Hey Ho! Mould GO!

Its time to get the guns out and wage a bit o’ menace on your mould.  Yes, I know. Delightful stuff, gurgling away to itself on your bathroom walls and windows, saying heaven knows what to itself, just the thing you want to be talking about – NOT, and try as you might, it’s a pretty hard thing to get excited about.  But, guys, you have to.  Get excited, I mean.  You have to get excited about the evil presence of mould from the perspective of being determined to GET. RID. OF. IT.  Why?  Because you ignore it at real risk to your health and well-being.  Mould’s not just tiresome black stuff that makes the bedroom or bathroom look and smell a bit weird.  It’s, well, um ... TOXIC.  Some folks will tell you that not all black mould is toxic, it depends on the type, yarda yarda, but hey!  Even if they are right, do you have the time or the inclination to scrape it off the surfaces, send it to a scientist for analysis to see if it is in fact something you can live with, and wait for a response before that fuzzy little foe starts doing you real damage?  Nah.  Not really.  For the sake of your health you have to assume the worst, like many people haven’t, some of who have ended up with respiratory failure or diseased lungs, to name but two of a seriously scary raft of nasty symptoms from inhaling this little beastie.  The last thing anyone needs is a poignant epitaph!

“Old Stachy” (statchybotrys chartarum) is the household companion we definitely need to live without, but it has some pretty definite ideas of its own when it comes to taking up residence and growing on a stunning variety of different surfaces in your house!  Eeee by gum, it’s determined stuff, is mould...  It grows on ya – but not in a good way.

The seriously unpleasant truth is that people living in homes with toxic black mould are routinely breathing in toxic spores: mycotoxins which create irritation and a burning feeling in the nasal cavity, mouth and throat, and can become lodged in mucus membranes, sinuses and lungs.  It’s a very short leap from there to breathing problems and lung bleeding. The mycotoxins can also be ingested, or absorbed through the eyes (causing inflammation and injury) and skin (causing a variety of complaints such as itchiness, inflammation, rashes and blisters).  Eventually the spores can end up in the bloodstream, and it’s an equally short leap from there to heart damage, problems with blood clotting and internal or external haemorrhaging.  

People with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk, as black mould can cause severe illness and infections in those whose natural immunity is not sufficient to protect them.  Mycotoxins are teratogenic too, which means they can cause fetal problems during pregnancy which then leads to birth defects. Toxic black mold mycotoxins are also cytoxotic and mutagenic (cause cell mutations) and they inhibit protein synthesis including DNA and RNA. Symptoms such as infertility and miscarriage are also very real risks.

Toxic black mold can trigger the immune system to release a sedative called Chloral Hydrate as the body’s internal defense to try to slow down its toxic effects. The problem with that is the fact that Chloral Hydrate has been known to cause chronic fatigue.

Muscles and joints don’t escape this horrible little resident evil either.  Joint and muscle pain is a common symptom of over-exposure to black mould.

If that’s not enough to convince you that “Statch” is not your friend in the bedroom taking care of you while you sleep, I don’t know what is.

In reality, the black mould we’re thinking about here is largely the result of festering condensation, and you can combat it by ensuring you have adequate ventilation in wet areas, wiping down walls, window, sills and shower/bath tiles and corner areas after steam has penetrated, doing a quick morning wipe-down in bedrooms after a night’s breathing has accumulated on the windows, and ensuring that other living areas don’t suffer from prolonged condensation build-up that can lead to the proliferation of our little black foe.
  

At Darlings Who Do, we use a fantastic product on mould.  It’s a natural cleaning fluid, with our secret and specific blend of essential oils added to it, designed to bust mould from your house and keep it well away.  You can do it yourself too, and one of the best ingredients you can use against mould is in fact the humble little bottle of tea tree oil.  This miniature warrior doesn't just clear mould away.  It actively deters it from returning. A little on a toothbrush goes a long way (but do make sure it’s not one you will later want to use for your peggies – black mould is not a good look stuck in the teeth, darling!)

Revolting thought???  Yeah, course it is!  Are you shuddering?

Seriously - the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones at home is stop Statch right NOW.  Sending it packing for once and for all will take a bit of work (unless you get a Darling to come and avenge it on your behalf and, trust us, we’d be happy to!), but your immune system will thank you for it.  So will all your lovely internal organs, who really just want to be, and stay, nicely in the pink!  And consider the pets you may have, who put their noses against the glass while seeking to view the outside world.  Condensation from their breath may generate black mould, or if the mould is already there they may be directly inhaling it.  Not good... and they can't tell you what their symptoms are if they get sick.  They just have to rely on you to notice.

The great news is that you really can clear this toxic menace from your house in ways that won’t compromise your health and safety on a different level, such as inhaling fumes or burning your skin from equally toxic chemicals designed to clear the mould.  Essential oils are an absolute winner; they act as grease busters as well as bacteria busters, and you won’t go far wrong with that lovely little bottle of heroism – your tea tree oil.  If you really absolutely definitely do have to take the chemical route please, PLEASE (!) do ensure that you have adequate ventilation when mounting the attack, wear good quality, non-permeable rubber gloves, and ensure you rinse all affected and treated surfaces really well, to clear any of that toxic chemical residue.  

Spring is here, so wage a bit o' menace on your mould!  Put on your best shoe, take aim, and give a hefty kick to this toxic little horror and get it out of your home.  Hey Ho!  Mould GO!