Mould is one of the most common causes of damage to the home and the belongings stored inside. A little bit of water on the floor, moisture in the air or seepage through the walls is all that it takes for mould to begin growing and quickly spreading.

There are mould removal services that can assist you with removing the mould from the structure of your home, but what do you do when the things that you love are also damaged? Here, you will learn a few tips to help restore some of your keepsakes without causing further damage.

Plush Toys

Many people hold onto the plush toys that they played with as children or that their children held dear. Unfortunately, these toys are highly susceptible to mould damage as they absorb the moisture in the air around them and quickly suck up any moisture they come into contact with.

The best course of action to take to restore plush toys damaged by mould is giving them a white vinegar bath. Fill a basin with one part white vinegar to two parts water. Soak the plush toys in the mixture for a few days making sure that none of them rise above the water level. If you have trouble keeping the toys below the surface, use a pan lid placed on top to weigh it down.

The white vinegar will naturally kill the mould spores inside and with any luck, reverse the discoloration that it caused. After the soak, rinse the toys well with warm water, place them in pillow cases and run them through the gentle cycle of your washing machine. Do not put them through the dryer – instead, line dry them in the sun.

Photographs

Pictures can be one of the most difficult things to restore when they become damaged with mould, but they can be even more difficult to let go of when they become damaged. You can try to clean the mould off of them before giving up the fight.

You will need

• Cotton gloves
• Clean towels
• Soft brush
• Pec-12 Photo Emulsion Cleaner
• Pec-Pads

Cover a table with a towel and set the pictures out on it while wearing the cotton gloves.

Use the soft brush to gently brush each picture clean starting from the center and working your way out.

Apply a little bit of the Pec-12 cleaner to the Pec-pad and begin wiping each picture.

Let them dry completely and check your work. It is possible that this will have removed the mould that was growing on them.

If you aren't comfortable attempting to restore your mould damaged items, talk with your local mould removal expert for advice on how to proceed.

For more information, contact SLC Environmental or a similar company.