Removing mildew odor

[deadgoose]

Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s. Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled, and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

[BobF]

Get a spray bottle and fill it 75% water and 25% bleach. Add a dash of dish soap if you want it to clean as well. DON'T spray anything you want to see as wood finish, only spray the insides that will be covered. Let it sit about 10 mins and then wash it off. Don't breath the fumes and don't use around children, clean out the spray bottle as well. Bleach is nasty stuff but it sure kills mildew!

[Bill]

Disclaimer: I don't have any special expertise in this area. I know that using a box of baking soding is common for a refrigerator. I recognize that a wooden box is going to offer a greater challenge than a plastic one, but what have you got to lose? Maybe if you get rid of the moisture most of the odor will go with it?

I think bleach is also a standard way to clean mildew. Probably alot of home remedies on the web regarding mildew. Good luck!

Bill

[Lew Hodgett]

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1) part household bleach works for me.

Lew

[Artemus]

Once you've cleaned it per others advice, put a good coat of shellac on all the wood surfaces to seal it. Craft/wall paper will do little to seal in any remaining odor. Art

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------ Credit where credit is due.

The above is courtesy of Bob Johnson, a fellow sailor, who keeps a bottle on board his boat, under the galley sink, ready to attack mold.

Lew

[Morgans]

Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s. Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled, and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fine suggestions, but you may not want to be putting bleach solutions on the wood directly.

Another way is to put the trunk in a sealed container, or use the trunk as the container, and put some bleach in a pan that is heated to about 200 degrees. The fumes will penetrate every nook and cranny and work just as well as putting on the wood, without adding more moisture that could attract more mold, or damaging the wood.

-- Jim in NC

[Lew Hodgett]

----------------------------------------->Fine suggestions, but you may not want to be putting bleach

-------------------------------------- If getting the wood wet is a problem then tent the piece and use an ozone generator that you can rent.

Just make sure you read and understand the directions for safe operation.

Lew

[dadiOH]

Since you said the *fabric* was moldy (no mention of box itself being moldy) I suspect that just getting rid of it and letting the box air out for a few days will do it.

I sometimes use oil of wintergreen or oil of camphor to mask unpleasant odors.

[Digger]

Although uninvited, going to jump onboard here and add...

Spray or wipe newly exposed surfaces with mixture of water & Clorox Bleach (5% solution) before installing new fabric. Same treatment is used in water damaged homes to kill odors from mold/ mildew inside walls and floor joists.

The process of refinishing the chest will take care of any remaining issues. If problem persists, add open tin of camphor to closed chest for a couple of months, which should kill any further residual permeation.

HTH

[Baron]

Wipe down the surfaces with Listerine or generic equivalent. Not only will this work but it also has no risk of damaging the wood or color since it is not a bleach. Let the pieces air dry. If you like, you can follow up with setting the pieces in the sun but be aware of the possible bleaching effect of sun exposure. I have not had a problem but I would not sun expose cherry if I was working on a restoration or matching situation unless I intended to change the tone of the cherry.

Good Luck.

[Dave In Texas]

Consan Triple Action 20 is a fungicide that can be found at nurseries though restaurants, hospitals, and stables have used it to disinfect surfaces and eliminate odors. I used it successfully to eliminate the "smoked sausage" smell from a chest freezer that was inadvertently unplugged for several days.

Dave in Houston

[Digger]

As stated, Listerine is a good suggestion -- wish I'd thought of it -- and will work as well as wiping with 5% bleach solution. However, if covered with craft, wallpaper (paste, glue, cement?) anyway, the point is fairly moot.

Camphor or cedar chips placed in porous or open containers, stored within for a couple months, should take care of any long term residual odors. Potpourri from a local source would probably work as well.

[BobF]

I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?

[Swingman]

I saw it this morning, and this afternoon in the grocery store I picked up both ingredients ... got a shower I'm going to try it on in a house we decided to sell instead of demolishing and building on the lot.

Damned economic bandits ...

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------- Peroxide is an oxidizer which mold doesn't like.

Lew

[Steve Barker]

Find someone that can sell you some anabec, and fog it inside and out with your paint sprayer.

[Steve Barker]

MOST of your commercial mold remediation products are a high concentrate of Hydrogen peroxide. I'm not exactly clear on how it works, but it kills mold and has a lasting effect when left on the surface.

[Han]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Both hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) are oxidizers. Bleach is alkaline. Hydrgen peroxide may work better/slightly different in alkaline environment (too long since freshman chemistry).

Because alkaline solutions (feeling slimy/slippery) may rinse away less easily than neutral/acid solutions, make sure you rinse away any remnants after treatment, as they may continue to eat away at your materials. Or rinse with dilute vinegar (DILUTE!!) and then plain water.

[deadgoose]

Thanks! Those suggestions will keep me off the streets and out of cheap bars for a while!

/paul W3FIS