September 25, 2005

• Mold is dangerous as the spores may contain toxins. I regularly use diluted laundry bleach on my bathroom surfaces, tile, shower, and other areas, but this is probably not something you can do with your carpet. I would recommend you ask your landlord to remove the carpet and put in linoleum or other easy to clean flooring.
• You need a dehumidifier, would be my guess
• What Nomen said. The best option is to remove the carpet, but barring that, use bleach. I would just feign ignorance about why the carpet faded so badly.
• Mild bleach solution will kill the mold, but unless you can keep the carpet dry, it's going to just come right back. So, you could just plan on spraying the carpet every 2 weeks or so. The other hassle you have, the smell, is a little trickier. In general, the human nose is acutely sensitive to off odors, the smells made by moulds (thank you trichloro anisole); a little goes a long way. Fortunately, a lot of those odors are organic acids, so try washing with a strongish solution of bicarb soda. I'd say you hire a carpet cleaner, then run different solutions through. Start with the standard cleaner, then bicarb soda solution, then cleaner again. Let it dry, spray with mild bleach. As far as the dehumidifer goes, molds are really really adept at getting the little moisture they need from just about anywhere. Dry air won't get you very far, I suspect, since the floorboards (or whatever you have) underneath the carpet are going to be pretty wet.
• I did a bit of research and when it comes to carpet, consensus is that carpet in the bathroom is a really bad idea. Once mold gets into carpet there isn't really a lot you can do. What you read about the mold returning is pretty much true, especially if the padding underneath is infested. Your best bet would be to talk to your landlord about removing the carpet and putting in some other kind of flooring. You can mention your allergies and a history of trying to deal with it. Carpet in the bathroom just isn't sanitary--it's impossible to keep moisture away.
• I'm probably just prissy, but there's no way you're ever going to get that carpet clean and dry enough to your satisfaction, especially if you have allergies. I'll second some of the other posts and advise that you discuss this with your landlord. If it's a small BR, maybe you can even strike a compromise: if he/she buys the materials, you'll do the work. Explain that it'll improve the property. Good luck.
• A dehumidifier sounds a good plan, but they cost a fortune. We had problems with damp in our bedroom because it was such a tiny room that we had to push the bed right up against the (concrete) wall. The wallpaper soon started to sprout mould and mildew but, not wanting to pay for a dehumidifier, I went to Woolworths (in the UK) and bought a moisture trap like this one. It's a simple design - you put calcium choloride crystals into a slotted tray at the top of what's effectively a plastic box. This is a dessicant, and so removes moisture from the air. It dissolves into the water, which then drips through the tray into the plastic box beneath. You can get these things from most hardware and home stores in the UK, so I expect they'd be just as common in other places.
• I should just add (as this makes my last comment a bit more relevant!) that I now use one of these moisture traps in our bathroom as well because we have a carpet in there. We haven't had as many problems with damp and ensuing issues as before we had it...but I wouldn't say it's completely "solved" the issue. Replacing the carpet sounds a good plan, but if you can't (like us - our landlord is being difficult) then trying to alleviate the problem is at least a step in the right direction.
• I'd agree with Wednesday -- rip out the carpet and pad, and throw them away. Then replace with linoleum or some of those click-in-place tiles. You can get linoleum in stick-down tiles as well, much easier to install. And yeah, trade your labor for your landlord's money.
• Based on your allergies, your landlord should just put some vinyl in there. Shouldn't be too expensive. Allergies only get worse, not better. So unless you plan on moving, s/he's obligated to do that--or install a vent fan, which would likely be more expensive. I hope you have said something to your landlord. So many times renters feel guilty/bad about requesting the most minimum of maintenance from their landlords, even though it is the landlords obligation. Unless a renter says something, nothing will get done. Also, if they consider it a laughable request, you might remind them that by law they have to have that vent and if they choose to just rent to someone else whose to say that they won't keep running in to the same problem.
• Thanks for your suggestions thus far. I'm anticipating problems with my landlord for a couple of reasons: 1) I live in a college town, where most owners could care less about remaining legal or improving the place (this is one of the few places in town I found that wasn't either a complete pit or exhorbitantly expensive) and 2) my landlord and the owner of my house are two different entities. My landlords are awesome -- very nice. They act as an agent for the woman who owns my house, and who has been kind of difficult as of late (for example, my gas bill is split between me and my next door neighbor. The owner pays the bill, then sends it to us to reimburse her. She just sent me three months worth of bills. I'd been asking the landlord for months to get me the bill, but they said it was out of their control.) I'm going to talk to the landlord tomorrow, but I don't think the owner will be very forthcoming. Pulling up the carpet and putting down peel and stick tile might be an option, if the owner gets snippy with me. I'm pretty sure that it's just concrete sub-flooring under the carpet, so I don't think it would be horribly hard to do.
• I'd try to phrase it as a health concern. One thing the house's owner does not want is a rampant mold problem (if s/he gives even the tiniest shit about the condition of the house). That stuff multiplies like cockroaches and could land the owner in the middle of a lawsuit, forced to remove the mold and pay somebody's medical and legal bills as well. In short, the owner may not care about your comfort, but probably would about his/her legal and financial liability. Really, the owner should pay for both materials and installation, but offering your own free labor might be a good compromise.
