BLACK MOLD : symptoms, remedies, treatment, elimination?

[Bill Ryan]

.
Hi, All:

I have a friend (an Avalon member who prefers to stay anonymous, so I'm posting this on her behalf) who recently found black mold in her bathroom.

She sprayed it over with bleach... but since pretty much that time has come down with a wide range of symptoms that may or may not be related. Those include

• Joint pain
• Putting on weight
• An undiagnosed tooth/root problem
• A dry cough (following a cold) that will NOT go away.

I didn't know enough about black mold (I've never encountered it) to offer any advice — apart from taking low, frequent doses of MMS, which my friend has on hand. (I suggested trying 2-4 drops at a time, every hour or two, for a week or so, and seeing if any of the symptoms alleviated.)

I do know that black mold can be pretty nasty, even seriously so. Does anyone here have any experience of this, how to get rid of it, the effects it can cause on health, and how to deal with all that?

[Limor Wolf]

Hi Bill and Avalon friend, wishing you well and hope that you get back to good health in no time. This will probably sound irrelevent but it my be worth checking as an out of the box approach - time loop_ solutions, Consortium for Morgellon-related Research by Harald kautz vella and other researchers. They do have black goo globuli product and other suggestions related to infopathica , and also have a contact page. The MMS small concentration recommendation sounds good as the Chlorine Dioxide should work to eliminate the pathogenic bacterias that are related to mold. Blessings ~

[Sunny-side-up]

wow
http://blackmold.awardspace.com/blac...ycotoxins.html
You name it, it causes it.

I have a lot of the symptoms myself, have removed the Black-Mold from my home many times but is in the fabric of the building I guess!

Just one way to removal from your home from the above site:

Mold Removal with Baking Soda

Baking soda is well known as a natural and safe household cleaner. But you can also use baking soda to kill mold in your home. Unlike other mold killers which contain harsh chemicals, baking soda is mild (pH of 8.1) and harmless to your family and any pets.

Besides killing mold, baking soda also deodorizes and so using it can get rid of the smell mold leaves in your home. Baking soda also absorbs moisture to help keep mold away.

Vinegar is often used along with baking soda when cleaning up a mold problem since vinegar kills different species of mold to baking soda.

How to Kill Mold with Baking Soda

Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water.

Shake the bottle to dissolve the baking soda into the water.

Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution.

Then use a sponge or scrubbing brush to make sure to remove all the mold from the surface.

Once you've scrubbed away the mold rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface.

Spray the area with the spray bottle again and let the surface dry. This will kill any left over mold and prevent the mold returning.

You can use a cloth instead of a spray bottle to clean mold with baking soda:

Soak a cloth in water and then add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to it.

Use the cloth on the moldy area to remove the mold with the baking soda and water solution.

[Ernie Nemeth]

Black mold is considered very dangerous and if the authorities hear of it in a public building they will shut the entire place down to deal with it. It takes a few weeks to deal with it properly, requiring a special gas that is sprayed into the effected area. Then a chemical bath is applied and let to dry. There are also commercial spray bottles to deal with black mold that can be bought at any hardware store. Apply as directed.

[Nikola Tesla]

Please google grapefruit seed extract and his benefits. We use them vor many things. Cleanig but also for health problems to. But you have handle it carefully becuse its realy strong. Just one drop for one liter wather. MMS and colodial silver may also help. A friend of me had problems with her teeth roots and she take tre days probiotic from Russia and tri times a day she wash her mouth with a mix from dryed Stevia leavs and collodial silver. This mix is very antibacterial and helped her.

[Bob]

Hi Bill - Aspergillus Niger - the "yuck"

Aspergillus niger, one of the most familiar molds, begins as a microscopic, airborne spore that germinates on contact with the moist surface of nonliving organic matter.

This picture shows the damaging effect at the base of a shower to the wall and subfloor. The mold can get behind the shower tiles and continue to grow if there is continued moist wet drizzle through the tile grout (grout should have been sealed).

