Been a while since I've been around, work's kept me on my toes the last few years! Anyhow, the same can be said for my gear, it's all been hanging on a hat-stand in the spare room in my house. Since I've been busy with work, I haven't had any visitors, so the spare room kinda stayed spare and unvisited.
I went in there last weekend and it seems to have gotten a bit damp in the watery-period that used to be called British Summertime. Mould seems to have been attracted to my holster and gunbelt, but that wipes off. What's more worrying is that my Fed Deluxe has small spots all over it, just slightly lighter than the normal felt colour. Does anyone have any ideas how to get rid of them?
Oh, just spray a little watered-down bleach on it - that'll take care of it!
Seriously, I would try a clean brush, relatively stiff but with somewhat soft bristles, and brush at it along the nap of the felt. There's a tutorial or something on cleaning your hats somewhere here on COW you could find in a search.
brush it counter clockwise on top and clockwise on the bottom of the brim.
how deep do these spots go? you may be able to pounce it off if they are just on the surface (500+ grit sandpaper). scout does make a felt cleaner product that may work.
Yeesh. The hat could be the least of your worries if you are getting excessive moisture in your house on a regular basis. The problem with mold is that it can spread through your whole house like wildfire. Brushing it off the hat will only spread the spores around.
You have to take care of the root problem first, which is the moisture in your house. If you don't have an air conditioner or a dehumidifier, get one-- fast, before the problem gets too bad. Mold can not only destroy your house but wreck your health.
You'll also need to do a thorough cleaning of any mold that is already in your house. Mold loves dark and dusty places and those are usually the first areas where the problem is noticed-- behind doors and furniture, corners, etc.. Bleach seems to be the best way to kill mold. Even after you clean it, thoughg, it will come back if the underlying cause isn't dealt with.
Don't tell me your problem isn't that bad. It can become that bad, and very quickly. I am speaking from experience here. If you don't take care of it early on, mold can cost you tens of thousands in professional remediation bills, and many insurance companies no longer cover it.
It would be best to clean your hat outside in sunlight, and perhaps have it cleaned and reblocked as an added precaution. Please don't take any chances with mold-- you might save yourself a lot of future headaches. ;-)
eazybox wrote:Yeesh. The hat could be the least of your worries if you are getting excessive moisture in your house on a regular basis. The problem with mold is that it can spread through your whole house like wildfire. Brushing it off the hat will only spread the spores around.
You have to take care of the root problem first, which is the moisture in your house. If you don't have an air conditioner or a dehumidifier, get one-- fast, before the problem gets too bad. Mold can not only destroy your house but wreck your health.
You'll also need to do a thorough cleaning of any mold that is already in your house. Mold loves dark and dusty places and those are usually the first areas where the problem is noticed-- behind doors and furniture, corners, etc.. Bleach seems to be the best way to kill mold. Even after you clean it, thoughg, it will come back if the underlying cause isn't dealt with.
Don't tell me your problem isn't that bad. It can become that bad, and very quickly. I am speaking from experience here. If you don't take care of it early on, mold can cost you tens of thousands in professional remediation bills, and many insurance companies no longer cover it.
It would be best to clean your hat outside in sunlight, and perhaps have it cleaned and reblocked as an added precaution. Please don't take any chances with mold-- you might save yourself a lot of future headaches. ;-)
Jack
Jack, I agree with everything you say, unfortunately the house was built in the 1500s and I don't think the builders installed sufficient damp-coursing to last half a millenia! It's been compounded by the serious lack of sun here over the past 2 years, and the fact that this is what I think you call a Landmark property in the States, that is we rent it on the understanding that we don't change its appearance. That goes for the flimsy iron-clad single glazed windows which to be honest I think are the main causes of the damp in the first place.
I've been out and bought some moisture absorbers and some extra cladding to put around the windows and external doors in the hope that'll stop some moisture from getting in.
Many thanks to all who've replied. I'll try brushing first, then pouncing if that doesn't work. From now on I'll also store it on the side of the house that gets "sunlight" too
agent5 wrote:The mold is a serious, serious health issue.
I agree, but it also depends on the type of mould. A lot of houses in the U.K. (and also in the Netherlands and other European countries) are several hundred years old, and with the wet summers we've been having the last few years, mould will be a problem in those houses. strangely enough you should be helped best with keeping some windows open: mould likes moisture and poor ventilation, so if you make sure there is enough ventilation mould will not spread as easily. As you live in a monumental building I suggest you should talk with the local monument service about what can be done to improve ventilation without losing too much insulation and raising your energy bills.
I think they would be willing to help you on this as mould is not only a threat to your health and to your gear, but also to the building you live in.
