on wood things that actually show signs of mold/mildew.

[Steve2UK]

Where bleach might damage the surface - a 50/50 solution of alcohol/water will do the trick quite well. You can use the cheap blue-dyed medicinal/rubbing alcohol widely sold for medical/rubbing applications. I've just had to do this to deal with mould on leather belts, shoes etc. As noted, strong sunlight will generally kill mould and putting loose items (after treatment) to dry in the sun gives you a double hit of mould cure. That said - mould always comes back when conditions allow............

I'm also interested in a dehumidifying machine. I've been told that aircon units dry out the air in a room - and the ones installed in my house have a "dry" (presumably non-cooling) setting. Coming from the UK - where we're not used to such things - I do find myself wondering whether the aircon unit is only drying the air in the room or if it's also pulling in air from outside and drying that before pushing it into the room. Obviously, it's a heck of a lot more effective if it dries out just the room air rather than attempting to dehumidify the whole of Thailand......... Can anyone in the know enlighten me?

[londonthai]

Perhaps it would be smart to wipe dry afterwards, but I just leave the wet residue to dry on its own. I not only do it to counters and shelves, but also to doors, window sills, some walls.

you can leave the dried bleach on the surfaces you don't use, it would preserve them - but the places you prepare the food and the computer desk I would wipe wet or even rinse before using.

[lotus eater]

I'm in the process just now of putting away clothes (and other cotton and wool materials) that I won't be using for quite some time - or until the next trip to europe. I was simply putting them in suitcases to go in the under-stairs storage 'room'. Is this a certain recipe for mould etc? How else should I go about putting them away or treating them prior to putting them away? Or must I find a way keep them in the house - regularly open and aired etc with the rest of my clothes?

[londonthai]

the best is to dry them in the sunshine and seal them hermetically in plastic bags. I would put them rather in the loft than under the staircase. In any case - check on them from time to time if mice/rats did not brake the plastic bag and not nesting in your clothing

[cathyy]

I'm also interested in a dehumidifying machine. I've been told that aircon units dry out the air in a room - and the ones installed in my house have a "dry" (presumably non-cooling) setting. Coming from the UK - where we're not used to such things - I do find myself wondering whether the aircon unit is only drying the air in the room or if it's also pulling in air from outside and drying that before pushing it into the room. Obviously, it's a heck of a lot more effective if it dries out just the room air rather than attempting to dehumidify the whole of Thailand......... Can anyone in the know enlighten me?

The dehumidy setting on our a/c units works beautifully. It doesn't pull in outside air --it can't, there's only a hole in the wall for the wires and tubes to the compressor, and that sealed around the tubing to keep bugs out. If it was a window a/c it could pull in outside air, but I've never seen a window a/c unit here. It's always the 2 piece units with separate fan and compressor. Separating the compressor also puts the condensed moisture outside .

[geriatrickid]

I sympathize, especially after living with a nasty black infestation in my kitchen. (My friend used to say, my kitchen resembled my neighbours in Patong, but then he lived with the 'rents and had a harem of cleaning staff that cleaned up after him & his brothers, but I digress.) Here's what the housing agencies suggest for tough mold infestations;

Step 1. Wash with a mild laundry detergent solution and warm water. Allow to dry.

Step 2. Wipe with a bleach-water solution of 70ml:1l (for the backward peoples that's about 1/4 cup to a quart). Let dry on its own.

Step 3. Repeat step 2

Step 4. Wipe down with a borate-based detergent solution and let air dry. Leave the borate there because it's an inhibitor of mold growth.)

And now you ask what the heck is a borate based detergent? Well common brands are; Watkins, Borax and a few dishwasher powders that list it in the ingredients. (I can't recall seeing this in Carrefour, maybe the other places carry it.) Back in the day when I was tagging skunks and would get sprayed, I used 20 Mule Team, which I think was just another name for Borax detergent powder.

And as the other folks suggest, reduce humidity as much as you can.

[Steve2UK]

I'm also interested in a dehumidifying machine. I've been told that aircon units dry out the air in a room - and the ones installed in my house have a "dry" (presumably non-cooling) setting. Coming from the UK - where we're not used to such things - I do find myself wondering whether the aircon unit is only drying the air in the room or if it's also pulling in air from outside and drying that before pushing it into the room. Obviously, it's a heck of a lot more effective if it dries out just the room air rather than attempting to dehumidify the whole of Thailand......... Can anyone in the know enlighten me?