Steps to deal with it:

• Alcohol is an effective fungicide because it is able to penetrate the cell walls and spores of Aspergillus niger, killing it in the process.
• To use alcohol, apply a liberal amount of a 70% solution to all visible areas of fungus, and let it sit for ten minutes.
• After 10 minutes of contact time with alcohol, you can wipe the treated area clean and dry it with a clean rag, cloth, or mop.
• Alcohol is safe for use in the home and in most settings, understand that it is highly flammable and one MUST have adequate ventillation (DO NOT LET THE ALCOHOL VAPORS BUILD as one does not want to harm oneself from breathing alcohol vapor, nor create a situation where an explosion/fire could happen, so extinguish ALL pilot lights, do not smoke near the area, etc.).
• Therefore, make absolutely sure to avoid using it near any flame or fire source.

I remember a long time ago, in the late '50's we would use a phenol based cleaner, which would soak into the area where the mold would seep, and create a toxic vapor which would keep the mold away.. Ever since then there have been thousands of articles where folks have said, stay AWAY from phenols (although they do work) such as "Spic 'n Span".

Then the alternatives to keeping the mold away are the essential oils. Tea Tree Oil has a most unique aroma and is well tolerated by the human body (in small doses).

A mix of 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil plus one drop of liquid soap and 8 ounces of pure water is added to a spray bottle. Shake and then spray to the areas where the mold was found.

Consider a diffuser running in the bathroom or the hallway..

From : http://hybridrastamama.com/can-essen...te-toxic-mold/

For the best effect, use a cold-air diffuser which does not heat the oils and destroy the anti-microbial properties.

You will want to diffuse your oil blend for 24-72 hours, non-stop, in the space(s) where mold was found. If possible, and for best results, leave the room closed and sealed during this intensive diffusing.

This will allow maximum penetration and absorption of the essential oil blend. My suggestion is that you repeat this two or three times depending on how bad the mold infestation was....

Essential oil Blends: Tea Tree Oil, Oil of Eucalyptus, Oil of Peppermint

Study on using Essential Oils on treating MOLD growths : http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/26998/PDF

In the study, Tea Tre Oil ranked second to Rosemary - however RoseMary Oil is considered a neuro-toxicant. It can cause lethal damage to the kidneys..

Cleaning the Black Stain

Many folks have tried hydrogen peroxide (wear gloves!). The bleaching effects of concentrated 30% peroxide can create damage. Don't let it get on your skin or eyes. It can be carefully brushed into the tile grout and will usually seep in and kill the mold and bleach out the dark stains.

Recovering from MOLD toxicity

Mercola says reduce sugars - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...-exposure.aspx

They also say change diet to avoid these - alcohol, wheat and wheat products, rye, peanuts, cottonseed oil, corn, barley, sorghum, sugar from sugar cane and sugar beets, hard cheeses.

Mercola also says a good pro-biotic will help. Garlic Ginger and Cayenne are good. Nutritional supplements recommended are: Glutathione, krill oil, Artichoke leaf extract, Vitamin D.

AIR PURIFICATION

Mold likes the high humidity areas. Mold likes it when moisture resides on wood, paper, surfaces which may have a biofilm (showers/tubs). UV air purifiers may be useful, with dust/mold filtration.

Medical attack using fungicides (last resorts)

Like having to resort to a course of antibiotics, out-of-balance situations can happen. In life threatening situations radical measures sometimes are used. The drug called voriconazole is the drug of choice to fight fungal infections anywhere in the body. one 200 milligram (mg) each day, for 7 to 14 days. The length of treatment depends on the severity of the infection.

Amphotericin B. This is another class of antifungal medication that is effective for treatment against Aspergillus niger. It causes the fungal cell wall of Aspergillus niger to burst, thereby killing it. It also deprives Aspergillus niger of electrolytes and nutrients, which can also lead to fungal death.

There are dangers with using internal antifungal medications ! http://www.globalrph.com/voriconazole.htm Liver damage. Contraindicated when liver function tests show damage is present. Amphotericin B - with an Intravenous overdose, it can result in potentially fatal cardiac or cardiorespiratory arrest. Using drugs to treat systemic mold infections requires very skilled practitioners able to control and deal with side effects.

[Althena]

It's very important to keep surfaces moisture free specially in humid environments. I clean shower tiles and kitchen with CS and never seen the mold develop.

[ghostrider]

I have extensive working knowledge about black mold, in the apartment rental business now for 27 years ... the person will want to leave the dwelling for three days , run alot of fans and fresh air through the stucture after removing the mold with a bottle of water mixed with bleach and wear a mask... you are dealing with particles that are Airborne and require water leaking and not much fresh air to survive... finding whats leaking and repairing it is the next step ... any wood that is wet and had mold on it should be cut out bagged and sealed to be thrown away... anyone working around it should wear a mask /respirator ... it can cause serious respiratory problems, headaches, trouble sleeping, and a cold that just wont go away... hope this helps, tell your friend , feel better...

