Like Us
Follow @dogster
Google +1 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Contact Us
Forums Home » Dogs and a Clean Home
GO!

Help! Mildew/mold.

This forum is for discussing all topics related to the challenges (and joys!) of keeping your house clean while living with dogs. Here you can share tips, recommendations for products and techniques, and more!

  
Sanka

The ground is my- newspaper.		 
 
Barked: Fri Aug 12, '11 8:19am PST 
So, I was cleaning out the dog house today and found out that some mildew and/or mold has grown on the bottom in the inside on the wood. I have the inside completely stained. This is a first, and I know why. Because of the heat, the dogs have been getting hosed down. Kato is in love with his dog house and would go in their soaking wet even in the heat. Wet + heat + inside a dog house = BAD!

I've got all the beds and stuff in the washer now. But I'm having problems with 2 things. I've been doing online searches, but there's so many results my head is spinning. If anyone knows of another more specific forum or website, please feel free to link me to it!

The main problem is the growth on the wood. I'm not 100% sure how to get it off without damaging the wood. I've read something about salt and lemon juice...but that was more for like movable objects and you had to set it out in the sun to dry...I don't know, but I can not move this dog house. I have the roof opened up to help circulate the air and dry it out.

My second problem is the beds. I have the outer covers in the washer, but the main portion of it, that egg crate type foam, is dirty. I'm not sure if it is just dirt or mold/mildew. I'm not sure how to clean these things! Soaked them in water and squeezed them out, but they still seem kind of dirty.

I'm just not sure what to use that won't damage it or what to use that won't cause harm to the dogs via lingering within the dog house while they sleep.

Also, I'm trying to find ways to prevent this from happening again in terms of things I could possibly spray on the wood. This is a fast growing mold. It only takes like 48 hours, so cleaning every 2 days is a big hassle.

Also, any ideas on possibly making the beds a little more waterproof. Maybe like some plastic on the inside or something? I splurged and bought them these new beds, so I've never dealt with this material before. I've never had a bed soak up so much dirt!
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Tanuk, CGC

Sherpa Tanuk of- Everest		 
 
Barked: Fri Aug 12, '11 9:46am PST 
Yikes. My only suggestion was bleach or Clorox Clean-up. That's what we used at the kennel, and I used it on some hardwoods in the closet that had mold on them. Didn't notice any issues, and Clorox Clean-up would be easy to spritz and wipe up every now and then. As for the beds, not sure what size they are, but could you get one of those "waterproof" crib covers and just zip it around the beds? Then it'd be easy to wipe the cover off too.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Lucille

I am the Sock- Bandit!!!		 
 
Barked: Fri Aug 12, '11 10:26am PST 
Bleach, sunshine, vinegar all effectively kill mold. Up to you as to what is the easiest way to apply them there. As long as you leave some time for the dog house to air out, bleach won't hurt your puppers. You could point a fan in there to help things along if it's not too far from electricity.rnrnTanuk has a good idea on the crib mattress cover. Maybe that will be enough to keep the bedding dry in there.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]

Sanka

The ground is my- newspaper.		 
 
Barked: Fri Aug 12, '11 11:25am PST 
Thanks guys. I went out and bought some Mr. Clean spray bleach specifically for mildew and some regular ole bleach.

The stain is still in the wood though after using it.frown

I can't get it into the sunshine. It's too big and heavy. It is on the deck under the shade of a tree. Everything else is out drying in the sun though.

Thanks for the idea of the mattress covers. I'll look into that. I wish I was more handy at sewing because I've actually got 4 beds in the doghouse. They're too thin on their own, so I doubled them up for each dog. I would really like to combine the insides to make 2 separate beds instead of dealing with 4.

Edited by author Fri Aug 12, '11 11:25am PST

my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Fritz

Fritz, cats are- fun when they- run
 
 
Barked: Fri Aug 12, '11 7:11pm PST 
Vinegar doesn't damage leather. Use white vinegar so your dog house doesn't smell like a brewery.

Bleach will kill the mold and may bleach out some of the stain, it is more potentially damaging, but so is mold.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Pepper

Got food? I- can be bought ya- know....		 
 
Barked: Sun Aug 14, '11 1:36pm PST 
And put new dog houses on the list....

I looked into building a house for Pepper as she likes being outside a lot. My research concluded:

Use Maintenance free material for floors (and maybe walls) to prevent rot, mold and mildew, also easy to clean, will not absorb moisture or odors. Use wood and shingles for roofing for ventilation.

Insulate floor if using maint. free material, double layer of materials to keep house warm in winter, cool in summer.

Raise the house and use a raised "threshold" to keep pest and water from getting in.

Roof should be peaked (either center or one sided), hinged and removable, with generous overhang. For easy cleaning and added ventilation in the hot weather.

A removable door flap for winter use.

Adding vent fans for summer and heat for winter. **This ranged everywhere from full heat and A/C to solar, to simple vent or heat pads.

Something tells me this isn't cheap, didn't look!
K-9 Comfort Cottage

snoopy
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Sanka

The ground is my- newspaper.		 
 
Barked: Sun Aug 14, '11 6:05pm PST 
Pepper, this dog house isn't even a year old yet!

Nope, wasn't cheap. It is fully insulated, twice elevated...has it's own risers but also sits up on a deck that is elevated off the ground too. Shingles for roofing, flaps for the winter, fully stained inside and out.

But it was built with cold weather in mind. For heat, the dogs have other spots.

Old pic when it was first built.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Pepper

Got food? I- can be bought ya- know....		 
 
Barked: Sun Aug 14, '11 10:06pm PST 
Wow, it's huge and looks great.

Now how to add ventilation or some way of drying it out so you don't have a repeated mold and mildew problem. ??shrugshrug

Momma wants to build me a tree house cause I like to be up high. And she calls me "monkey". BOL!
dancing
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]


Member Since
09/19/2012		 
 
Barked: Wed Sep 19, '12 4:38am PST 
Mold and mildew can be easily removed by using vinegar. In future make sure that your living place must be well ventilated so that, it keeps air dry and hence no mold will form. While removing mold use mask and gloves.

mold remediation great neck
my posts [notify]