Cleaning of Clothing and Personal Property Damaged by Hurricane Katrina
     
          Q. I recently found out that my house was flooded due to the hurricane and I have mold now. I'm not sure what kind of mold but I am guessing maybe black mold. What do you recommend doing as far as the furniture goes (cleaning, especially wood), I'm not concerned about the house because it belongs to the military and they are taking care of that. So, can wood be safe due to mold? Please get back to me as soon as you can because I'm leaving for Gulfport soon and if you have something for me to buy and I need to get it soon. Thanks! [Sept. 16, 2005]

         A. Buying what you need in advance of getting to Gulfport is certainly a smart move on your part. Read the following two publications: (a) the book Do-It-Yourself Mold Inspection, Testing, Remediation, and Prevention; and (b) the special report Mold Home Remedy Recipes to learn how to make your own mold-killing fungicides from non-bleach, readily available materials. Read the Recipes special report before you leave for Gulfport to make a list of materials for making the recipes. The report is sent to you by email attachment within a few hours of your order.

         Q. I am a victim of hurricane Katrina. What do you suggest I do for my electronics which seem only slightly molded on the outside.  Is there mold on the inside of my computer, stereo, tv, etc.  What should I do?? [Sept. 16, 2005]

         A. It is possible that airborne mold spores created inside your home by Hurricane Katrina may have traveled in air currents to enter ventilation holes of your electronic items. While wearing an effective breathing respirator, and while doing the cleaning outdoors, use cans of compressed air to clean out the insides of your electronics, by blowing mold spores out of the component insides.

        Q. My friend lives in Gulfport, MS, a city badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina.. Her fine antiques are developing mold on them. What is your recommendation for the best product to clean them with as little as possible damage to finish? [Sept. 13, 2005]

        A. Your friend should use Borax laundry detergent, a natural mold cleaner, in warm water.

Phil can help you fix your own property’s mold problems at low-cost, more safely, and better-in- results than what is done by many mold inspectors and mold contractors.  How can Phil help you?

     1. Read Phil’s five plain-English, mold advice books to master mold inspection, testing, removal, remediation, and prevention for your house, condo, apartment, office,  or workplace.

     2. Buy do-it-yourself, affordable mold test kits, mold lab analysis, video inspection scope, mold cleaner, and mold killer, for the  successful toxic and household mold inspection, mold testing, mold species identification and quantification, mold cleaning, mold removal, and mold remediation to find mold, kill mold, clean mold, and remove mold from your residence or commercial building.

     3. Get FREE mold advice, mold help, and/or answers to your mold questions, by emailing mold expert Phillip Fry at envirodangers@yahoo.com. You can also email pictures of your mold problems in jpeg file format as email attachments.