If you have clothes that have been contaminated with mold, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably to just throw them away and be done with it. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to just throw away clothes like this and buy new ones right on the spot, so what can you do when clothes get moldy? If you have some spare time and a bit of persistence, you can get rid of the mold on your clothes and avoid having to buy new ones.
Most fabrics can be completely rid of mold after being washed a few times, but unfortunately mold usually causes different color stains. If it is a bunch of white clothes or sheets that mold has gotten on, using bleach to get rid of the stains will probably work, but they need to be treated with some pre-wash stain remover before you wash them to make sure and get all of the stain out. The longer you let them set without treating them with anything, the further in the fabric the stain will set and the harder it will be to get rid of it.
You can use an old toothbrush to scrape the mold off of these clothes with, but it is best to not do this without some kind of gloves on. Mold can cause skin rashes if it gets on you, so wear some rubber gloves, especially if you have any hang nails or cuts on your skin. The spores can get in your skin through these and turn into a nasty infection.
After you are done scraping the mold off, soak the clothes in a pre-wash spray for between 30 and 45 minutes; wash it in the washing machine afterward. After the cycle is completed, take them outside and let them dry on a clothes line, if you have one. Do not use an artificial heat source to dry your clothes. Allowing them to dry naturally is the best way to make sure that the stain, if it is still there, is not set further into the fabric.
Unfortunately, if mold gets onto a jacket that is made of real leather, there is not much hope to remove the stain from this. Since leather is an organic material (the skin of an animal) and it obviously a porous surface, mold sinks into this material and thoroughly stains it. The color cannot be completely restored.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Easy Ways To Maintain A Smoke Free Fireplace
Quite a few homes have fireplaces, but not all of them are fit to be used as they are because they have not been cleaned in so long that when you do try to use them, it fills the house with smoke. This can do a lot of damage to the inside of the home, including ruin the paint on your walls, your curtains, and discolor your carpet. It is also a health risk, since breathing this in is not good for anyone, but the elderly, people with allergies, pets, and children are especially affected. Fortunately, though, in most situations you can make a fire that will not smoke up your house without much trouble as long as you follow a few rules.
The damper of your chimney needs to be open before you do anything. Burn some paper or other easily combustible materials in the fireplace, because you want to warm the chimney up. Cold air in the chimney is will push the warm air down and cause the smoke to fill up the room.
Open up the windows in the house and make sure that there is enough air circulating to ignite the fire. A home that is insulated well might not have enough of a draft to allow the wood to catch on fire.
You should also have some fireplace bricks underneath the grill to add some more air circulation to the process. More draft in the fireplace will make it easier for the fire to ignite.
The top of the fireplace also needs to be cleaned out regularly, since anything that gets stuck in it like leaves, sticks, bird nests can keep the smoke from being able to escape and so it floods back into the house, which is exactly where you do not want it.
You should also have the fireplace cleaned by a professional cleaning service if possible, since a layer of creosote is likely built up on the inside of the chimney. This is a tar-like substance that results from burning wood in the fireplace and if your chimney has not been professionally cleaned before and you have lived in your house for many years, then it is time for it to be. Creosote can catch on fire and cause the whole house to burn down, so having it cleaned out is essential.
To keep your fireplace functioning the way that it should, you need to know how to use it and take care of it and by the time winter gets to you, you will be able to enjoy your fireplace once again.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
The damper of your chimney needs to be open before you do anything. Burn some paper or other easily combustible materials in the fireplace, because you want to warm the chimney up. Cold air in the chimney is will push the warm air down and cause the smoke to fill up the room.
Open up the windows in the house and make sure that there is enough air circulating to ignite the fire. A home that is insulated well might not have enough of a draft to allow the wood to catch on fire.
You should also have some fireplace bricks underneath the grill to add some more air circulation to the process. More draft in the fireplace will make it easier for the fire to ignite.
The top of the fireplace also needs to be cleaned out regularly, since anything that gets stuck in it like leaves, sticks, bird nests can keep the smoke from being able to escape and so it floods back into the house, which is exactly where you do not want it.
You should also have the fireplace cleaned by a professional cleaning service if possible, since a layer of creosote is likely built up on the inside of the chimney. This is a tar-like substance that results from burning wood in the fireplace and if your chimney has not been professionally cleaned before and you have lived in your house for many years, then it is time for it to be. Creosote can catch on fire and cause the whole house to burn down, so having it cleaned out is essential.
To keep your fireplace functioning the way that it should, you need to know how to use it and take care of it and by the time winter gets to you, you will be able to enjoy your fireplace once again.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
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