This review was a long time coming. Rather than a full review as we were planning, this is going to be more of a “product awareness post”.

Concrobium sent us two bottle sample kit a few months back, but with the wedding in May and the move, we haven’t had time to do a test like we’d been planning.

Last week, though, I made the exciting discovery that there was mold in the office sink. I brought the “MoldControl” to work and was prepared to give it a test only to discover that it’s not intended for sinks but rather more of a preventive solution for walls and surfaces not intended for dampness.

So, a huge thanks to Concrobium for sending the sample our way. I’ll keep my eyes open for an opportunity to give it a test.

Until then, dear readers, learn more on the Concrobium Mold Control website.

Jonathan Wold
MoldBlogger.com

I’m proud to join my beautiful wife Joslyn today as the newest writer on MoldBlogger.com. With our wedding in May, things have been very busy these past few months and it’s been hard to find time to keep up with MoldBlogger.

Now that we’re settled in, though, things are looking brighter and you can expect more excellent content to be heading your way in the near future.

Look forward to our first product review in the very near future.

Jonathan
MoldBlogger.com Team

According to Michael Pugliese, author of “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold,” there are three main necessities that mold spores need to grow and thrive :

• Moisture

Mold spores need moist or damp areas to grow and reproduce. Watch for flooding, leaky pipes or windows, etc.

Also excess moisture in the bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms are prime areas for mold growth.

• Food

Mold spores need food - in the literal sense as well as other materials ie cotton, leather, wood, paper products and others. The most dangerous materials mold loves to grow on, are porous materials (beds, couches etc).

Its often impossible to remove mold growth from these items.

• Optimum Temperatures

Mold spores thrive in temperatures 32 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures from about 70 - 90 degrees are the most conducive for mold growth.

Chances of mold growth are heightened greatly between those temperatures.

You may be wondering why mold can grow in your freezer. Mold doesn’t die when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, they lay dormant until temperatures raise, or they are set out to warm up.

Favorable Conditions for Mold

Michael Pugliese, author of the same book previously mentioned, also offers 5 tips describing favorable or unfavorable conditions for mold growth :

• A relative Humidity of roughly 50% or higher

A good preventative measure would be to purchase a hygrometer to measure humidity levels in your home.

• Damp or Dusty Conditions

Avoid developing piles of rags, clothing or other mold food sources.

• Stagnant air

This explains why overly “tight” homes designed for energy efficiency can have mold problems.

Unfavorable Conditions for Mold

• Ventilation

Good circulation throughout the home is important to eliminate dampness or potential moisture; especially in attics, basements, crawlspaces, laundry rooms.

• Dry Air Indoors

Make sure to keep your home’s relative humidity down below 50%.

Further Recommended Reading :

• 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Mold
• Moisture & The Conditions for Mold Growth

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Pugliese, Michael. “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold.” 4-5.

Question :

My wife, 7 month old son, and I moved into a rent house in October of 2007. By January, my son had developed congestion that just would not go away. In early February, my son had a febrile seizure and kept the congestion throughout the month. We saw multiple doctors and specialists, but none could seem to pinpoint a diagnosis.

Finally, my wife took our son to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. Our previous Pediatrician diagnosed my son with Pneumonia. After a 10 day supply of Suprax, is congestion showed no signs of altering. My son also had extreme diahrrea, and terrible diaper rash for which we took him to yet another doctor, and he diagnosed it as a fungus.

He perscribed a steriod/fungal fighting cream. That following day, we went out of town and the cream seemed to work tremendously and his diahrrea stopped. When we came back to the house, his symptoms re-occured. I decided to do a home mold test in his room, and the results were positive.

I immediately checked my family into a hotel and my son seemed to get better after a couple of days. A certified inspector came out and took an air sample from outside, the living room, and my son’s room. The results showed an elevated mold condition in my son’s room (200 outside, and 880 in room) for Penicillium and Aspergillus.

An allergist told me that it’s probably not allergies since he is only 1 year old and his immune system isn’t stablized enough yet to even have allergies. Can these symptoms be tied to the elevated mold problem?

Answer :

Without actually being there, from what you’re described, your son’s situation definitely seems to be a result of mold exposure - ESPECIALLY if he gets better in a different environment.

My advice would be to move your son as soon as you possibly can. In many situations it may be best to talk to your landlord and try to fix the problem by removing the mold and preventing further growth. However, because your son is so young and is experience pretty severe symptoms, it would be in his and your best interest to get out of that building - now.

You have the evidence by having such a high mold count in his room, and he is symptomatic - mold definitely looks like it’s the culprit.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Does Your Home Have Mold?
• Impact of Mold on THoughts, Emotions, & Personality

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

A reader asked the following question through our “Ask a Mold Question” section of our site :

Can mold grow on plastic cups that have been washed and stacked together but not dried completely?

