A Guide on saving only "SOME" of your possessions. Only items that are classified as "Non-Porous"
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![]() | Can porous items be left out in the sun and be ok? Porous items cannot be "safely" treated, washed or kept in the sun effectively because of their "porous" nature. Mold spores gather in small spaces so that their rate of survival is highest. Once mold spores find a small enough "pore" that is safe and comfortable they lay dormant and wait for moisture to help them start to take root. Mold spore roots grow downward like a tree making them very stable on porous items. Never let anyone convince you that a machine, fogging, washing or light exposure is safe to try and save something that is porous. It simply is NOT science and is dangerous to assume. Alternatively, "non-porous" items CAN BE washed in ammonia and set out in the sun to dry. Because there are no pores there is no chance for spores to burrow into the item and as long as you expose all sides of the surface to the UV sun anything left behind would be destroyed by the sun's rays. |
![]() | Tempurature: Can Hot or Cold temperature kill mold or neutralize mycotoxin? Temperature DOES NOT effect mold spores or mycotoxin. The only scientific evidence that toxic mold is affected by heat is at extreme high temperatures over 3000 degrees. This means that even fire doesn't destroy it. Also there is no evidence that freezing has been able to affect it either way. For this reason non porous items can be washed or soaked in any temperature. |
Non-Porous Items
. Any kind of furniture that is made of glass or metal should be washed thoroughly in the ammonia solution, rinsed, dried until moved to the new clean space. This includes tables, funton frames, chairs, shelving, stools, carts etc.
All dishes including glass, glazed clay, china, or porcelain are safe to wash in an approved neutralizing solution, rinsed until moved to the new clean space.
Stoves should be fully wiped down with ammonia AFTER they have been removed from the water damaged home. Before disconnecting it is a good idea to turn the stove on it's highest heat setting and letting it cook for a good 30-40 minutes before disconnecting and moving it outside to be cleaned with a safe "neutralizing agent" on the outside.
Items that fall under this category are: Shirts, Tops & Blouses
(Frame and Cover must be washed separate. Mold can hide between cover and frame if brought to new home) BABY ITEMS
Every part of the cosleeper can be taken apart and washed in a neutralizing agent. The foam cushion on the bottom MUST BE THROWN OUT. It cannot be saved. Contact the manufacturer of your particular model and reorder a replacement. Or, if you are a DIYer you can buy new supplies at your local craft store and make your own replacement.
Essential oil bottles can be easily rinsed in the ammonia solution, rinsed and taken to the new clean location. EO bottles are non-porous and the contents of most EO's are actually antifungal in the first place.
(80% of all essential oils have a high antifungal property to them which means that the inside of these machines are usually mold/mycotoxin free. Just wipe outside with ammonia solution and save
**BE CAREFUL!! Air purifiers can ONLY BE SAVED if: all of the filters are removed and thrown away and then the remaining unit is completely neutralized with either: Ammonia, Citrisafe, Ec3, Benefect or BioEsque. Once the machine is thoroughly neutralized and DRY, you can then replace the filters with ALL NEW FILTERS. (not paper, stationary or sticky notes) Things like staplers, pens, pencils, tape dispensers, organizers, scissors, rulers, blades, clips and tacks can be cleaned in ammonia and saved.
Scrub with ammonia, rinse and dry in the sun.
All tools can be taken outside, washed with ammonia, rinsed and dried out in the hot sun. Do not bring them back into your garage, tool shed or home once they are cleaned.
Lawn mowers, snow blowers, [ressure washers, chainsaws, (air compressors, drills, cutting saws, sanders) (DO NOT GET WATER INSIDE PLUG IN ITEMS...only wash the outside), weed whackers, lawn spreaders, shovels, rakes, clippers, pruners and anything else I didn't mention can easily be taken outside, washed with ammonia, rinsed and dried out in the hot sun. Do not bring them back into your garage, tool shed or home once they are cleaned unless you are bringing them to a new "clean" location or you have completely sanitized, remediated and neutralized your space. Gold clubs and golf balls can be submersed in water and ammonia, rinsed and saved from a toxic mold environment. Make sure they are fully dried and do not bring them back into your garage or home once they are cleaned unless you are bringing them to a new "clean" location or you have completely sanitized, remediated and neutralized your space. Wedding Dresses Ladies....the touchy subject of keeping or not being able to keep a wedding dress can be very emotional. In order to keep it you'll have to soak it in ammonia. (This will probably ruin the actual dress itself but Here are some ways to keep the memory of your wedding dress alive. |
Porous Items
Real Wood furniture and anything made of wood that has "ANY EXPOSED RAW WOOD" This does not apply to "FULLY SEALED WOOD" or "WOOD WITH FULL POLY COATING". Beware! Check the underside of beds, dressers and other furniture as this is an area of concern and can contaminate a new home.
