Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:40:38 -0700 (PDT), deadgoose
wrote:

Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Get a spray bottle and fill it 75% water and 25% bleach. Add a dash of dish soap
if you want it to clean as well. DON'T spray anything you want to see as wood
finish, only spray the insides that will be covered. Let it sit about 10 mins
and then wash it off. Don't breath the fumes and don't use around children,
clean out the spray bottle as well. Bleach is nasty stuff but it sure kills
mildew!

deadgoose wrote:
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Disclaimer: I don't have any special expertise in this area. I know that
using a box of baking soding is common for a refrigerator. I recognize
that a wooden box is going to offer a greater challenge than a plastic
one, but what have you got to lose? Maybe if you get rid of the
moisture most of the odor will go with it?

I think bleach is also a standard way to clean mildew. Probably alot of
home remedies on the web regarding mildew. Good luck!

Bill

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew

"deadgoose" wrote in message
...
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Once you've cleaned it per others advice, put a good coat of
shellac on all the wood surfaces to seal it. Craft/wall paper will
do little to seal in any remaining odor.
Art

"Lew Hodgett" wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.
------------------------------------
Credit where credit is due.

The above is courtesy of Bob Johnson, a fellow sailor, who keeps a
bottle on board his boat, under the galley sink, ready to attack mold.

Lew

"deadgoose" wrote in message
...

Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fine suggestions, but you may not want to be putting bleach solutions on the
wood directly.

Another way is to put the trunk in a sealed container, or use the trunk as
the container, and put some bleach in a pan that is heated to about 200
degrees. The fumes will penetrate every nook and cranny and work just as
well as putting on the wood, without adding more moisture that could attract
more mold, or damaging the wood.

-- Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote:
-----------------------------------------Fine suggestions, but you
may not want to be putting bleach
solutions on the wood directly.
--------------------------------------
If getting the wood wet is a problem then tent the piece and use an
ozone generator that you can rent.

Just make sure you read and understand the directions for safe
operation.

Lew

deadgoose wrote:
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Since you said the *fabric* was moldy (no mention of box itself being moldy)
I suspect that just getting rid of it and letting the box air out for a few
days will do it.

I sometimes use oil of wintergreen or oil of camphor to mask unpleasant
odors.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 7/28/2011 8:12 AM, dadiOH wrote:
deadgoose wrote:
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Since you said the *fabric* was moldy (no mention of box itself being moldy)
I suspect that just getting rid of it and letting the box air out for a few
days will do it.

I sometimes use oil of wintergreen or oil of camphor to mask unpleasant
odors.


Although uninvited, going to jump onboard here and add...

Spray or wipe newly exposed surfaces with mixture of water & Clorox
Bleach (5% solution) before installing new fabric. Same treatment is
used in water damaged homes to kill odors from mold/ mildew inside walls
and floor joists.

The process of refinishing the chest will take care of any remaining
issues. If problem persists, add open tin of camphor to closed chest for
a couple of months, which should kill any further residual permeation.

HTH

--
Digger
Bob O'Dell

"deadgoose" wrote in message
...
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Wipe down the surfaces with Listerine or generic equivalent. Not only
will this work but it also has no risk of damaging the wood or color since
it is not a bleach. Let the pieces air dry. If you like, you can follow up
with setting the pieces in the sun but be aware of the possible bleaching
effect of sun exposure. I have not had a problem but I would not sun expose
cherry if I was working on a restoration or matching situation unless I
intended to change the tone of the cherry.

Good Luck.

"Baron" wrote in message
.com...

Wipe down the surfaces with Listerine or generic equivalent. Not only
will this work but it also has no risk of damaging the wood or color since
it is not a bleach. Let the pieces air dry. If you like, you can follow
up with setting the pieces in the sun but be aware of the possible
bleaching effect of sun exposure. I have not had a problem but I would
not sun expose cherry if I was working on a restoration or matching
situation unless I intended to change the tone of the cherry.

Consan Triple Action 20 is a fungicide that can be found at nurseries
though restaurants, hospitals, and stables have used it to disinfect
surfaces and eliminate odors.
I used it successfully to eliminate the "smoked sausage" smell from a chest
freezer that was inadvertently unplugged for several days.

Dave in Houston

On 7/28/2011 11:11 AM, Baron wrote:
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk.

As stated, Listerine is a good suggestion -- wish I'd thought of it --
and will work as well as wiping with 5% bleach solution. However, if
covered with craft, wallpaper (paste, glue, cement?) anyway, the point
is fairly moot.

Camphor or cedar chips placed in porous or open containers, stored
within for a couple months, should take care of any long term residual
odors. Potpourri from a local source would probably work as well.

--
Digger
Bob O'Dell

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:54:43 -0700, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew


I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?

On 7/28/2011 8:26 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:54:43 -0700, "Lew
wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew


I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?

I saw it this morning, and this afternoon in the grocery store I picked
up both ingredients ... got a shower I'm going to try it on in a house
we decided to sell instead of demolishing and building on the lot.

Damned economic bandits ...

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

wrote:

I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for?
Odor?

--------------------------------
Peroxide is an oxidizer which mold doesn't like.

Lew

On 7/27/2011 7:40 PM, deadgoose wrote:
Current project is refurbishing an antique doll trunk for my wife to
use for her sewing and knitting stuff. Dates to around the 20s.
Unfortunately, the inside is in pretty sorry shape, so the moldy
fabric has to come out. The outside will yield to some metal polish
and a little steel wool here and there.

The problem is, how do I get rid of the mold/mildew odor? I plan on
lining the trunk with craft paper, then wallpaper, as I have done for
a larger trunk. That should seal thing in pretty good, but still, I'd
like to get the odor out. At the moment, it is being dis-assembled,
and drying out on my workbench.

Any hints/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

/paul

Find someone that can sell you some anabec, and fog it inside and out
with your paint sprayer.

http://www.anabec.com/



--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On 7/28/2011 8:26 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:54:43 -0700, "Lew
wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew


I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?


MOST of your commercial mold remediation products are a high concentrate
of Hydrogen peroxide. I'm not exactly clear on how it works, but it
kills mold and has a lasting effect when left on the surface.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

wrote in
:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:54:43 -0700, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew


I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?

Both hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) are oxidizers.
Bleach is alkaline. Hydrgen peroxide may work better/slightly different
in alkaline environment (too long since freshman chemistry).

Because alkaline solutions (feeling slimy/slippery) may rinse away less
easily than neutral/acid solutions, make sure you rinse away any remnants
after treatment, as they may continue to eat away at your materials. Or
rinse with dilute vinegar (DILUTE!!) and then plain water.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Thanks! Those suggestions will keep me off the streets and out of
cheap bars for a while!

/paul W3FIS

On Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:26:21 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:54:43 -0700, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

A spray bottle containing two (2) parts hydrogen peroxide and one (1)
part household bleach works for me.

Lew


I haven't heard of that combination... what's the peroxide for? Odor?

Gee, I had no idea Lew was a bottle blonde...

--
Win first, Fight later.

--martial principle of the Samurai