[Sunny-side-up]

To help show how dangerous mold can be/is:
Mould in your home can kill as actress Brittany Murphy's death linked to fungus in LA mansion

Mould in your home can kill as actress Brittany Murphy's death linked to fungus in LA mansion
By DAVID HURST
UPDATED: 16:08, 29 March 2013

45
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Brittany Murphy
Tragic death: At the time of her death, there were rumours that the 32-year-old actress had died of a drug overdose or an eating disorder
A more unlikely end to the Hollywood dream could not seem possible - but this week it was reported that the deaths of actress Brittany Murphy and her British screenwriter husband Simon Monjack might have been caused by mould growing in their luxury Los Angeles home.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz4EacNCThU
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Now, in both cases, the cause of death has been recorded as pneumonia and anaemia, and experts have suggested mould could be to blame, damaging the couple’s respiratory systems.
U.S. public health officials are said to be inspecting the mansion Murphy and Monjack lived in.
It may seem extraordinary, but in fact mould in the home is a common health problem, affecting tens of thousands of people in the UK, explains Malcolm Richardson, Professor of medical mycology (the study of mould) at the University of Manchester.
‘Britain is especially prone to moulds, due to it being damp and cold so often, and because a lot of the housing is old,’ he says.
‘Yet compared with countries such as America and Finland, there’s not much awareness of mould or the health damage it can cause - it can be fatal.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz4Eacf9IAp
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz4EacFzAUe
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‘Mould is an opportunistic fungus, and grows aggressively in the body, stopping the organs working properly - so it can be lethal,’ says Professor Richardson.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz4Ead7Ana2
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...A-mansion.html

[ditting]

As a New York State Mold Assessor and Home Inspector I have encountered my fair share of mold within homes. New York State now requires anyone who remediates mold professionally to have a license. Mold Inspections, Mold Assessment Reports, Protocols for remediating mold, and Mold clearance after the licensed Remediator has performed the remediation are performed by a State licensed Mold Assessor such as myself.

First of all, what folks refer to as concerning or dangerous "black mold" usually is the Stachybotrys genus (pronounced:stacky-bah-triss). Within the Stachybotrys genus there are several species. There are also many other types of mold which is black in color. If you see black mold growing you will not know what type of mold it is unless you have it tested. The type of mold usually doesn't influence to method of remediation.

Mold spores are found in the normal outside and indoor air of our homes. Mold spore count inside should be equal to or less than the mold spore count outside. If it is greater than we know there is a mold problem. There are no standards for spore counts set by the State, Dept. of Health, etc. for mold. The reason being is that it affects each individual differently. One person may live in a home with high mold count and be fine where another person may have a low or medium count and have adverse health effects.

As far as remediating mold, I wouldn't suggest doing it yourself if you think you may be suffering ill effects from mold exposure. I can only suggest hiring a qualified professional mold remediator to treat the mold as necessary. Mold remediation requires several steps to achieve success:

1. A thorough inspection should be performed to determine the extent of the affected area. There may be mold which is not visible or not readily accessible.
2. A protocol should be written and presented to the client and contractor performing the work. The protocol should include the scope of work and suggested method for remediation.
3. The mold remediation company should set up containment as necessary to separate areas not affected by mold and prevent the spread of mold and spores. This is usually 6 mil plastic taped at the seams running negative air pressure.
4. The remediator shall treat the mold with EPA approved products. Usually this is a Biocide/Fungicide to kill the mold, A thorough HEPA vacuuming of the entire area, and application of an Encapsulant to prevent future mold growth.

This is just to treat the mold which is only half of the problem. An evaluation of conditions CONDUCIVE to mold should be performed and appropriate actions to eliminate these conditions are necessary in prevent continued or future mold growth. Mold growth is the result of an abundance of water and a lack of ventilation.

Bill, if your friend has mold in her bathroom my question would be "Does she have a ventilation fan? If so, does she use it?" Any time I see a bathroom with a shower or tub in it without a ventilation fan I call it out, mold or not. Other common areas to find mold are attics and basements. Both are susceptible to poor ventilation and accumulation of moisture from a variety of sources. If anyone else has issues with mold in their home I would be glad to field questions.

