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Could I Save My Clothing, Books, etc After Mold Contamination?

Question: Hi, I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. It is so hard to get any advice on this subject. My apartment had toxic black mold (Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, and Penicillium). It was a small area under a window. I was very sick and still do not know if I was just “sick” (flu like) or if it was the mold. Anyhow I moved out in May, and have been trying to salvage what I can from my apartment. I was wondering if I could save my clothing, books, etc? I have a microbial cleaner that says it can be used on paper. What do you think? There is no visible mold on any of my things. The mold was on the wall and in the air. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it so much.

Answer: Yes, you could save your clothing, books and other belongings. If the apartment had only a small amount of mold, I don’t think your belongings are significantly contaminated with mold spores. However, if you’re still concerned you could have the items that cannot be washed, cleaned with a HEPA vacuum. I would not recommend use of microbial cleaners unless it’s something already approved for that purpose. Items that can be washed should be washed and then dried properly immediately. For additional information refer to the articles below:

What Is Black Mold?

Question: We’ve been told we have “black mold” in our 2 bathrooms. We’re trying to replace the lino. What is black mold? What do we do or who do we call? We’re in Edmonton.

Answer: The term “black mold” could refer to any mold that appears black. However, one mold that appears greenish-black and that has had a lot of publicity since the 1900s due to it’s toxicity is Stachybotrys. Stachybotrys is therefore erroneously referred to as black mold by the general public. There are several species of Stachybotrys but the one commonly associated with ill health is Stachybotrys chartarum. For the purpose of this discussion, the term “black mold” will be used here to mean Stachybotrys.

Black mold  grows best in highly damp and moist conditions. It is very common on water damaged cellulose containing building material such as fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, dust, and lint. Growth of black mold occurs when there is excessive moisture due to excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding. The basement, interior of wet wall cavities, bottom of carpets, and behind wet baseboards provide a perfect breeding environment. Conducting a  house inspection  can help locate and identify moisture problems that result from excess humidity or condensation, even if they occur behind walls.  If you have leaks from pipes or plumbing fixtures, their cause should be identified and fixed before addressing any cleanup of black mold.

Any type of mold is potentially a health hazard. Black mold toxins have been reported to cause lung bleeding which can lead to death among infants. It has also been shown to trigger asthma attacks and other allergies both in children and adults with compromised immune systems.

As for what to do, I would suggest you contact a qualified professional to assess the extent of mold contamination, determine the cause (or source of moisture) and advise on the appropriate way to correct the moisture problem and cleanup the mold.

Do You Know Of Specific Blood Tests For Molds?

Question: My husband and I were exposed to extremely high levels of Aspergillus (indoor count 33,000 ppm-outdoor count 400-500 ppm), Stachybotrys, Penicillium, Chaetomium, Cladasporium and a few others…

This exposure was over a period of 2 1/2 years. We didn’t know the mold was in our home and we and the doctors could not explain or diagnose our symptoms (ie: bleeding noses, flu like symptoms, chronic fatigue, aches and pains…just to name a few). We both have tumors (lungs, liver, ovaries). Do you know of specific blood tests available in Canada to test for the molds listed above. We have been tested for Cryptococcus gatti but realize that this is not for all mold types. Our doctors are unwilling to accept the idea that the molds in our home caused our symptoms or made us sick. Please, can you help?

Answer: Were the spore counts reported as parts per million (ppm)? Mold spore counts are usually reported as spores per cubic meter of air and not as parts per million (ppm). That’s beside the point. You wanted to know whether there are specific blood tests available in Canada to test for the molds Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, Penicillium, Chaetomium, and Cladosporium. I believe there are, although I don’t know who is doing it. The tests may not be available for some species.

The test is based on mold-specific antibodies. The presence of antibodies in the blood only indicates that one has been exposed to mold at some time. It does not indicate when one was exposed, where the exposure took place, or how much of mold one was exposed to. Therefore, a positive test for mold-specific antibodies alone is generally not enough to prove that health effects reported by individuals in moisture-damaged buildings are caused by exposure to mold.

Black Mold Fungus Called Stachybotrys

Many people get concerned if the black mold fungus called Stachybotrys appears in lab results even if only a few spores were reported. Some people conclude the results are okay if Stachybotrys was not present even when counts of other mold spores are relatively high. But is Stachybotrys the most dangerous indoorblack mold? Possibly not. Species of Aspergillus such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger (A. niger is a black mold too) are well known health hazards. Personally I would not be concerned if a few spores of Stachybotrys are reported in air samples especially immediately after mold remediation.

Mold On Books

Books are prone to dampness if the relative humidity is not maintained below 60%. Prolonged damp conditions results to mold growth on the paper and on the bindings. Mold growth on books leads to damage of books through staining and or breaking down of paper and other book components. Besides the damage, many molds isolated from books are a health hazard capable of causing serious respiratory diseases and allergies of various degrees. Molds commonly isolated from moldy books include species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Trichoderma, Chaetomium, Stachybotrys, Epicoccum and a number of others. Trichoderma, Chaetomium, and Stachybotrys are strong producers of the enzyme cellulase that breaks down the paper.

Procedure for cleaning moldy booksMold growth on a book

If the books are not extensively damaged (i.e, the paper is still intact), they can be saved. Below is a brief procedure that can be used to clean moldy books.

  • Workers must wear appropriate personal protective equipment when handling contaminated books. This includes wearing coverall or other protective coat over street clothing, a respirator (i.e. N95 or better) and vinyl examination gloves. Unprotected individuals risk aggravating or developing allergic sensitivities to the mold spores.
  • Cleaning must be conducted within a temporary containment unit away from air intakes, other building openings and public areas.
  • Moldy books must be HEPA vacuumed on the following areas: outside front and back covers, joints between the covers, spine, text block and inside back and front covers. A soft-bristled brush may be used to remove stubborn mold growth. (NB: Care must be taken not to damage the books).
  • Once cleaning of books is completed, book carts that were holding moldy books must be cleaned with disinfectant and paper towels. Refer to the material safety data sheets (MSDS) of the disinfectants before use.
  • Before re-shelving, the cleaned books must be given a quick wipe down with an appropriate disinfectant solution, the floors and shelf areas must be cleaned and disinfected and the shelves and flooring must be cleaned with disinfectant and paper towels.
  • After completing the cleaning, the exterior of the HEPA vacuum cleaner is wiped down with a disinfectant to kill any settled spores.
  • Workers must remove protective coveralls, eye protection, respirator, and gloves outside and wash hands with soap and hot water after completing the cleaning session.
  • A record of where the problem areas are, the cause of the problem, a list of the cleaned books, the time and day when the cleaning took place must be kept for future reference.
  • Implement a preventative cleaning program to address the continuing mold problem in the library.

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Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

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The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

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