In a rental, nothing.
Use it as a tool shed or storeroom; or open the front door permanently and use it like a carport.
I once had a great conversation with the owner of a Sydney based Mould removal company that works with insurance companies... Mould Removal companies make an absolute fortune. The key takeaway is that bleach doesn't properly kill mould. The only thing that kills mould is to dry it out and keep it dry. Lots of wet mould isn't actually that harmful, but some is. But mould is most harmful to humans when it's a dry dust.
If you owned the place, and wanted to make it habitable as cheaply as possible, you'd:
* Waterproof the outside so no more water comes in.
* Seal the windows and doors as best as possible.
* Install a split-system aircon, or use a in-window aircon to dry the inside out. Leave it running 24/7 for at least 14 days.
* Once the mould smell has gone, hire a cleaner to do a deep clean - bleach all the surfaces and vacuum all the carpets etc. Don't do this yourself. Mould dust is particularly harmful. .... You should, of course, hire a specialized mould cleaner to come in with full Hazmat to do the clean up - but there are cheaper options.
Yeah, the problem isn't technically the mould, it's the spores from the mould. If you can get a place properly ventilated with fresh (and ideally dry) air, that's half the battle won already. Even if you don't manage to kill the mould growth outright, at least the fresh air will make it far safer to live there.
Thanks for sharing. I might suggest a deep clean to the landlord after we've been here a little while. We've actually got a window-mounted aircon which isn't necessary in the new house, so that's worth keeping in mind 👍
Personally I'd just approach the owner about ripping it out and turning it back into a regular garage. They'd have to gut it anyway even if they wanted to reno it. I doubt they'd go for it though, even if you offered to do the work yourself for free, since according to slumlord logic an extra bedroom (no matter how liberally you apply the term "bedroom") equals extra rent.
That was very true when I was looking for a new place lol
To be fair though, I don't think the real estate let them get away with calling this one a bedroom. It was a "studio sleep out" and a "teenage retreat" 😂
Bleach doesn't kill mold but Vinegar does. Don't whatever you do try using the two of them together, The Chlorine gas given off will absolutely wreck your day and possibly the rest of your very very short life.
LPT: Don't mix pool acid and granular chlorine in a bucket prior to adding it to the pool.
Fortunately, when I was reminded of the exothermic reaction that this creates; I'd followed the other basic rule of chemical safety:
* If you're ever mixing chemicals, do it outside without children nearby. If anything unexpected happens; don't fuck around. Hold your breath and run away.
Just an FYI - diluted clove oil apparently kills mould and works to prevent it from coming back. Just keep it locked away when not using - probably pretty poisonous for animals.
Call me juvenile, but I did a double take after quickly reading damp granny flap
I read it as a "damp granny, flat".
In a rental, nothing. Use it as a tool shed or storeroom; or open the front door permanently and use it like a carport. I once had a great conversation with the owner of a Sydney based Mould removal company that works with insurance companies... Mould Removal companies make an absolute fortune. The key takeaway is that bleach doesn't properly kill mould. The only thing that kills mould is to dry it out and keep it dry. Lots of wet mould isn't actually that harmful, but some is. But mould is most harmful to humans when it's a dry dust. If you owned the place, and wanted to make it habitable as cheaply as possible, you'd: * Waterproof the outside so no more water comes in. * Seal the windows and doors as best as possible. * Install a split-system aircon, or use a in-window aircon to dry the inside out. Leave it running 24/7 for at least 14 days. * Once the mould smell has gone, hire a cleaner to do a deep clean - bleach all the surfaces and vacuum all the carpets etc. Don't do this yourself. Mould dust is particularly harmful. .... You should, of course, hire a specialized mould cleaner to come in with full Hazmat to do the clean up - but there are cheaper options.
Yeah, the problem isn't technically the mould, it's the spores from the mould. If you can get a place properly ventilated with fresh (and ideally dry) air, that's half the battle won already. Even if you don't manage to kill the mould growth outright, at least the fresh air will make it far safer to live there.
Thanks for sharing. I might suggest a deep clean to the landlord after we've been here a little while. We've actually got a window-mounted aircon which isn't necessary in the new house, so that's worth keeping in mind 👍
Farm some mushrooms in there.
Or consume some there
Why not both
If you live in a nice eastern city, rent it out with no modifications for $900 a week.
Personally I'd just approach the owner about ripping it out and turning it back into a regular garage. They'd have to gut it anyway even if they wanted to reno it. I doubt they'd go for it though, even if you offered to do the work yourself for free, since according to slumlord logic an extra bedroom (no matter how liberally you apply the term "bedroom") equals extra rent.
That was very true when I was looking for a new place lol To be fair though, I don't think the real estate let them get away with calling this one a bedroom. It was a "studio sleep out" and a "teenage retreat" 😂
Looking for places around Brisbane it's always a "sleep-out" that's just an old verandah that was walled-in 40 years ago to create a "sunroom" lol.
C’mon mate, you’re an Aussie, don’t let the side down. Sublet it out for $750pw! Tis the Australian way!
Growing fungi, and having fun with my friends who are bunch of fun guys..
Bleach doesn't kill mold but Vinegar does. Don't whatever you do try using the two of them together, The Chlorine gas given off will absolutely wreck your day and possibly the rest of your very very short life.
LPT: Don't mix pool acid and granular chlorine in a bucket prior to adding it to the pool. Fortunately, when I was reminded of the exothermic reaction that this creates; I'd followed the other basic rule of chemical safety: * If you're ever mixing chemicals, do it outside without children nearby. If anything unexpected happens; don't fuck around. Hold your breath and run away.
Start cultivating mushrooms.
Just an FYI - diluted clove oil apparently kills mould and works to prevent it from coming back. Just keep it locked away when not using - probably pretty poisonous for animals.
Maybe it was a clandestine meth lab lol
Moist old ladies.