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Stachy Found - do I have to throw out everything?

dsdmom

Senior Member
Messages
397
I'm guessing some answers will be YES! But I'm not sure that it will be necessary...trying to figure this out. Had air samples taken and found low levels of Stachy in house. We are moving. I plan on throwing out the couches since those are hard to clean but what about other belongings? Artwork from my deceased mother (won't be thrown out no matter what), clothes, finished wood furniture. Can I just clean the clothes &wipe the furniture with something to make sure the spores are gone? Will toss pillows, etc. Not sure about mattresses. No visible mold found - was only stirred up when ac was installed.Told levels are really low. Any ideas? Please don't use scare tactics.

ETA: This has been going on for 3 weeks. So I do not believe that mold is the answer to my CFS, just an additional stressor I've been dealt.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
This is what the CDC says:


How do you get the molds out of buildings, including homes, schools, and places of employment?
In most cases mold can be removed from hard surfaces by a thorough cleaning with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Absorbent or porous materials like ceiling tiles, drywall, and carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. If you have an extensive amount of mold and you do not think you can manage the cleanup on your own, you may want to contact a professional who has experience in cleaning mold in buildings and homes. It is important to properly clean and dry the area as you can still have an allergic reaction to parts of the dead mold and mold contamination may recur if there is still a source of moisture.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.
Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.
If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. You can get it by going to the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.

So hard surfaces seem to be relatively easy to clean but soft furnishings are a tougher call. I'm not sure I would replace mattresses if I couldn't see or smell mold but I know that some people would choose otherwise.

Ema
 

dsdmom

Senior Member
Messages
397
Thanks Ema. We probably will replace mattresses just to be safe. But that's the thing...it's not like there is mold growing on anything. I'm just worried about spores and taking them with us and will I have issues wherever we go then? I hate this!
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
I can't judge for you, but if it was me, I would get rid of as much as possible that cannot be washed and aired outside in the hot sun. Stachy is a very nasty sickening mold.
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
Most of the mold illness physicians recommend getting rid of or putting aside everything that cannot be washed with water, and washing everything else. Especially if people are very sick, some of them recommend getting rid of or putting aside everything.

The problem is that even if the spores are washed off, the toxins can still cling to things and be enough to trigger sensitized people to remain in a state of inflammation. This is more likely to be a problem with some kinds of objects (such as plastic or wood) than others (such as metal or glass).

Some people who are very sensitized to toxic mold have found that their items have died down after being put in storage for 5+ years, even though they themselves remained reactive.

If you decide to bring anything with you to your new place, I would suggest doing your best to keep it in one location (such as in a spare room) and in particular out of the bedrooms of anyone who is sick with neuroimmune illness.

Chlorine gas will kill live mold, but that is not the issue here. We are concerned about the toxins made by the mold, which are chemicals and thus are not alive. It is not recommended for mold remediation because when live mold is killed, the toxin-holding spores that it produces are released all at once, making a toxic place even worse. In addition, if water leaks are not fixed, the spores that are present will form new colonies.

The only widely recommended, safe way for toxic mold to be removed is to have a professional remediator remove it under hazardous materials protocols.
 

dsdmom

Senior Member
Messages
397
It is not recommended for mold remediation because when live mold is killed, the toxin-holding spores that it produces are released all at once, making a toxic place even worse. In addition, if water leaks are not fixed, the spores that are present will form new colonies.

The only widely recommended, safe way for toxic mold to be removed is to have a professional remediator remove it under hazardous materials protocols.

Could you clarify the above? I'm just confused because you say that it (what?) Is not recommended for mold remidiation but then you said mold remediation is needed. Do you mean not to spray something that would denature the mold?

Also if removal is the only answer how do you suggest to clean the rest of your place? If it's making someone sick then spores are probably all over the house and belongings. Obvioudly throw out soft things that can't be washed but what about all other surfaces , walls etc? It seems to me based on what you are sayibg (and correctme if I'm wrong) that you think you need to get away from itall. If that's thecase why bother w remediation?
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
In general, the safest thing for people who are already sick to do is to leave and not take any belongings. I do understand that not everyone thinks it's practical, but it's what I did and what others have done.

Most homes that are contaminated with toxic mold can be made safe for people who are not already sick. The way to do this is with professional remediation.

When I said "It is not recommended for mold remediation," I was talking about chlorine gas, which will kill pathogens but (unless there is some piece of information that I'm not aware of!) will not denature the toxins.
 

dsdmom

Senior Member
Messages
397
slayadragon thanks for the clarification. Do you personally know people who have tried spraying something to kill the mold yhsts there and ended up sicker? Or is that hypothetical?
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
I have encountered people who have used ozone or Thieves' Oil in their problem homes and then got sicker, yes.

What the peer-reviewed literature says is that if you kill a colony of mold, it will release all of its spores into the air at once before it dies so that they have a chance to start new colonies elsewhere. So the toxin that they are holding all goes into the air. Then if it's Stachy, the spores fall quickly to the ground, disintegrate into fragments (aka "poison dust") and get blown all over everything.

Killing the mold is not the point. The toxic chemicals that the mold makes are the problem.
 

dsdmom

Senior Member
Messages
397
slayadragon
Could you direct me to the peer reviewed literature you are referring to? I'd like to have it so that I can discuss w my dr. Thanks!