Fighting Mold in Windows and on Blinds

It sounds like it needs some major fixing the window ceil and or drywall to be replaced, painted and caulked.If near a bathroom a fan may need to be replaced or installed. Put in a fix it order to your landlord. That way he will also know the blinds are not your fault. Put it in writting take a picture for you and him if you can and keep copies of both for yourself. By law he has to fix it. I know I am a land lord. Mold is a big issue here in Ca. There are codes he has to fallow. Don't try to fix it yourself. It will transfer the liability onto you. If he won't fix it. Call the renters rights board. Blue pages in your phone book. They will tell you what to do next. If you can't find it there, a big property management company will give you the number. Goodluck to you.

Bring the issue to the property management team. They should take care of it for you.

We fought for 2 years about mold in our master bathroom. They tried to blame it on us, saying we weren't cleaning our bathrooms (i am a fanatic and clean them almost daily), that we werent using the "fan" (which really doesnt work) etc, only to find out that there was a water leak behind the wall causing the mold. We ended up with a new shower after that!

Good Luck!

I also live in Rio Dell and it may just be that your windows are not up to code. Many of the houses and apartments here are old and have single paned windows that haven't been upgraded. I had my windows replaced with double paned ones and guess what...no more mold in the window tracks and surrounding areas!

R.,
When we lived in apts. we used to have the same problem.
I would cover things in old towels for protection then spray tilex mold and mildew onto the things that had the problem---windows and blinds. Then wipe it all down. I only had to do it about every 3 weeks after that, and hardly at all in summer. I would also check your air filter and see what it looks like. It may be clogged. Find out if it is your responsibility to provide the new one or the complex does....they should be changed every 30 days. We go by the first every month. good luck, W.

Hi R.,

All other advise is good. I've lived in places where this was a constant issue and so you may want to stock up on the Lysol. This will help keep the allergies and mold under control.

I would suggest that you also visit this web site: www.RentLaw.com.

There's a link for California mold that I found very helpful in proper clean up, etc. While you may not need it, it also explains your rights as a tenant and what your landlord's responsibilities are; 'cause you never know.

Good Luck!
CM

This is kind of a complicated issue. I used to be a housing inspector and had to learn some about mould. You should try and improve the air circulation in your apartment. The mould growth comes in part from accumulation of moisture during the night. This is hard during the winter months, but try and increase circulation by keeping some windows open whenever possible, using your shower fan during shower use, and using your stove fan while you're cooking. From a security standpoint, use window locks to secure your windows in a partially open position. I'd recommend contacting your local public health department and asking for city resources on this. It sounds like you potentially have a somewhat serious mould problem, which could pose health problems for you and your family, depending on some of your own physiological predispositions. Do take this seriously. Using bleach seems like a good idea, but as you've discovered, isn't necessarily effective. Moreover, frequent bleach in an environment is also not necessarily healthy either. I don't mean to sound like a downer. When you contact your local health department, do mention of course that you have a child. That will perhaps encourage them to put you more speedily in touch with the right people. good luck.

I'm a property manager in northern ca. Every winter the apartments have the moisture issue. Mold only grows where bacteria and moisture are present. All you can do is keep things dry and clean to the best of your ability and be thankful it's just a temporary seasonal problem. When it's warmer in your apartment than it is outside condensation naturally is going to occur. Running small fans throughout your unit does help keep the air circulating and alleviates the problem some but not entirely. Just keep on top of it as best you can. Make sure you mention it to your manager, chances are your manager has the same problem in her/his unit as well. Like I said earlier, it's temporary in the winter months and just try your best to stay on top of it. There's a product called "rain-x" for windshields, I havent tried it on my blinds yet, but I've heard it helps. You just wipe it on and it makes moisture bead up and is easier to wipe off. Good luck.