• If you can put up with the odor in the short term, you will not find a safer solution that owl semen.
• I agree with mct. If you have health issues, future tenants may do too. Maybe you could persuade the landlords to lean on the owner a bit, tell her she doesn't want to risk future financial liability if someone gets sick from mold spores? If the owner is that disorganised, the odds are slim that she'd organise the carpet to be replaced herself. I'd be decisive, say to the landlords "I am replacing the carpet with linoleum, this is why" and just do it. Ask the landlords if they can arrange to take the cost out of your rent because I imagine the actual owner would just never get around to supplying the materials otherwise. I've had landlords like her before, and just doing it is sometimes the only option.
• If all else fails, just replace it and apologize later.
• See if you can get an opinion from the local Board of Health. Be sure they are aware of the carpet, the mildew and the lack of a fan. If you can get it in writing, that might give you more leverage with the owner. Carpet in bathrooms is one of those astoundingly stupid ideas that should have disappeared long ago.
• Just tear the area out and throw it away. Don't even worry about the landlord, the carpet and pad are ruined, period. All that really matters is that you don't have to deal with the irritation. Then, maybe go buy a small piece that you can remove to dry if you need to. It's actually a minor problem that can be resolved by yourself and once you throw it away, that part of your problem is gone, forever. I use to go through these type mental trips, and then I figured out that if something was tripping me up, just get rid of it. Works for lots of problems,- stack of bills staring at you?, I just throw them away if I know I'm not going to be able to pay them immediatly.(there are exceptions to that one, electricity, water etc,), but once the problem is out of sight, you will be more clearheaded to confront the problem from a different direction.
• A couple of years ago, a couple of apartment complex owners in my neck of the woods were forced by the health department to remove interior sheet rock and get rid of toxic black mold which had taken up residence within the walls. As well as undergoing the expense of renovation, they also had to forego the rent they would have received during it. (I tried to find on-line articles from the local paper to no avail.) Black mold is a health hazard, even when it's not the toxic variety. Be sure to keep an eye out for discolored spots on the walls and ceilings of your bathroom to make sure that you don't have a bigger problem than you think. The spores can take flight and lodge anywhere. On the other hand, if you tell the agents that you suspect you have TOXIC BLACK MOLD growing in your place, it may alarm them enough that they'll persuade the owner to take care of the carpet problem, maybe even put in a ventilator. Good luck!
• Path, knowing how slezelords operate, the owner would probably just kick the renter out. Make up a statement of intent listing your reasons for removing the carpet and get it notarized. (have a few friends go with you to act as witnesses to the effect that they've seen/smelled the mold) Then tear the carpet out. (wear a mask) Bleach the heck out of everything. (use plenty of ventilation) Get cheap, but not bad looking, stick-on tile at a local Home Despot. (something WITHOUT a pattern) You should be able to do a 5x8 bathroom for under $40. (take your time and do it right) Keep your mouth shut about what you did, keep the floor clean, and when it's time to move out, smile when you collect your security/cleaning deposit. (assuming you leave it clean--which I hope you will) You can't even go to the doctor and get a single Rx for your sinus condition for $40. (that way you keep living in the place without having to screw with it) Most absentee owners don't even notice stuff as long as the place looks good and is clean. (clean is big with landlords) I converted a stupid built-in book shelf thingy into a great hallway closet for coats and storage, installed a different sink that I'd got at a thrift shop, and made a bench seat in a bay window, and and nobody said a word when I left.(it was worth it to me to do some things to make my life nicer in that place) Oh, and I had a cat, too, in a no-pet rental. (a clean, quiet, non-messy, well-litter trained, and neutered kitty)
• I forgot to mention to take pictures. (just in case) Talk to your doc and have him note that you have complained of sinus problems you believe are due to mold. Docs are usually pretty good, and will recommend that you DON'T live in a moldy place) The statement and pictures are your insurance. (don't use 'em unless you have to) They you can mention TOXIC BLACK MOLD. (and watch 'em back down)
• ew get rid of it completely. I mean, who has unremovable carpets in their bathroom anyway? It's got like health hazzard written all over it.
• Ok, update: I went to my landlord's office today and paid rent and my gas bill (and complained about getting three months worth of gas bills all at once), figuring that would get me into their good graces. Then I filled out a maintenance report on the carpet, and the woman working there immediately suggested I write down replacing the carpet with vinyl, so hopefully that's a good sign. (Though, again, I'm not sure how much power she has.) They're going to call someone to come look at it. If they do nothing, my next plan is to a) call the city health department and if that doesn't work b) replace the damn floor myself. Of course I vacuumed the carpet really well yesterday, so the mold stain is much better. I hope that doesn't lead to them not beleiving me, but I had to try something to make the smell better. Of course, all the mold that has gotten into the wood of the wall and around the door -- and is creeping into my closet (!!!) should help convince them. Thanks for your advice, and keep it coming!!
