Fix floor mold without removal?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

Is it possible to clean/remove the black mold on this floor without removal?

My daughter and I have been having asthma problems recently. When she sleeps in this room, she wakes up congested. When I do, I spend the first half hour at work sneezing every day. We moved the bed and found this. I had actually seen it before but thought nothing of it, it's a rented apartment and I didn't want to make trouble.

It's obviously black mold. Should I treat/wipe it with vinegar, tea tree oil, or do I have to get my landlord in here to take care of it? What can be done?

The only place that seems a little soft is the very corner. Everything else is very solid.

She redid the whole floorboards 2.5 years ago.

Featured Answer

rjs5134

10 years ago

The "shiny-ness" of it makes me think this is discoloration in the wood due to moisture. If you leave a wet material on wood floor it makes a similar colored stain. I'm not convinced your picture is black mold. I have a similar dark stain where my wife left a wet mop sitting on a brand new hardwood floor for 2 days.

On the other hand, if the floor is "spongy" in the corner and there is evidence of moisture, there is the possibility of a moisture issue. Regardless, given the location, if there is a mold issue, cleaning the surface has not fixed the problem. Mold grows where air flow is limited and humidity is high. Behind the wall and/or under the floor is where the real problem MAY lie.

IF there is a mold issue, the window in the top picture is the likely source of the moisture. The source needs to be fixed before the problem is fixed. If you really think this is a mold problem you should probably advise the landlord.

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Comments (6)

shlinder
Original Author
10 years ago
I sprayed it with 100% white vinegar from a spray bottle, let it sit for an hour, and just wiped it. No change at all, but I did feel it was a tiny bit softer at the very edge about 6" from the corner to the corner. I'll spray it again and just let it dry, like I read on the Internet until I hopefully get recommendations here. I guess I will have to call my landlady, but want to see if you all have any more advice of what I might be able to do before that. Thanks in advance.
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shlinder
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks. I have all the symptoms of black mold poisoning, so I have already contacted my landlady. She said right away that it is serious and she is sending someone over. Thanks.
geoffrey_b
10 years ago
It looks like there may be moisture inside the wall, and it's seeping into the floor.
jakkom
10 years ago
Never hesitate to report a moisture problem to a landlord. It was one of the most frustrating things about owning an investment property. Insurance companies come down hard on big/long-standing mold and moisture issues. Any smart owner realizes that fixing the problems sooner rather than later avoids a LOT of expense and difficulty in the long run.
User
10 years ago
Definitely report it to the landlord. If it is mold, it means a LEAK in the wall or somewhere that has to be fixed before the decay spreads and wrecks the whole place.

But that doesn't look like mold ... it looks like urine stains on the flooring that weren't removable. It soaks in, reacts with the wood and turns BLACK. And can make it soft.

Do not confuse the true toxic black mold (which requires a continuously wet area to grow) with the run of the mill molds that infest houses and causes allergy symptoms with their spores.