You can hardly find a person who does not like Asian food and anyone who enjoys soy sauce is not alone. In roughly two thousand years soy sauce has become one of the most popular and consumed condiments in history. Soy sauce originated in Asia, because in ancient times Asians had to package meat and fish tightly in salt in order to preserve the meat and excess liquid would be drained as a result. The liquid, which has soaked in the meat and salts flavor, would be used as a seasoning for other foods, like noodles or rice. However, when Buddhism began to rise in popularity, there was a shift from eating meat to eating vegetables and, therefore, the recipe for this seasoning also had to change. The recipe went to a salty paste of fermented grains. It was this recipe that became a prototype for soy sauce.
The recipe spread to Japan where it was modified and improved and a woman opened the world’s very first commercial brewery specializing in soy sauce. It was then that soy sauce’s popularity began to skyrocket.
Soy sauce, in the modern day, is made using mashed soy beans, wheat, salt, and a fermenting agent which is the very same kind as used in the production of sake, Aspergillus oryzae. Aspergillus oryzae is a popular alternative. This mold is the most important ingredient in the making of soy sauce. It is this mold that makes it true soy sauce.
The previously mentioned Aspergillus oryzae is used in other things as well, such as Japanese rice wine. The mold is used to ferment rice that has been steam and milled down to around 50 percent of its original mass and weight in order to remove amino acids, proteins, and fats that can make the smell of the wine less than pleasant.
Sake brewers take the cultivation of this mold at the utmost seriousness, because the mold is capable of absorbing surrounding odors. The same goes for flavors. For example, if the wood of the brewing wood is cedar, a slight cedar flavor will be absorbed. The mold is helpful for precisely these reasons. Sake and wine have a tendency to age in very different manners. Sake should be drunk almost as soon as it is purchased. While sake can, at times, taste better with age, it usually just tastes less than spectacular. Try some of these foods, You might find the you like them if you have not tried them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Your Allergies May Be More Related To Mold Than You Think
With the teeming masses of people in the world that suffer from allergies, no matter the number of medications used, it is nearly impossible for them to find an escape from their allergens. The reasons for seasonal allergy symptoms are many. Most allergies are attributed to grasses, pollens, and various kinds of mold. Now, these three allergens are incapable of growing during the winter time. And while some molds can withstand colder temperatures than others, the majority of molds cannot continue to grow in these cold temperatures. Instead they manage to lie dormant for quite some time. They go into a kind of suspended animation when frozen, and if they thaw they will continue to live and they are equally as dangerous as before the time they were frozen.
However, in some areas of the world there is not a winter, and therefore, no freezing temperatures. And in these areas, people who live in apartment complexes and places of this nature are faced with considerable risk of infection, especially those who are highly allergic to these molds. The list of symptoms experience from an allergic reaction is long and varied, depending entirely on the specific allergy. The most prominent symptoms are runny noses and skin rashes. Perennial allergic rhinitis can be brought on by the presence of mold, as well. However, these allergic complications are usually only brought on by a high population of mold. The symptoms, however, can worsen if food that has been created using a type of fungus, such as mushrooms, bread, beer, and even yogurt. Blue cheese is also a chief offender.
While there are thousands of species of molds on the planet, the number of highly allergenic molds are fortunately only in the dozens. Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Alternaria are the three most well known kinds of mold to cause many allergic reactions. As a bit of trivia, Penicillum is the only genus with both a medicine as well as a disease named after it.
It is important that you stay on constant watch for grass, mold spores and pollen counts for each day on the news, if you have allergies. These daily reports are recommended, especially for the elderly or anyone who has a small child who may be allergic, and are planning an outing. This way, it will be apparent which areas to avoid. Severe allergic reactions are rare occurrences, but they happen never the less.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
However, in some areas of the world there is not a winter, and therefore, no freezing temperatures. And in these areas, people who live in apartment complexes and places of this nature are faced with considerable risk of infection, especially those who are highly allergic to these molds. The list of symptoms experience from an allergic reaction is long and varied, depending entirely on the specific allergy. The most prominent symptoms are runny noses and skin rashes. Perennial allergic rhinitis can be brought on by the presence of mold, as well. However, these allergic complications are usually only brought on by a high population of mold. The symptoms, however, can worsen if food that has been created using a type of fungus, such as mushrooms, bread, beer, and even yogurt. Blue cheese is also a chief offender.