Wool coats can be rinsed in "COLD" water and hung to dry. Dry cleaning DOES NOT kill mold spores or neutralize any mycotoxin. These items may not fully be cleaned of bacteria so they are on the list of potentially having to get rid of them.
(*note: leather cannot be cleaned in ammonia due to the destruction of the leather by ammonia. Ammonia will cause the leather to peel. Borax can be used but does not have any scientific studies of neutralizing mycotoxin) so keeping leather items is considered risky and not recommended.
These older versions of TV's actually have cooling technology inside them that use outside air to ventilate and keep the device from overheating. Because it is pulling in ventilated air from it's environment and you are not able to submerge such items, older TV's should be discarded. Wooden cutting boards are porous wood and should be discarded as to not further contaminate a kitchen space or food with spores and mycotoxin. Wood is used by fungi as food so they are attracted to the organic substance of trees as fuel for their survival.
Wooden cutting boards are porous wood and should be discarded as to not further contaminate a kitchen space or food with spores and mycotoxin. Wood is used by fungi as food so they are attracted to the organic substance of trees as fuel for their survival.
Microwaves are similar to older model TV's and hair dryers. They pull in outside air and circulate it through the applicance. Microwaves should be discarded.
Washing Machines, especially front loading machines can be sources of mold exposure and cross contamination. If anyone in your home is sick it is not a good idea to transfer a washing machine that was once in a moldy environment to a new clean mold free house. If people in your home are not that sick or hyper-sensitive you MAY be able to take a risk in keeping it BUT you MUST take the entire washer apart and wash each component with ammonia, completely dry each component out in the sun before re-assembling the entire washer. Yes, it is this critical that you follow this protocol as to avoid cross contaminating your new home with mold. Just be careful. This is a risky move.
Dryers are sources of mold exposure and cross contamination. If anyone in your home is sick it is not a good idea to transfer a dryer that was once in a moldy environment to a new clean mold free house. If people in your home are not that sick or hyper-sensitive you MAY be able to take a risk in keeping it BUT you MUST take the entire dryer apart and wash each component with ammonia, completely dry each component out in the sun before re-assembling the entire dryer again. Yes, it is this critical that you follow this protocol as to avoid cross contaminating your new home with mold. Just be careful. This is a risky move.
Suitcases made of material or canvas should not be saved or cleaned, however if your suitcase is one of the newer models they might be made of just aluminum and hard plastic. If you have a newer model made of plastic you can submerge these "newer" models in a bathtub with 2 cups of ammonia and let them air dry in the sun and they "CAN" be kept. Please discard material or canvas-made suitcases or especially older suitcases made of wood or cardboard or pressed board. Those are a loss.
Mold and Mycotoxin CANNOT be "Dry Cleaned". Some items can be washed in cold water and ammonia and will not shrink. If you are able to wash them in cold water and ammonia and they do not shrink you may keep them. However, if the items you want to keep cannot be submerged in ammonia water for fear that they will shrink then they "CANNOT" be saved. Dry Cleaning chemicals do not kill mold spores or neutralize mycotoxin.
Hollow guitars
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Etremely Porous Items
ALL partical board furniture MUST be thrown out. It is made of paper. This includes tv cabinets, tables, shelves, storage cubes and units, beds, office furniture, kids furniture, desks, boxes, dressers and drawers etc. Mold feeds off of any and all paper products. It uses it as food to survive, expand and grow. Anything made of paper needs to be dicarded in plastic bags and disposed of properly away from the moldy property. Do not store paper in garages or car ports that are connected to a home. The risk of cross-contamination by paper is usually a 99% rate.
Loveseats and padded chairs go against the 1/2 inch rule when it comes to anything of a fabric material. Anything that is made of fabric and is over 1/2 inch thick has a huge chance of embedding spores and mycotoxins that can later be re-activated and take root in the item. Throw these away and rip them with a knife and label them with paint or a black marker "TOXIC".
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Do you think you might have mold in your home, place of business or school? Are you or someone you love suffering from an unknown illness that doctors can't diagnose? Is mold making you sick? Go to our Step by Step and start Surviving Toxic Mold. |