# How to Remove Mold?



## junosama (Dec 4, 2011)

I have this piece of wood I got at a pet store and it was in some not fully dry eco earth and now its getting a lot of mold on it. What is the best way to remove the mold? I know this can be very dangerous to tarantulas.


----------



## junosama (Dec 5, 2011)

I read vinegar might work if you spray it on for an hour? I'm trying to find a solution besides bleach...


----------



## moose35 (Dec 5, 2011)

junosama said:


> I know this can be very dangerous to tarantulas.


who told you that?

leave it . it will work it self out just fine



moose


----------



## Camden (Dec 5, 2011)

Just pick it out and let the substrate dry out then mist again (I know nothing about Ts, so I don't know if you mist or not with them.) But if its still a problem theres probably not   enough ventilation, but all in all it should sort itself out.


----------



## 0siris (Dec 6, 2011)

as stated above, a little mold will not harm tarantulas. It's when it starts to get out of control when you should start to worry. That being said, I can't think of anything beneficial that comes from harboring mold. If you are really worried about it then heed Camden's advice, just let the enclosure dry out a bit and the mold should die off. On a side note it's not absolutely necessary to overflow the waterdish...my Aphonopelma Sp. Guatemala has her face dunked in the bottom of the water dish as I type this . They seem to do perfectly fine drinking from shallow sources.

I would strongly suggest you refrain from using vinegar or bleach. I'll even go as far as saying that who ever gave you that advice is very ignorant regarding T's. I'm not an expert by any means, but I do know that Tarantulas have very primitive and fragile booklungs - and infusing their enclosures with a combination of acidic and alkaline odors cannot be good for them.

If that's not persuasive enough - mixing acidic and alkaline solutions produces salts which in humans has a dehydrating effect in sufficient doses.

I've made this much longer than I intended, so I'll stop :sarcasm::biggrin:


----------



## junosama (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks for the info, I just sanded it off as best I could and will let it dry out for a few weeks or so before I use it.


----------



## The Snark (Dec 6, 2011)

Since our home has become the mold central of the universe this past rainy season... 
In wood, bake it. Stick it in the oven at about 250 degrees for a half hour. A microwave might work. If the wood is near flat, cover with a damp towel and iron it. Make sure you force the steam into penetrating deep into the wood.

IMPORTANT NOTE! A certain kind of white mold that commonly grows in wood is a dangerous lung and mucus membrane infector in many species of animals and can even infect humans. Note, the mold you see is the fruit of the organism. The 'plant' itself is buried deep in the wood. Getting the temperature above 220f or so deep in where it is growing is the target.


----------