While there are thousands of species of molds on the planet, the number of highly allergenic molds are fortunately only in the dozens. Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Alternaria are the three most well known kinds of mold to cause many allergic reactions. As a bit of trivia, Penicillum is the only genus with both a medicine as well as a disease named after it.
It is important that you stay on constant watch for grass, mold spores and pollen counts for each day on the news, if you have allergies. These daily reports are recommended, especially for the elderly or anyone who has a small child who may be allergic, and are planning an outing. This way, it will be apparent which areas to avoid. Severe allergic reactions are rare occurrences, but they happen never the less.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
What is Aspergillosis
Mold is a serious problem in our homes and it can affect not only the structure of the buildings we live in and our belongings, but also our health. But, while not all species of mold grow very well indoors, the genus of mold called Aspergillus has plenty of species that can grow in your home and do harm to your health and the health of your family and pets. The conditions and diseases that can be caused by molds in the Aspergillus genus are known by one collective name: aspergillosis.
The symptoms of aspergillosis can be different depending on what kind of infection that you have. When it is in its allergenic form, the symptoms tend to include some coughing up of blood, having difficulty breathing, coughing, fever, and sometimes even weight loss. This can also aggravate allergies that you or someone in your home already have and create an allergy that you did not have before the mold started to grow.
A type of aspergillosis that is called pulmonary aspergillosis is a type of infection that usually happens when people have a weakened immune system, such as those who have HIV, AIDS, or other immunodeficiency conditions. Some of the symptoms experienced by people with this are similar to those with allergic aspergillosis, but added to this is chest pain, blood in the urine, meningitis, headaches, and sinusitis.
Sometimes if you have had something such as cancer or any other condition that could create a cavity in the lungs or other organs of the body, aspergilloma can develop if you are exposed to this genus of mold for a long period of time. Aspergilloma are essentially fungus balls that grow in these cavities and are most common in those who are exposed to the mold and have had tuberculosis, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, and etcetera. Anything that can cause a cavity in the lungs or other organ could expose someone to this condition if they are near the mold for very long. Quite often there are no symptoms of aspergilloma and many times when they do finally begin to show, they can include some of the same symptoms of allergic aspergillosis.
There are a few different tests that can be done for aspergilloma and these can include a bronchoscopy, a chest x-ray, or sometimes just a simple blood test to find antibodies that fight off the infection.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.
The symptoms of aspergillosis can be different depending on what kind of infection that you have. When it is in its allergenic form, the symptoms tend to include some coughing up of blood, having difficulty breathing, coughing, fever, and sometimes even weight loss. This can also aggravate allergies that you or someone in your home already have and create an allergy that you did not have before the mold started to grow.
A type of aspergillosis that is called pulmonary aspergillosis is a type of infection that usually happens when people have a weakened immune system, such as those who have HIV, AIDS, or other immunodeficiency conditions. Some of the symptoms experienced by people with this are similar to those with allergic aspergillosis, but added to this is chest pain, blood in the urine, meningitis, headaches, and sinusitis.
Sometimes if you have had something such as cancer or any other condition that could create a cavity in the lungs or other organs of the body, aspergilloma can develop if you are exposed to this genus of mold for a long period of time. Aspergilloma are essentially fungus balls that grow in these cavities and are most common in those who are exposed to the mold and have had tuberculosis, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, and etcetera. Anything that can cause a cavity in the lungs or other organ could expose someone to this condition if they are near the mold for very long. Quite often there are no symptoms of aspergilloma and many times when they do finally begin to show, they can include some of the same symptoms of allergic aspergillosis.
There are a few different tests that can be done for aspergilloma and these can include a bronchoscopy, a chest x-ray, or sometimes just a simple blood test to find antibodies that fight off the infection.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.
