# MOLD, MILDEW and FUNGUS removal



## The Snark (Dec 6, 2011)

Since this came up in a thread and I have been locked in battle with these nastys, I offer you the end all be all solutions, without filling your life and pets with poisons.

Heat. 220 degrees F for 1/2 hour. For small things like wood in terrariums, bake in the oven.
Steam. Cover the object with a damp cloth and iron, forcing the steam deep into the material.
Propane torch. Use on wood. Keep it moving quickly to avoid scorching. As the other heating methods, get the heat deep into the wood.

Effective but use with caution:
10% to 50% hydrogen peroxide. Wood and porous materials need repeated applications. Instantly removes mildew from just about any surface. This is dangerous stuff that can destroy your skin and damage eyes. It will also bleach things out. If unfamiliar with this stuff it is best to use some other method.

What doesn't work.
Drying the object out. Some spores can survive for months.
Most household chemicals including bleach that don't contain an ingredient specifically formulated for fungus. They aren't wet enough as a rule to penetrate and destroy the spores.


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## Kungfujoe (Dec 7, 2011)

Good write up. I think a cloths steamer would work well also.


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## Hornets inverts (Dec 7, 2011)

that, along with many other methods will kill the spores, they wont stop the spores from re colonising after the wood cools down.


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## The Snark (Dec 7, 2011)

*Artificial environment blight*

I started this thread when it occurred to me that terrariums and other poorly ventilated animal abodes can become the perfect environment for various fungi to thrive. Among the common fungi is one that commonly lives in wood. I refer you to mycologists for the correct name of this blight, and the terminologies. The 'fruit' of the plant appears as a soft white powder on wood. However, the hazard itself is invisible without magnification and laboratory conditions. 

This fungus propagates easily in some woods but is an extremely virulent infector. In hospital conditions it has been found to grow invisibly in ducting, on stainless steel surfaces, in therapy baths and pretty much, you name it. Under less than ideal conditions, it won't produce the spores and usually will eventually will die off. However, it can easily invade the lungs and mucus membranes of almost any animal. By itself it isn't particularly harmful, but it is considered a precursor infection. It weakens tissue and leaves the cells open to other more dangerous infections. Very often, severe infections are found in hospitals that are traced to precursors like this fungus. 

Going by the above information, it seems quite likely to me that many animals kept in these artificial environments that seem to be weak, un-thrifty, refuse to produce offspring, or an unusual number of offspring die, there may be a culprit like this fungus causing problems.


Additional info on fungus control.
Both this fungus and it's spores die at around 220F. Steam will kill the organism much faster than dry heat. Use of a hair dryer or similar can provide the heat but isn't reliable. The blown air will also propagate the spores.
Aside from steam driven deep into porous materials, the most effective non toxic fungicide is 50% Hydrogen Peroxide. If you want to go this route, I offer the following, to be used at your own risk.
Remove all animals from the area to be treated. Get gloves such as Nitrile that are oxidant resistant, protection like a rubber apron for clothing and a face shield. Using a small paint brush, test small areas of all surfaces for reactivity. H2O2 can attack certain plastics and many other materials. If it does, the effect is instantaneous and obvious. Plastics may craze and almost anything that contains organic material will turn whitish. You need to decide what you don't mind getting oxidized. 'Bleached out'.

Then, using a paint brush, liberally coat all surfaces with the liquid. As it is unstable, there is no need to rinse anything. Once dry, the chemical is gone and leaves no toxic residue. Rocks, soil and substrates and just about any other object in a terrarium can be treated, but not plants. 
Pour out the H.P. into a cup and keep the container sealed and away from light. The remaining liquid in the cup will degrade very rapidly and needs to be disposed of as it will have lost effectiveness after a few minutes. Pour it in your favorite drain to the give resident bacteria some excitement. Do not pour the unused liquid back into the original container as it will all degrade.

Another method for fungus kill is a pressure cooker. The average home cooker will do but if you are heating a large amount of material, like 15 pounds of substrate, it needs to cook for about 45 minutes.


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## CoSpiderGuy (Dec 13, 2011)

All my grape vine molds (green mold with white dust) what is it and how do I get rid of and prevent it??? Please and thank you.


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## The Snark (Dec 19, 2011)

CoSpiderGuy said:


> All my grape vine molds (green mold with white dust) what is it and how do I get rid of and prevent it??? Please and thank you.


Getting rid of fungi on living organisms requires specific chemical fungicides be used. With grape vines, best bet is to talk to winery people as molds are the bane of their lives. I have no idea what they spray, but it is commonly reported vineyards use more pesticide chemicals by far than any other plant growing endeavors. Understandable considering some mature grape vines are worth many thousands of $$$ each.


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