• Gross! After they inspect, you're going to have to bleach like crazy for a few weeks. You're going to have to wash everything in there to get the mold spores out of the clothing, or stick it outside to air in the sun well, if not washable. Afterwards, put some crystals in the closet, as suggested above. Is there anyway you can get them to put a window in the bathroom? You can use a space heater to dry it out well this winter, and perhaps maybe even in the summer with the door closed, as long as the heat doesn't drive you nuts, and the electric isn't too expensive. At least once or twice a week would help. Write down who you talked to, and that they indicated vinyl would be a solution. Then if they don't get on it in a month or so, I'd still do it myself.
• There is a window in the bathroom, but it doesn't open (about half the windows in my house don't work -- they're all that old fashioned kind with the rope tied to the weight concealed in the wall, and either the rope has broken or the wood has swelled or they're painted shut). I use a space heater in there all winter because it gets cold, which may explain why the mold's just now getting bad. (I don't have central heat. I have a big space heater in the living room that does an ok job in there and in my bedroom, but it doesn't really reach the bathroom. My house gets more and more odd in the discription!) I'm going to take my clothes out of the closet after work today, and have a laundrymat-o-rama tonight. *sigh* I'm not waiting a month or two for them to fix this. I want it fixed this week or next, if possible - it smells too bad, and I'm embarrassed to have people over. Not to mention my allergies :)
• Kill eet! Kill eeet nooooww! I used to live in a nice basement apartment that, while decent, could be prone to dampness on occasion because, hey, it's a basement. Got the moldy wall on a couple occasions. As everyone else has mentioned, bleach is your friend. Empty out an old spray cleanser bottle, fill it with bleach, and spray down the walls and everywhere the mold is. Don't wipe the bleach off, just let it dry in place and soak in.
• Another product that works well on all manner of mildew, mold and fungus is Dettol. Works well on boats and in other enclosed, humid spaces.
• Instead of a space heater, try to find a cheap dehumidifier. We have a similar problem in one bedroom because of condensation over winter, and there are black spots on the carpet. Hopefully we'll be installing a "Moisture Master" (woo) when we can afford it, but a dehumidifier works well in the meantime to suck the damp out of the air. You may need a fairly high-capacity one.
• Living in a collegetown myself and having recently seen what passes for rentable in the reasonably affordable range, and knowing how collegetown landlords work, I'd say that if you don't get results (and chances are good you won't) simply bite the bullet, rip it up and replace it yourself. My sister and I just had to move out of the house we own due to toxic mold. I've been getting sicker and sicker for two years. I've had pluerisy twice, now have chronic bronchitis, asthma and am allergic to what seems like everything, all the result of exposure to black mold. My sister's going through chemo, so there's no way we were staying there. The point of my rambling is, I don't think you should put it off too long. If the landlord won't help, the cost of putting down linoleum in a tiny bathroom is negligible compared to your health.
• Don't use straight bleach in a spray bottle; it's too caustic that way, and you'll wind up breathing it. Mix one part of bleach with two parts of water.
• I say stop taking showers. Showers are for losers.
• Hopefully we'll be installing a "Moisture Master" (woo) when we can afford it Madam, I will have you know that I am a married man with no passport and not enough money for a plane ticket so I must decline!
• /wipes off mct
• Ok, so the maintenance guy finally came by today and just started measuring my bathroom! The owner of the house has already approved a new floor (yaaaaay!), she just wants to pick out the colors (potential horrors there, but it'll be a hard floor)! They're going to call me with details around next Monday! I'm excited, and thanks for your help. I've been living in college towns waaaay too long since it honestly never occured to me to ask my landlord for help.
• I'm making onion cheese bread in celebration! Wooo!
• Woo! I'm so glad they got onto it so quickly. Woo! Onion cheese bread! Woo! I wonder how we could convince the owner that ugly colours are bad for your health...
• Every bathroom floor I've had in this town has been butt-ugly (present one included... I didn't know they made carpet this icky). I hope she picks something neutral! The onion cheese bread turned out yummy...mmmm...
• Awesome! I'm crossing my fingers for a non-ugly floor. In the meantime, please enjoy this site with ugly bathroom contest winners so that no matter how bad yours is, it will seem luxuriously beautiful.
• Wow -- that's a fugly bathroom. The pictured do make my bathroom look a heck of a lot better. :)
• Don't forget, if you learn to pee in the middle of the night without turning the light on, you won't notice the ugly floor. Stains in the sink mean you're not quite getting it right, though. Good luck. Maybe you could suggest going along to pick out the color? All they can say is no.
• I already pee in the middle of the night with the light off -- turning on the light wakes me up too much. So I'm glad to hear I'm ahead of the game! I'm trying to look at the new floor as a lovely (I hope!) surprise. I may even be out of town when they come by to put it in, but a friend who's dog sitting for me has already agreed to let the floor guys in.
• meredithea - the owner will probably get the cheapest linoleum available. In my experience, that means something like white with a bit of gray - almost ignorable - unless something really egregious is drastically reduced