Moldy Wet Carpet
New carpet is something that almost every home owner wishes that they could afford, especially if that carpet has become contaminated by mold. Mold is everywhere in our homes in its spore form, but it becomes more hazardous and more visible when it actually starts to grow in colonies in our carpet, on our walls, and virtually on anything else composed of organic material.
Dealing with carpet that has become contaminated with mold can really be a pain, because many times you are just better off purchasing new carpet. It just depends on your situation, what area of your home you are having to replace the carpet in, and whether you want to hire someone else to install it for you or not.
Unfortunately, a lot of the time when your carpet becomes contaminated with mold, you have to tear it up and throw it out in the end. At the very least, you will have to pull it up and remove the padding from underneath it because this padding cannot be cleaned. You just have to buy more of it.
Also, if your carpet has been submerged in water throughout the house or even just in one room, the best thing that you can do is just tear it up and throw it away. This is especially true if it is due to flood waters that can have all kinds of chemicals, sewage, and even cadavers floating in it. The biological hazards that could be present in your old carpet will be there even after the carpet dries and will affect the health of you and your family. Mold loves to grow on items that have gotten wet and been allowed to dry naturally.
Purchase a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter if you can. This will filter the air that your vacuum cleaner is dispersing back into your home, but when you have to empty this filter’s contents in to your garbage, do so with gloves on.
Another bad thing that you could have in your home to help mold grow is wall-to-wall carpeting. If you have this in your home already, you can reduce the amount of mold that could grow if you just remove your shoes before walking upon it and not allowing pets on it at all.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Dealing with carpet that has become contaminated with mold can really be a pain, because many times you are just better off purchasing new carpet. It just depends on your situation, what area of your home you are having to replace the carpet in, and whether you want to hire someone else to install it for you or not.
Unfortunately, a lot of the time when your carpet becomes contaminated with mold, you have to tear it up and throw it out in the end. At the very least, you will have to pull it up and remove the padding from underneath it because this padding cannot be cleaned. You just have to buy more of it.
Also, if your carpet has been submerged in water throughout the house or even just in one room, the best thing that you can do is just tear it up and throw it away. This is especially true if it is due to flood waters that can have all kinds of chemicals, sewage, and even cadavers floating in it. The biological hazards that could be present in your old carpet will be there even after the carpet dries and will affect the health of you and your family. Mold loves to grow on items that have gotten wet and been allowed to dry naturally.
Purchase a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter if you can. This will filter the air that your vacuum cleaner is dispersing back into your home, but when you have to empty this filter’s contents in to your garbage, do so with gloves on.
Another bad thing that you could have in your home to help mold grow is wall-to-wall carpeting. If you have this in your home already, you can reduce the amount of mold that could grow if you just remove your shoes before walking upon it and not allowing pets on it at all.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Water Damaged Cars and How to Avoid Them
When you are going to purchase a used vehicle, you have enough problems to worry about most of the time. The problems of what kind of vehicle you want, what kind you need, what color it should be, whether it should be a manual or automatic transmission and even where to purchase the vehicle from can be quite time consuming. Something most people do not think to ask when they purchase a used vehicle, however, is whether or not the vehicle has ever been underwater for any period of time. Most used car dealers and individuals are hesitant to mention this information and sometimes an insurance claim is not filed. This means that the flooding of the vehicle is not recorded in its vehicle report that you can get from companies like CarFax.com, so even if you order a report and it shows all the other damage to the car, the flooding may not show up. Damage to a vehicle only shows up if a claim was filed on it and this tends to be a problem, especially when the damage is as hidden as flood damage can be.
Take a look around the inside of the car first. Look in the glove box and check for signs of rust in there and around the floor near the seats. The vehicle should not have a musty smell inside or a clean, air freshener smell. You should smell next to nothing. The musty smell is due to mold growing in the carpet or the upholstery. If you smell air freshener, this may be an attempt by the dealer or owner to hide the musty smell underneath it. Be wary of cars that have been treated with air freshener. Also note whether the upholstery matches the rest of the car. It may have been taken up and replaced to hide water damage.
The engine is not safe, either. Sand, silt, and mud can seep into an engine along with the water and ruin it.
Make sure that all the electrical components in the vehicle work as they should, such as fuel gauges, the battery gauge, oil light, and etcetera. If these do not work as they should, you might be facing some water damage.