The dehumidy setting on our a/c units works beautifully. It doesn't pull in outside air --it can't, there's only a hole in the wall for the wires and tubes to the compressor, and that sealed around the tubing to keep bugs out. If it was a window a/c it could pull in outside air, but I've never seen a window a/c unit here. It's always the 2 piece units with separate fan and compressor. Separating the compressor also puts the condensed moisture outside .

Many thanks for the clarification - i.e. the unit inside the room is effectively one-way........... pulling air from the room into itself to cool and/or dry it before blowing it back into the room. Does that mean that the outside fan unit (open front and back) is effectively just an air-pump (the compressor?) for creating the necessary vacuum and the outside air never gets into the room?

Certainly, I've seen a very satisfying dripping of condensation from the outlet tube next to the exterior unit - amazes me that there could be that much moisture in the room air........ hence my wondering whether some it is from the outside air.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Steve2UK

[Jamie]

The only way to get rid of a mold/mildew problem is to take care of the moisture problem. Bleach is not even recommended as regular soap and water will clean up the surface. As long as there is a problem with moisture, you are not going to get rid of the mold.

[wpcoe]

Does that mean that the outside fan unit (open front and back) is effectively just an air-pump (the compressor?) for creating the necessary vacuum and the outside air never gets into the room?

Without getting all scientific and technical, basically that's correct. The bottom line that you're after is correct: outside air never gets into the room. Not via the air con unit anyways.

Certainly, I've seen a very satisfying dripping of condensation from the outlet tube next to the exterior unit - amazes me that there could be that much moisture in the room air........ hence my wondering whether some it is from the outside air.

That outlet tube is actually the end of a long tube from the inside wall unit, and the water dripping out is the humidity that was removed from the air inside the room. Outside air never enters the equation.

Again, bottom line is that there is no outdoor air entering your room via the air con, unless you have a window unit or perhaps a central air con system. (Some of the latter have an outdoor air intake.)

[Steve2UK]

Does that mean that the outside fan unit (open front and back) is effectively just an air-pump (the compressor?) for creating the necessary vacuum and the outside air never gets into the room?

Without getting all scientific and technical, basically that's correct. The bottom line that you're after is correct: outside air never gets into the room. Not via the air con unit anyways.

Certainly, I've seen a very satisfying dripping of condensation from the outlet tube next to the exterior unit - amazes me that there could be that much moisture in the room air........ hence my wondering whether some it is from the outside air.

That outlet tube is actually the end of a long tube from the inside wall unit, and the water dripping out is the humidity that was removed from the air inside the room. Outside air never enters the equation.

Again, bottom line is that there is no outdoor air entering your room via the air con, unless you have a window unit or perhaps a central air con system. (Some of the latter have an outdoor air intake.)

Many thanks!

[dee123]

anti bac non tainting spray is sold in the uk for as little as 79p .....i am not sure they have the same in thai! good for most surfaces!

[justSumGai]

What strength of bleach do you use? Doesn't it whiten things?

I have used Pledge furniture polish on wood things that actually show signs of mold/mildew.

It's standard OP here in the deep south after flooding such as from hurricane, very little is actually needed, one could find it online, i think it's something like two tablespoons per gallon. Also if I recall correctly some of the more powerful ozone generators will eliminate mold.

[londonthai]

if you use ozon generators don't stay in the room at the same time - the gas will irritate your throat after a few hours and is even slighly poisonous.

[Somnambulist]

I'm glad I found this thread. It's just what I need. I'm renting a house that is very mildewy. I will have to move soon if I can't demold the place. It has infected my left tonsil, which gives me an nasty cold with a fever and conjestion. Lately I've been waking up in the middle of the night with breathing difficulty (asthma) and a runny nose. It's a one story house built right on the ground with a wood floor. Even the kitchen cabinets and my bed have a strong mold smell. If I could have the maid apply the proper solution once a week I'd rather not move, but I can't go on like this. I've even started acupunture and herbal treatments and after three acupunture sessions and three days of herbs I feel a bit better but I'm still sick so I've got to do something about the mold.

Is bleach or lime effective enough for my situation or do I need to just move?

All advice greatly appreciated.

Chiang Mai

Edited November 14, 2007 by Somnambulist

[londonthai]

if you have serious breathing problems you have to move out - because the house is wooden and on the ground floor you won't be able to clean it.