Have you ever had mould anywhere?

I have not had mould inside however I have got it on paving as per the picture.
Though is that mould or ???
My kids had mould when they lived in Darwin and things like books would get mould on them due to the constant humidity.

by Finy

That looks like moss, Finy, not mould.

It's moss. Moss is nice. I grow it in my fairy garden, so it looks like grass to go with the tiny houses etc.

Mould like you get in a house is usually either black or greyish white.

If it helps, moss is a plant. Mould is fungus.

This looks like moss to me as well!! How very pretty!!! Mould would be black and quite horrid!!

Yep. One of the places I used to live had a really bad mould problem. There was a leak that caused water to build up inside one of the walls and the foundation so everything- the walls, ceiling, furniture- kept going mouldy faster than I could clean it up. I couldn't do much about it until the leak was fixed (not my house). Mould is gross. :( I've had it in my bathroom once or twice too, but that's an easy fix, you just go over it with some exit mould and be more careful about not letting the moisture build up in there (ventilate properly, and you can even give the shower a quick rub down after showering if you want).

by Jennifer Muirhead

I saw your comment to Finy about having a fairy garden! How utterly and delightfully special!

I saw your comment to Finy about having a fairy garden! How utterly and delightfully special!

Thank you. It's a lot of fun and my children like looking in it for new additions.

My dear family had a similar attraction though rather small scale when I was growing up!! I have never forgotten my delight at discovering anything new at all. We were so very inspired by The Fairy Tree in the fabulous Fitzroy Gardens.This was a favourite weekend destination for a picnic when I was little!

yes.. and I hate it.

by BritishStorm

We used to get mould in our laundry, due to clothes drying, and the heat and moisture from the dryer. Since we have repainted the house a few years ago, we haven't had any problems with mould. A lot of the paints these days have an anti mould product in them. So no more mould. YEAH!!!

by Lluxi

YES.
I buy the inside cleaner, but some do smell....so I use 'magic-sponge', from the $2 shop....in a long pkt. Works wonders, you just have to keep a bucket close to clean the sponge, each time you use it.
Smell free too! they are the best.

Outside, I use a strong bleach straight on concrete, but the very thick one....so then just put onto the areas with a plastic watering can .
Sometimes I use a little water mixed in to do bigger areas, and use maybe 5-6 bottles.
Let it set into the concrete, and hose off 6 hrs later.(just make sure where the 'washing off go's'...
Moss on the other hand is wonderful on pots and some fences.AND! I think that is green moss in the Picture....but, some folk like it to look clean, which is ok too.
Mould is very different...anyway, in the house it turns black, and not good.Need to get rid of it quickly.

by jonaja

I know of a young couple who were evicted from their rental place for reporting mould in the wardrobe of the main bedroom and the lass had to chuck out most of her clothes.

The landlord believed they'd caused the problem and they were given two weeks notice to go. They're currently staying with a friend of mine but now have no referral from this landlord/agency.

by amanda

How appalling! That rotten landlord needs to be reported to the Rental Authority!! And the damaged items should be fully reimbursed for you poor friend!

I had to throw out some clothes due to mould in a wardrobe too. Tenants can sometimes cause the problem through negligence, like if they were supposed to clean the gutters and didn't and it caused a problem, but some things a landlord would have to handle. You'd think even if it was their fault they could give them a chance to fix it instead of just evicting them. So unfair.

Yes, living where the humidity can get very high means that mould can be a real issue on occasions. I just wipe with bleach though, and it is destroyed, The secret is to attack it early!!

by Jules

My plumber once told me that bleach just dyes the problem and you cannot see it...not sure if this applies to mould, but I havent used bleach since!

I have been told the same, Finy. Vinegar will clean it off and diluted clove oil then kills the spores. It was a plumber who told me, the same as you.

Thanks, my thoughtful ladies!!! I HAVE actually used vinegar at times! I haven't had mould for such a long time now that I do believe that I have used both remedies over the years!! Maybe the final one WAS the vinegar?

Bleach does kill mould. White vinegar works just as well though, and is cheaper and you don't have to deal with bleach fumes. You have to be careful though to use multiple cloths and buckets so you don't recontaminate by using a cloth full of mould on a fresh surface. It's time consuming but does work.

Also it's a good idea to use a face mask while you do it. A proper one, not a cheap one (some don't actually keep out things like mould spores).

Ah Yes, Jennifer!! Thank you.... Now I do recall that the last mould elimination was definitely Vinegar! I hated all the masks etc involved when using the bleach so I changed to the easier option. For me, it was also much safer!!!

I had a small patch on the bathroom ceiling but as the window was always open when showering I couldn't understand why it was there. Further investigation showed it was caused by a broken roof tile which was replaced by a handyman and the ceiling cleaned and painted with a mould inhibiting paint. Having mould in the house can make you sick.

by helga

One house had what I thought was a very patchy paint job on the ensuite ceiling. Washed it with vinegar and had a sparkling clean ceiling ever since. How embarrassing. However, there was no exhaust fan and I had a Tastic put in, so I think that solved the primary issue.

by Rice

Yes. I have this issue in some of the houses I have lived in. Just needed to clean and make sure the ro was well ventilated and the problem seemed to stay away

by AJ

I have mould on the en-suite shower ceiling, & I've now noticed it on some of the shower tiles, so I'll try vinegar on those. Thanks to everyone here for your great ideas of getting rid of it. I haven't been sick, but I've been having coughing fits every day/night for about 3 or 4 years. I've had heaps of hospital tests, but they still have no clue as to why I've coughing. My mum asked me years ago if it was from the mould in the house. It's also on the laundry ceiling. I also don't have a fan in the ensuite, but I do always keep the window open, & I do have quick showers.

by Miro

My bathroom used to get mould on the ceiling above the shower because it had no ventilation. Installed an exhaust and didn't have the problem again

by Belinda

One example of mould on timber furnishings (this was the leg of a piano in the basement- water had seeped into the foundation and made the house very humid).

by Jennifer Muirhead

Yes, both, particularly if it has rained and been humid.

by Naomi