Check the trunk for rust around the tail lights, as well. Mud or silt inside the car in this area or around the seats in the car can be a sign of flooding, as well.
As always, you should get a mechanic that you trust to do a complete inspection of the vehicle so you can be almost certain that the car is in decent shape before finalizing the purchase.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingnc.info
http://www.floodnj.info
Take a look around the inside of the car first. Look in the glove box and check for signs of rust in there and around the floor near the seats. The vehicle should not have a musty smell inside or a clean, air freshener smell. You should smell next to nothing. The musty smell is due to mold growing in the carpet or the upholstery. If you smell air freshener, this may be an attempt by the dealer or owner to hide the musty smell underneath it. Be wary of cars that have been treated with air freshener. Also note whether the upholstery matches the rest of the car. It may have been taken up and replaced to hide water damage.
The engine is not safe, either. Sand, silt, and mud can seep into an engine along with the water and ruin it.
Make sure that all the electrical components in the vehicle work as they should, such as fuel gauges, the battery gauge, oil light, and etcetera. If these do not work as they should, you might be facing some water damage.
Check the trunk for rust around the tail lights, as well. Mud or silt inside the car in this area or around the seats in the car can be a sign of flooding, as well.
As always, you should get a mechanic that you trust to do a complete inspection of the vehicle so you can be almost certain that the car is in decent shape before finalizing the purchase.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingnc.info
http://www.floodnj.info
Water Damage and Structural Inspection
Whether you are buying a new home or are considering possibly selling your old one, you need to know that the home is a good value for the price. Sometimes you might want to have someone professionally inspect the home for you to alert you of anything that might need to be repaired or any changes that might need to be made to the home, but this is not always the case if you know what you need to look for. There are several different things you should keep an eye out for when you do your own home inspection either before you buy or before you sell.
The dirt around the foundation of the home should be slanted away from it so that any rainfall will flow away from the home instead of settling around the foundation in a pocket. This water will seep down into your basement, if you have one. Downspouts should have extensions that will further help direct water away from the base of the home.
Go away from the home and stand a fair distance from it and just look at the structure. Taking someone with you is a good idea because a second opinion is usually wanted. Ask yourself and the person you took with you if the home appears to be tilted one way or another. The structure should not appear to be unstable. After you to this, go inside and be certain that all corners are at a right angle where they need to be. Go into the living room and in other rooms of the home and jump in the middle of it. If the floor flexes or shakes at all, you may have a problem.
Check kitchen and bathroom fixtures for leaks and for quality. Also note whether there is a steam vent in these two rooms so that steam is allowed to escape the home and not cause water damage to the walls and ceilings.
The roof on the home should not need to be replaced in at least the next five years unless you are unhappy with just the appearance of it. It should not require many repairs, if it requires any at all. Water damage can occur to the attic beams, the insulation, and the drywall underneath. Note that if fiberglass insulation gets wet, it becomes useless and needs to be taken out and replaced.
The house should have a central heat and air unit and if it does not, locate the furnace and determine what type it is. Determine how many rooms of the house do not have access to the heater, if there are any.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
The dirt around the foundation of the home should be slanted away from it so that any rainfall will flow away from the home instead of settling around the foundation in a pocket. This water will seep down into your basement, if you have one. Downspouts should have extensions that will further help direct water away from the base of the home.
Go away from the home and stand a fair distance from it and just look at the structure. Taking someone with you is a good idea because a second opinion is usually wanted. Ask yourself and the person you took with you if the home appears to be tilted one way or another. The structure should not appear to be unstable. After you to this, go inside and be certain that all corners are at a right angle where they need to be. Go into the living room and in other rooms of the home and jump in the middle of it. If the floor flexes or shakes at all, you may have a problem.
Check kitchen and bathroom fixtures for leaks and for quality. Also note whether there is a steam vent in these two rooms so that steam is allowed to escape the home and not cause water damage to the walls and ceilings.
The roof on the home should not need to be replaced in at least the next five years unless you are unhappy with just the appearance of it. It should not require many repairs, if it requires any at all. Water damage can occur to the attic beams, the insulation, and the drywall underneath. Note that if fiberglass insulation gets wet, it becomes useless and needs to be taken out and replaced.