As long as either food or juice particles are not left in the cups, mold should not grow in the stacked cups.

However, it does start to smell if left stuck together like that for a while - mostly because the water gets stagnant, heats, and grows bacteria.

So even though it is not probable that mold will grow, stacking wet cups together creates the perfect habitat for bad bacterias.

And it warps plastic cups!

So overall, its best to stay away from stacking wet cups =]!

Answer :

How about mold growth when putting the flow control of a childrens sippy cup together when it comes out of the dish washer and it’s not completely dry? Would the same concerns follow it as well as the cups? I just wonder that since it makes a tighter seal if there is more concern of mold growth. I like to put them together when they come out of the dish washer so I don’t lose them. Thanks for your help!

Sippy cup pieces, you have to be really careful with.

The same thing applies as far as mold growth goes, though the chances that the inside of the piece will grow mold is much higher only because its a smaller area and juices etc go through the holes.

Watch for “souring” of the pieces, and make sure that all particles of juice or anything else are thoroughly cleansed.

A good idea would be to run one of those wirebrushes through each hole if its possible.

As far as drying it - as long as the pieces are not smelling “sour” or changing colors - they’re probably just fine. Just use your best judgement! =]

Further Recommended Reading :

• Remove Mold on Baby Clothes and Bibs
• How to Remove Mold and the Smell from Clothing

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

She also provides good quality prevention methods to keep homes free of mold growth and contamination as well as remediation ideas for different parts of the home.

She begins by giving an informative background of mold, an a story which demonstrates - Anyone’s home can become contaminated with black mold - so don’t feel bad!

She gives important lessons on how to deal with water damage, moisture prevention, common places to look for mold, as well as legal damage claims to name a few.

I would advise anyone dealing with mold problems to read her book. Its short, its easy, and you can learn alot! I know I did.

Over the past several weeks and months we have featured some of the main topics discussed in her book. I’ve listed them below - take a look, and read Vicki Lankarge’s “What Every Home Owner Needs to Know about Mold and What to Do About It” to find out more!!

8 Posts Featuring Content from the Book

• How to Handle Mold & Water Damage Claims
• 5 Levels of Mold Remediation
• 12 Tips to Prevent Moisture & Mold
• 7 Warning Signs for Mold Contamination
• 8 Most Common Places to Look for Mold
• 5 Simple Tips for Cleaning a Small Mold Infestation
• Symptoms of Mold Exposure & Who is Most At Risk
• Top 3 Sources of Water Damage and Tips to Avoid Them

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Why not? Skin is made of biodegradable material just like couches, carpet, or sheet rock - so why then would skin be immune to mold growth?

However, mold growth on skin is considerably more dangerous than dealing with mold contamination on last night’s dinner or on your shower tile.

Causes of Mold on Skin

There can be many causes for mold growth on the skin. What makes dealing with mold on the skin so difficult, is that because of the variety of causes, treatment then varies. There are 3 main causes for mold growth on the skin:

• 1. Excess moisture from humidity or improper drying procedures.
• 2. Diet; too much yeast, etc.
• 3. Skin reaction from infection or other outside source.

Skin Moisture Prevention

Because mold needs moisture, warmth, and fuel to reproduce and grow, the human body is one of the most optimum places.

Our body temperatures are high and warm, our skin is made of biodegradable material that mold spores love to attach onto. That leaves moisture!

If you aren’t drying immediately and properly, or if the humidity levels are high, and your skin remains moist constantly without being able to dry out, it would only make sense that mold spores would begin to reproduce.

In order to prevent mold growth on the skin from causes of moisture, be sure keep the humidity levels atleast in your home, as low and as dry as you possibly can.

Be sure after bathing, that all areas especially the warmer places like armpits, are completely dried.

A good tip to remember when preventing break out is to use baby powder which keeps the area dry and comfortable.

High Yeast Diets Increase Chances of Mold

Skin is the largest organ in/on the human body. It also tends to be the last place that body shows signs of inner problems.

Because the skin is a kind of opening for the body’s waste’s to get out (ie. sweat glands/pores etc) there are often times when an over abundance of certain consumed items can seep out of the skin.

Many times, when too much yeast containing products are consumed, there is an over abundance of yeast in the blood which can result in yeast infections, or in an outbreak of mold on the skin.

Treatment for Mold Growth on the Skin

Depending upon what the causes of mold growth are, there are several treatment ideas.

Because I am not yet a doctor, I can neither diagnose nor prescribe treatment, therefore the following treatments are merely suggestions from different individuals who have attempted to deal with mold growth on the skin.

External Treatments

There are a number of different things that have been suggested for topical use on mold growth or fungal breakouts on the skin. I’ve put together an easy to read list of ideas for semi fast relief :

• Dandruff shampoos
• Athlete’s foot creams
• Daily vinegar baths or apply packs soaked in vinegar water for 15 minutes.

