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waymom_gw

Mold Removal from Furniture

waymom
18 years ago

We are building a house and we had our furniture in storage. We had a lot of rain recently and had some water in the container. I had all the stuff moved out of the container and all of the furniture has mold. Is there anything that I can use to clean the mold and remove it permanently off of the furniture? IF so, what cleaner do you recommend? Should I try to save this furniture or is it best to throw it out? the reason I ask is because I want to make sure I do not have mold in this new house as a result of all this moldy furniture.

Comments (6)

  • sheilajoyce_gw
    18 years ago

    Throw out the upholsered stuff. Scrub, strip, sand down, and refinish to get rid of the mold on any wood item you absolutely must keep. But be sure that you wear a mask--mold can cause serious health problems. I think it would be easier to throw it all out.

  • JXBrown (Sunset 24, N San Diego County)
    18 years ago

    What Lindac said. There are molds that are dangerous, but they are rare and most molds are not dangerous. They can cause allergic reactions, if you are sensitive to them, but the usual sort of allergy treatments -- anti-histamines, etc. -- are all you need. Mold and mildew stains may be hard to remove depending on the type of affected surface.

  • smom40
    18 years ago

    Unless the items are 'precious', I would sue for the replacement costs. The only thing that will get mold out of wood (to a point) is a bleach solution. But if it's old and porous...

    Anything upohlstered, you will not get it out.

    Now if an item is something antique from Great Grandma, I would take it to a professional and see what could be done.

    But to me this sounds like a total loss.

    I wouldn't ever live with moldy furniture! I completely disagree with the idea of taking antihistamines. What could be a minor reaction at first, coudl end up a serious reaction with repeated exposure.

    The storage place is liable to the damage to your stuff. Get a settlement and if they don't, take them to court.

    JMO

  • annzgw
    18 years ago

    The following was taken from DIY.com:
    You could clean furniture with a solution of 25 percent bleach in water. This will kill the mildew and mold, and enable you to remove it with some soap and water. Some discoloration may remain in the wood. The solution is caustic, be careful with it.
    The mold and mildew grow because of the presence of sufficient moisture. Wash the wood one or more times with a solution of:

    * 2/3 cup of trisodium phosphate
    * 1/3 cup of detergent
    * 1 quart of house holds bleach
    * Enough water to make a gallon
    End Quote............

    Personally, I have two pieces of antique furniture we inherited from MIL and they arrived soiled and moldy. I wiped every square inch with a diluted solution of bleach, let them dry for several days in a warm dry area, then I wiped the pieces with Murphys OIl and rinsed by wiping with a damp rag. Let dry again, wiped with mineral spirits and later applied a good hard wax. 3 years later and furniture looks great!

    Depends on the extent and type of damage you have as to whether you want to tackle it or find someone to do it for you
    Are veneers buckling, joints loose??

  • jannie
    15 years ago

    Definitely throw out anything with upholstery/fabric. Wood or metal can be cleaned with bleach and left in the sun to dry. Sorry this happened to you. A friend bought a furnished (!) house in Vermont and had to throw out all the furniture!