Jingthing Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 (edited) I left a condo in Jomtien vacant for six months, and surprise, surprise, there was a not wonderful smell when I arrived back! Anything vinyl was covered in white mold and all the clothes were musty. All the wood has some signs of growth. Can people share their experiences with dealing with mold cleanup? I would like to do a thorough job throughout the condo but I am rather lazy and seriously incompetent at cleaning. Maybe someone can refer me to a Thai maid who would know what to do and wouldn't mind a "special" job? Also, when I go to the markets, I can't seem to find any specific products that are designed for fighting mold and mildew. Do people have tips about that (of course, most products are in Thai). I was surprised that I can't seem to even find simple anti-mildew spray to spray in kitchen and bathroom cabinets. I do know bleach solutions can be used but as I don't know what I am doing, afraid of staining stuff. In short ... help??!! Let this be a warning to others leaving places vacant for a long time, but short of letting it out, not sure what I could have done to prevent this mess. Edited October 27, 2006 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKK90210 Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 (edited) I don't know all causes of the problem, but your place for sure is too damp without much ventilation. The trick for instant clean-up "for now" that seems to work like a magic for me is..... To spray directly to the mold/mildew areas with solution of - 1/2 water+1/2 bleach - and watch them disappeared in 5-10 min, then rinse area well. Make sure you have a good ventilation during this procedure. Edited October 27, 2006 by BKK90210 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckwheat Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Mildew is called "RA" in Thai. Go to Foodland, Carefour etc and look for RA remover. I think Duck has a good product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsieurhappy Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I don't know all causes of the problem, but your place for sure is too damp without much ventilation. The trick for instant clean-up "for now" that seems to work like a magic for me is.....To spray directly to the mold/mildew areas with solution of - 1/2 water+1/2 bleach - and watch them disappeared in 5-10 min, then rinse area well. Make sure you have a good ventilation during this procedure. I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHdiver Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Try Detol, you will find it in Watsons; maybe in Big C too, not sure. It worked very good for me with the same Problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Mouse Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 The bleach solution is the best for cleaning up mold but I suggest that you take a good look at why it formed in the first place. Dampness under the floor, or in the walls is a likely cause. You need to track down the source of the dampness and stop it. Otherwise, sickness is sure to result for any person living there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted October 27, 2006 Author Share Posted October 27, 2006 I think the main reason it formed is that the spores were there and the place was dark, hot, and humid for six months causing a petri dish effect. Rainy season. I have read about this and apparantly the first things to get hit are anything organic, like leather, fabrics, paper, and wood. I know mold can eat houses but in my case it appears limited enough to clean. I think it wouldn't have ever happened if the place had been lived in with airing out and regular sunlight. I have also read that UV lights and air cleaners are good, the UV to kill the spores, and the air cleaners to actually remove them from the air. Overkill perhaps. Thanks for the feedback so far, especially about RA. I did see some stuff called RA killer and I was afraid it was something like insect poison. Big difference. I hadn't even thought about there being a problem finding decent bleach. Still would be interested in a Thai maid to do the work for me though ... I don't like to deal with toxic cleaners, or truthfully, any cleaning at all. So far (very limited experience), the Thai cleaning help I have found have been into doing very superficial work quickly, and for this, I really need a more serious helper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZZZ Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 For a job like this I would go with a professional cleaning company. They are more expensive than getting a maid for a day but they have all the know how and equipment. Try TipTop at: http://www.tiptopthailand.com/pattaya.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 It's not recommended that you even use bleach anymore. It is actually quite useless at killing spores and mold. Spores are quite resilient and the mold you see is only part of it...the roots or hypha reach deep down in to surfaces. Where I work, I deal some with indoor air quality issues. A simple water/soap solution will work just as well. You don't have so much a mold problem as you have a moisture problem which you already know. Mold spores are everywhere, that is why I cringe when people actually have their homes tested for mold spores. It doesn't matter where you go, you are going to find spores. Get rid of the moisture problem and you don't have a mold problem. Open the house up a bit, or use a good de-humidfier. Wipe everything down and get some air circulation going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted October 28, 2006 Author Share Posted October 28, 2006 (edited) Yeah, I think you are correct that mold spores are everywhere and it would be a waste of money to test for their presence. The key is to prevent the conditions that they need to grow and cause damage. Have people really had good experiences with Tip Top? Edited October 28, 2006 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsieurhappy Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Try Detol, you will find it in Watsons; maybe in Big C too, not sure. It worked very good for me with the same Problem. Sorry you didn't understand my question, I'll try putting it another way hoping this time you will realise I'm looking for "BLEACH" not "DISINFECTANT!!" I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGW Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Try Detol, you will find it in Watsons; maybe in Big C too, not sure. It worked very good for me with the same Problem. Sorry you didn't understand my question, I'll try putting it another way hoping this time you will realise I'm looking for "BLEACH" not "DISINFECTANT!!" I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Hydrogen peroxide (3%) is an excellent cheap minimal polluting cleansing agent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost in LOS Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 I don't know all causes of the problem, but your place for sure is too damp without much ventilation. The trick for instant clean-up "for now" that seems to work like a magic for me is.....To spray directly to the mold/mildew areas with solution of - 1/2 water+1/2 bleach - and watch them disappeared in 5-10 min, then rinse area well. Make sure you have a good ventilation during this procedure. what you suggest works well, just add a little liquid dish soap to the mixture which help your formula work better by staying in place a bit longer, an old trick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chang_paarp Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 I have been trying to find "real" bleach for a long time, not the diluted stuff for making whites whiter in the washing machine. Something like Domestos etc. in the UK. Does anyone know where I can find it? Go to your local swimming pool shop and get the smallest container of liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) they sell, It is 18 - 21% chlorine when fresh, Demestos is 8%, so dilute it at least 1:1 with water, more water is safer (add chlorine to water not water to chlorine). Do not splash or spill the stuff, it is highly corrosive and will leave big holes on your clothes and carpet. You will have a lot of demestos stuff, the chlorine level drops to about 5% with time, so use the rest of the original container to clean your drains. I must stress this stuff is dangerous, so do not breathe the fumes and only use in a well ventilated place. Do not mix with other chemicals. If you spill any use large amount of water to clean up. If you get some in your eye/s irrigate with clean water and go straight to hospital, if you are quick the will save your eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnuek Posted October 29, 2006 Share Posted October 29, 2006 On walls windows etc. Use neat bleach,leave for a week if it reappears treat again. I worked as a painter for a number of years and this is the ONLY way to kill the spores before repainting. Yes there are expensive treatments on the market but I never found any that worked. Usually condensation is the cause. I would suggest opening doors and windows for as long as possible. A dehumidifier would be great if you have the funds to buy one. They are cheap to run but I`m not sure if it could be left running when you are away for weeks/months... Also while away leave wardrobes open and do not put too many clothes in so as to allow air to circulate..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavis and Butthead Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 In Florida we have a big problem with this. There you need to keep your AC set on 75 year round even when house is vacant. It runs into some big bucks but has to be done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted December 12, 2018 Share Posted December 12, 2018 12 year old topic is now closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts