Mold in dresser?!?!

[Perek75]

I got a dresser (for free) in french style that is quite neat. However it smells like mold! I have located some small moist/water stains but no misscoloration. The stains are located at the far end of the drawer on the lower edge and they are about 1-2" (pull the drawer out turn towards you underside edge towareds back). It seems like this part of the drawers ("the back") are made by some kind of pressed wood (uncoated) and it is a little soggy were the stains are. The other parts of the dresser is made of wood, hard to say how good quality but it looks ok. I think it has some finish on it but it is hard to say. I was planning to cleaning it with bleach/water 50/50, sand it slightly and then paint the drawers with a sealer/primer to keep the mold/stains away and to get rid of the smell. I wanted to know if this is a good idea or if I should just throw it away. I have though about replacing the pressed wood parts but I think that is quite a lot of work on 7 drawers especially if you are a happy amatour with no really great tools to work with and no money to spend. I appreciate any inout. Thanks

[Rumpty]

15% Clorox beach to water is all you need, don't go with a stonger mix. Rinse with water when done. Let dry and refinish.

[J & K Tomalonis]

Once a while ago, someone was "helping" put groceries away, and put a bag of potatoes in a kitchen drawer that we would normally never use for that purpose.

The potatoes went bad and we couldn't guess where it was coming from as the smell seemed to be everywhere. No one thought to look where the potatoes had ended up.

Once we found the mess and cleaned it up, we found that there was a nasty stain and odor in the wood. Luckily, the drawer was all solid wood and good old plywood. I scraped and then refinished with poly, and that took care of the stench, but there is still a black stain on the inside. Oh well. At least the stain is on the inside.

James

[Duane Bozarth]

...

If you're ever interested, oxalic acid will probably remove most of the stain...

[Lew Hodgett]

Get the piece out of your living space, even outside if necessary, then place an ozone generator next to it.

Next completely tent and seal with sheet plastic, same as if you were going to fumigate a house for termites, then turn on ozone generator for

24-48 hours.

Mold and smell will be gone.

CAUTION! ! ! !

Ozone will destroy any rubber parts so act accordlg.

Ozone is also injurious to your health so also act accordingly.

Lew

[Robert Bonomi]

Exposure to bright sunlight for a couple of days will make a big difference.

A circa 15% bleach / 85% water solution, will kill what the sunlight doesn't. just enough to 'dampen' things, let sit for no more than a couple of minutes, and blot dry. Complete the process with another dose of sunlight.

'Pressed wood" is problematic. if it's gotten wet enough that it has swollen up, it's pretty much ruined. If it hasn't swelled, then it's probably OK "as is".

[Perek75]

Thank you all for oyur replies. I am planing to start next weekend so we will se how it goes. Hope the sun is out!