The house should have a central heat and air unit and if it does not, locate the furnace and determine what type it is. Determine how many rooms of the house do not have access to the heater, if there are any.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Water, Concrete, and Your Basement
You may not realize it, but concrete is a naturally porous building material and any water that is seeping through it and into your basement is not an uncommon problem. Unfortunately, since all concrete is porous and water will eventually seep through it, anyway, the problem usually lies not with the concrete itself, but with the construction of it.
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Types of Sump Pumps
The purpose of a sump pump is to pump water out of your basement before it completely floods.
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Treating Moldy Clothing
Clothing contaminated by mold is not a fun thing to have to deal with, especially if it happens to affect an old favorite item of clothing that we found lying in the back of a closet or behind a dresser. We are usually hesitant to throw it away, but sometimes we are unsure if the item can be completely cleansed or not.
The Bible talks about mold contaminated clothing in ancient times and these items were always seen as untreatable and were always thrown away. It is fortunate that these days we know that these items can usually be completely cleaned, but we may not be able to completely get rid of the stain the mold left behind. This is particularly true for leather items, since this is a piece of dead skin and the natural role of mold is to decompose dead organic matter.
The cause of moldy clothing usually has something to do with moisture and forgetfulness. Sometimes we get our clothes wet and just toss them into the laundry basket or into the bathroom closet and forget about them. Doing this is a mistake, because if they are not dried within about 48 hours, mold will start to grow on them. What is even worse is that dry clothing is usually thrown on top of it and the infestation spreads to other clothes. Mold can also start growing on items that have been left behind dressers or in closets that become humid and do not get enough ventilation.
Molded clothing can usually be cleaned by using borax laundry detergent in the washing machine and allowing the clothes to soak for a few hours. Wash in warm to hot water, depending on what the clothing’s dye will tolerate without the colors bleeding everywhere.
After the clothes are done the first time, using a stain remover on them before washing them the second time could help remove any stains that may exist on the clothes. Washing the clothes at least twice is generally recommended, since most of the time it takes more than once to get rid of the infestation completely. Do not use your dryer to dry moldy clothes, however, since an artificial heat source like this usually sets the stain further into the fabric. Put the clothes outside to dry instead.
Depending on the amount of clothing that you have to wash and re-wash, it might be easier to just throw the afflicted clothing away than try to restore it, especially if there are a lot of stains. Most clothing is salvageable, though, as long as you treat it properly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
The Bible talks about mold contaminated clothing in ancient times and these items were always seen as untreatable and were always thrown away. It is fortunate that these days we know that these items can usually be completely cleaned, but we may not be able to completely get rid of the stain the mold left behind. This is particularly true for leather items, since this is a piece of dead skin and the natural role of mold is to decompose dead organic matter.
The cause of moldy clothing usually has something to do with moisture and forgetfulness. Sometimes we get our clothes wet and just toss them into the laundry basket or into the bathroom closet and forget about them. Doing this is a mistake, because if they are not dried within about 48 hours, mold will start to grow on them. What is even worse is that dry clothing is usually thrown on top of it and the infestation spreads to other clothes. Mold can also start growing on items that have been left behind dressers or in closets that become humid and do not get enough ventilation.
Molded clothing can usually be cleaned by using borax laundry detergent in the washing machine and allowing the clothes to soak for a few hours. Wash in warm to hot water, depending on what the clothing’s dye will tolerate without the colors bleeding everywhere.
After the clothes are done the first time, using a stain remover on them before washing them the second time could help remove any stains that may exist on the clothes. Washing the clothes at least twice is generally recommended, since most of the time it takes more than once to get rid of the infestation completely. Do not use your dryer to dry moldy clothes, however, since an artificial heat source like this usually sets the stain further into the fabric. Put the clothes outside to dry instead.
Depending on the amount of clothing that you have to wash and re-wash, it might be easier to just throw the afflicted clothing away than try to restore it, especially if there are a lot of stains. Most clothing is salvageable, though, as long as you treat it properly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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