How To Get Rid Of Mold/any Shop Buy Used Furniture

[dean 5]

How to get rid of mold/any shop buy used furniture such as storage bed and sliding wardrobe.

[Topspin 1]

Where is the mold growing on that you want to get rid off? Wooden furniture? If it is wooden furniture, there is really only ONE safe way of doing it...Borax solution.

Using harsher solutions such as bleach and vinegar will damage your wooden furniture and the effect is NOT lasting. Furthermore the fumes from bleach is very harmful to your health.

You cannot buy Borax from any shop in Singapore (I repeat, you cannot buy it so don't waste your time finding it) Borax is also called Peng Seah in Hokkien and it was once commonly used on Chendol, Bak Chang, noodles, etc but it is now not allowed to use as food additive anymore. But I think some hawkers are still using it and they call it their secret ingredients.

I buy my Borax from the Internet. A 1 kg box cost about S$8 before transport charges (e.g. 20 Mule Borax brand). The 20 Mule borax are sold as laundry aid so DON'T ever use then as food additive. They may contain other non edible contaminants.

I would dissolve about 2 tablespoon of Borax in 1 liter of warm water. I prepare the solution inside a squeeze bottle and use it anytime to wet mop with a cloth rag my wooden surfaces reqularly or when signs of mold growth is happening. I don't wipe away the solution on the surface but let it dry itself and therefore leaving a thin residue of borax salt. I use to mop my wall and ceiling as well because mold likes to grow on painted surfaces. The effect of the Borax could last for weeks. If all the furniture in a room is cleaned in one go using borax, the affect is even longer as there are no more mold spores to contaminate the furniture again. For a bare wood surface, once the borax solution is absorbed deep inside the wood, the anti mold effect could last for months.

The other best way to control mold on wooden furniture is to switch on the aircon 24 hours a day to control air humidity but it is NOT an option for many of us who don't like dry air con at home....not to mention the electric bill.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Topspin

[boxerfan 0]

Any other solution beside Borax?

I have V-Hive dresser <6mths have thousands of greenish mushroom mold.

Wipe clean with dettol solution, came back within a week.

[blue_skies 3]

Any other solution beside Borax?

I have V-Hive dresser <6mths have thousands of greenish mushroom mold.

Wipe clean with dettol solution, came back within a week.

What about using alcohol to wipe it down and then applying a layer of English oil over it? (assuming it's a wood surface)

[EV-Disinfection 0]

Hi all,

For your info, mold spores are one of the toughest shell made of protein by mother nature,

and concentrated acids, bleach, vinegar, radiation will not be able to break these spores,

so for wooden furniture, try to buy those that are semi or high glossed smoothly lacquered,

smooth surfaces like laminates, plastics or painted steel will help you maintain your furniture.

Parquet floors or any glossed wooden surfaces (Doors, furniture....) which lose their glossy finish, will need to be lacquered again.

Another advise to help prevent mold is that if you are staying below the 6th floor, try to close your windows as much as possible, as the mold spores from the trees will be blown into your homes, and once the conditions are right, these mold spores will reproduce.

Borax is not available in SG for a reason. Because it is classified as a Poison and toxic, (Google it)

[Topspin 1]

Borax is not available in SG for a reason. Because it is classified as a Poison and toxic, (Google it)

It became a controlled item in Singapore a few years ago to prevent food manufacturers illegally adding borax into food items. In all developed countries like USA, Australia, UK, etc, it is still readily available in the supermarket as laundry aid and for cleaning kitchen utensils made of glass. It remains a permited food additive in some countries, surprising as it may seem. The older generation folks will tell you that dumpling (chang) will never have the same springy texture without a little borax added into the boiling water or rice.

But agree, anyone who intend to buy borax for the purpose of controlling mold and ants, please do your research first to avoid injury...and never use it in food.

Most ant/cockroach bait that you buy from the supermaket is also made of borax. I found out that mixing honey with a little borax is an excellent ant bait and will lead to the total destruction of the ant colony inside our house. The secret is the right ratio between honey and borax.

[marshmallow 0]

It became a controlled item in Singapore a few years ago to prevent food manufacturers illegally adding borax into food items. In all developed countries like USA, Australia, UK, etc, it is still readily available in the supermarket as laundry aid and for cleaning kitchen utensils made of glass. It remains a permited food additive in some countries, surprising as it may seem. The older generation folks will tell you that dumpling (chang) will never have the same springy texture without a little borax added into the boiling water or rice.

But agree, anyone who intend to buy borax for the purpose of controlling mold and ants, please do your research first to avoid injury...and never use it in food.

Most ant/cockroach bait that you buy from the supermaket is also made of borax. I found out that mixing honey with a little borax is an excellent ant bait and will lead to the total destruction of the ant colony inside our house. The secret is the right ratio between honey and borax.

that's very good info... can share what should the honey/borax ratio be?

[Topspin 1]

that's very good info... can share what should the honey/borax ratio be?

Ok let me try my best to describe...I use those tiny unwanted medicine measurement cups (volume of about 2 tablespoon) as the container and leave them in places where ants is seen. I would use about a quarter tea spoon of honey and mix with about one pinch (between thumb and fore finger) of borax and stir it until dissolved. I know this is not too scientific measurement but it did manage to attract the ants to eat without killing them on the spot. The ants would then bring it back to their colony and probably feed it to the queen ant. Within a week, I do not see any more ants in my kitchen.