Professional mold remediation is not always practical or within budget. If you would like to do it yourself I suggest looking into some the already established protocols from the various existing authorities such as the Dept. of Health to get an idea for what the pros do. There are various products out there that are designed to treat mold on different surfaces. Keep in mind bleach only works on non-porous surfaces like stainless steel or certain plastics. Mold growing on wood or drywall requires a different product in order to be effective. Sometimes removing and replacing the building materials is cheaper, easier, or more effective than treating it for mold. I recommend finding a product that you feel comfortable using and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

I cannot speak on some of the natural remedies folks have posted as I have no experience with them. I will say it is important to set containment with 6 mil plastic and create a negative air chamber with a fan terminating outside to prevent the spread of spores. Otherwise, once you disrupt the mold growth you can spread it elsewhere similar to asbestos fibers. Also, it is critical to protect yourself with the proper PPE: gloves, tyvek suit, respirator, etc.

I hope this is helpful to you. If you have follow up questions please feel free!

[bettye198]

You are singing to the choir Bill. Talk about timing. I have been going through holistic treatment for Fungus in my body, especially lungs for months. Horrible cough. Right now much better but the resolution is not done yet. We discovered mold in the courtyard wall that spread into the house. We notified our landlady as we live in the beach community and we get fog, moist cool air more than any sun that pops up in the afternoon. The HOA will not cover. The Homeowners insurance will not cover as well. The stucco is torn down to the screet and lower framing and it is a mess. Now, she has to have construction done starting tomorrow that may carry all the way up the framing.

Here is the problem. If you have tile laid in a courtyard that is not code and it is smack up against the stucco you are in big trouble. There is no where for the screet to breathe and mold WILL affect the framing. People who have pretty gardens in their courtyard with dirt flush against the walls of the house or garage is also in big trouble. Even termite companies will admonish owners of that.

So hopefully this does not mean I will have a gaping mammoth hole in my wall and that the construction will remedy this problem and my fungus issue will abate.

Thankfully I have been on supurb homeopathics and herbs and supplements to try to remedy the fungus. But it has been too damn long.

[avid]

I have a powerful ozonator, lock down parts of the house (or a room), blast it for a few hours and it's cleansed, no bugs, no smell. This is used in old folks homes to get rid of room smells, in hospitals to purify sections, etc.
Surely this will kill off any mould spores? Ozonators are bleach-machines of the highest calibre, and I have used them for years, you can hire them, please try this in an affected mouldy home. Any views on ozonators?

[Marikins]

Extremely excellent advice. Please be careful if you remediate it yourself.

[latina]

Bill I hope your friend gets well son. Every time I am in need of finding natural remedies for anything my first source is always: www.earthclinic.com so I went to the website and this is the link to the section of mold: http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/mold.html
This is an example of someone sharing natural remedies for mold in this website:

MOLD RECOVERY PROTOCOL...
I suffered from mold poisoning and the problem is that the mold settles in the body so you have to detoxify it. The best method that I found was The Gut and Psychology Diet while also including coconut oil on a regular basis. As far as antifungals coconut oil is a great one. I also used olive leaf and organic apple cider vinegar. The ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar organic with mother) should be taken before each meal, a few tablespoons in about an ounce of warm water. Cooking in all of the healthy fats helps you to detoxify the fungus... And making the fermented foods also helps to restore the good bacteria. There is HOPE, the body can repair itself.

In addition to this, it is best to flush the liver every few weeks. If your symptoms worsen, do a Apple Cider Vinegar enema to flush out the toxins, detox baths, or you can also take activated charcoal with plenty of water. Repeat the enema until you get clear fluids, take KELP and other SEAWEEDS to replenish minerals that you are missing AND drink plenty of homemade juices before and after a flush, or plenty of fresh JUICY fruits to replace minerals. Also take unsulphured black strap molasses to replenish minerals as well.

Diet should be based on Weston A. Price and GAP, these foods will heal you and plenty of bone broth will heal. I get my meat through a coop, best bones out there.... The broths alone did amazing things for us!


Hope this helps, as I stated before that's my primary source of knowledge because they are people from around the world sharing their own results....