** Special note : Clothing also, like with poison oak, can hold fungus or mold infection. Be sure to wash clothing in hot water after each wearing and also wash bedding as often as possible. If sheets are not being washed daily in hot water, atleast wear clothing over the infected area to prevent re transmitting the fungus each night at bed time.

• Daily apply geranium essential oil in an olive oil base.
• Apply a black walnut tincture daily with cotton.
• Yeast infection medication cream like Monostat that can be found at most local drug stores.
• Lavender oil
• Coconut oil
• Selsun Blue
• Tea tree oil
• Wash everyday with extra strength neem soap and an exfoliant.
• Scrub with crushed Bayer aspirin. (salicylic acid kills fungus)
• Apply coptis powder mixed with Pau D’Arco tincture as a paste over the effected area.
• Clay Poultice - Purchase clay in powder form from a local healthfood store, soak in water in a glass container for 2 hours, then apply directly to the skin or in a poultice.

Advice from a Poster on Tribe.com

Internal Treatments

In many cases, topical mixtures just will not permanently rid your skin of mold growth. In these cases it is entirely possible that the growth is more than just a “fungal infection on the skin.” Extreme measures may need to be taken.

• A diet life style change may be the best option.
• Eliminating completely yeast, sugar, and wheat.
• Trying a yeast cleanse while stopping from eating any more yeasts.
• Consuming a Pau D’Arco tincture daily
• Drinking a glass of cranberry juice a day.

Sum it Up

• Mold CAN grow on skin
• 3 causes of mold growth on the skin:

1. Excess moisture from humidity or improper drying procedures.
2. Diet; too much yeast, etc.
3. Skin reaction from infection or other outside source.

• It is very important to prevent excess moisture on the skin.

** Baby powder may be used to prevent moisture and keep the skin dry.

• The skin is the largest organ in the body as well as its last filter.
• There is both external treatments for skin mold growth as well as internal.
• In many cases, eliminating yeasts from your diet can prevent and treat mold growth on the skin.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 12 Tips to Prevent Moisture & Mold
• Impact of Mold on Thoughts, Emotions, & Personality

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: How to get rid of skin fungus?

Parents of children who attended an elementary school in Greenwhich are questioning their child’s health and safety when it comes to putting their child back in school. The walls of Greenwhich elementary school’s modular classrooms were founded infested with mold.

The rates of mold growth are rising across the country, especially in public schools. What can be done?

On Saturday, the Greenwich Board of Education closed down Hamilton Avenue Elementary after mold was discovered in the ceilings. Environmental crews in protective suits have been working to rid the building of the potential health hazard.

The school is actually a temporary facility, a modular unit built three years ago to house 370 students while a brand new school is under construction.

To read the rest of this story and other interesting twists, visit ABC 7 News, Mold Closes CT School

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 12 Tips to Prevent Moisture and Mold

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: ABC 7 News

Whether to hire a mold remediator or buy a do-it-yourself mold removal kit is one of the most popular questions asked by homeowners. Which one is more thorough, more accurate, cheaper?

I would say it depends on the situation - and how much mold contamination there could be in the home.

Mold News at 5

Reporters from channel five news investigate the actions of local Mold Remediators. According to reports, Arizona has more trouble with mold contamination than most states.

So what is the result of these investigations?

A CBS 5 investigation uncovered several companies willing to charge thousands to get rid of something that could have been cleaned up with a wet cloth.

“The hardest part is that I lost everything because of their incompetence,” said homeowner Denise Stine.

To read the rest of the story visit 5 Investigates Mold Remediators

Further Recommended Reading :

• Do You Need to Hire a Mold Remediator?
• 5 Levels of Mold Remediation

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: News at 5 Mold Remediators Investigated

Just recently, mold was found growing in one of Page Six Magazine’s offices. In being taken care of, the EPA provided the following information :

What do Mold Spores Cause?

• Allergic reactions

Common reactions include “hay fever-type symptoms” that include sneezing, running nose, red eyes and skin rashes.

• Asthma

Have asthma? You should be living in Florida. But even if you don’t have asthma, if you’re allergic and work at P6M, you might be getting attacks anyway.

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

This one is rare, but every once in a while a short-term exposee to mold can develop a strange condition that resembles bacterial pneumonia. Awesome!

• General eye/skin/nose/throat/lung sensation

Self-explanatory. We also heard the term “burning sensation” could be used to describe that feeling.

• Opportunitistic infections

If you are suffering from advanced AIDS or in chemotherapy, you can look forward to infections like Aspergillus fumigatus. We Googled it and it’s not pretty.

For the complete story visit
Page Six Mag’s Mold Problem

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 10 EPA Mold Prevention Tips

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: Mediabistro.com