[Betty]

Recently we had some mold and came across this YouTube video. We had used bleach in the past only to have the mold come back. I believe it's in this video the explanation for this is that bleach only cleans topically and doesn't get at the roots. The product he recommends, "Concorbium" I've used and it worked well. Then we purchased a dehumidifier to keep the humidity below 45% and the mold problem has gone away. We also painted with a mold resistant paint.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj1WJFqos6Y

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[enfoldedblue]

hi I have also been dealing with black mold issues. Bleach is very ineffective and only bleaches it making it less visible. Some of the best natural solutions include clove oil and fermented vinegar (not distilled). However one has to be VERY careful when attempting to remove as the mold will pump out spores when theeatened. This is why it is often best to have it professionally dealt with. A knowledgeable professional will have suitable safety gear. It is so hard to effectively eliminate that some people move and take nothing with them.

In terms of treatment infrared saunas are very helpful. Alpha lipoic acid has also shown promise...even when the source of the mold cannot be successfully elliminated.

Good luck to your friend!

[Kari Lynn]

I would caution greatly a person trying to get rid of a dangerous black mold, with out proper knowledge or equipment to do so. My husband was trained (HVAC) to remove many hazardous substances. Some molds react to bleach negatively. In that it dries it out, yes, but then causes it to become even more airborne. If mold has become ingrained in, drywall or and wood, the materials should be removed completely. The material then needs to be bagged in heavy, non porous bags, marked and disposed of properly. And as some one said earlier, a negative air environment needs to be established before even disturbing the mold to remove it. Then the negative air has to remain in place for a period of time after removal is finished to prevent air borne spoor from spreading.

Medically, I have no clue of cure. I know that it has very severe symptoms, crippling and could even be fatal.

[Dennis Leahy]

My basement flooded 2 years ago, and some black mold was discovered in a wall that was removed. I have heard the horror stories of how hard it is to kill, and that the chemicals can leave your home permanently toxic (the cure may be worse than the disease.) I told the water remediation company I was VERY reluctant for ANY chemical to be used - even bleach - and that I wanted advance warning of what they want to use so I could research it.

I was very happily surprised to find that they had a natural, non-toxic, alternative, mold killer based on the herb "thyme." It worked very well. This was one of the largest water remediation companies in the US (called "Service Master Restore"), so it should be widely available (in the US, at least.) Sadly, one of the workers told me that the company typically uses harsh chemicals, and - because it costs them more - they only use the product made with thyme if the customer asks for a "green" solution.

[Snoweagle]

I was conducting a Mechanical and Electrical survey of a multi-storey building in London in the mid 90's. This was in banking. I was entering each of the basement plant rooms and ancillary storage areas inspecting the condition of the service runs for preparation for project planning. All the doors were locked and unmarked and the monster set of keys were a burden to sort. All was going well, slowly, and a boring chore that had to be done.

Then I opened perhaps the last door at the end of a long corridor. I was already experiencing relief at this being the last door. So I found the key and opened the door.I froze with what I saw. This building was a banking establishment so many of the secure areas were filled with nondescript paper paraphernalia or servers or plant rooms.

I stood at the doorway and my whole body bristled. My senses screamed at me that this thing was alive. It "saw" me too, I sensed it, I felt it. It was tangible.

I was looking directly at the buildings Macerator. This is a device that takes all the human soil waste and breaks it up into a slurry before it enters the sewer system. It was glistening wet, The concrete around it's base formed a wet sodden ring and so to at the top. There were three small commercial lights lighting this room yet the walls were black. And I mean black with mold. I turned and looked at the light switch I had had touched on entry and it too was covered. Using the keys I flicked it off and left. I reported my findings and continued my day.

That evening after a meal my health declined with what I had assumed to be the symptoms of Wiels disease which manifest as flu like pains but rapidly worsen. I immediately made the connection and made my way the the Teaching Hospital near Tottenham Court Rd. By the time I arrived I could barely walk. I was given some treatment and pills. My rapid response had saved me. The symptoms improved and cleared over a couple of days.

What was striking to me at the time was the bodies degeneration was so rapid. Just decanting this event here and my body prickles with the memory. I came across Black Mold in thousands of places but this room was definitely "alive" and it was kick arse frightening on recollection.

Dampness and water in a poor airflow environment will allow mold to grow.

[Snoweagle]

Mouldy old dough, 1972, for those of us that remember:-)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZRPK425wLuQ