Members isthison Posted February 15, 2010 Members Share Posted February 15, 2010 Alcohol's one of nature's best killers, maybe brush/wipe the majority off (outdoors), then follow up with methanol, ethanol, propanol? (Methylated spirits, surgical spirits, rubbing alcohol, you name it). If the fretboard's not finished it'll hopefully be dense enough not to have taken up the organism deep into the wood. Lemon oil and elbow grease? These ought to be far safer on the finish than bleach. Whether they'd be as effective I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted February 15, 2010 Members Share Posted February 15, 2010 Using Bleach to kill mold on a NON porous surface is *OK*, probably not the greatest thing but it's not too bad.Now people that use it to "kill" mold on drywall..and other porous surfaces it's actually one of the worst things you can use, because the bleach removes the color and gives the illusion the mold is dead when in reality the moisture you added seeps through the surface feeding the roots and makes the mold grow back substantially worse.Thanks, that's good stuff to know. I am wondering if cleaning it is even worth messing with right now. If it's in the wood at all you aren't going to get all of it from out of the pores of the wood and you are going to have it come right back as long as it is humid. Using any liquid is asking for trouble between being effective or damaging the guitar. The only thing I found that sounds like a possiblity is an ozone generator. They look to be in the $250 range though. I don't know if they really work, but you may want to read up on it. Depending on your collection's value and if you can score a good price it may be worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KevinTJH Posted February 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thanks a lot for all your suggestions, guys. I don't think they're any luthiers around here I know, I could maybe drop by my local guitar store and ask the experienced guitar techs. Alcohol sounds pretty good. So should I just get some Ethanol from a hardware store and wipe my guitar clean with it? The areas I will be cleaining are my pickups, floyd rose/fixed bridges and fretboard. Can I use Ethanol for all of it? For the moment I'm just gonna leave my guitars the way they are and count down the days left until I'm outta here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pjackson92 Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KevinTJH Posted February 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Here are some pictures of it. In the first picture, I've got a dehumidifier directly in front of my guitars, I don't know why the mould/mold would still grow. It is actually a mixture of dust and mould/mold, and probably more dust, but the mould/mold is still prominent when you wipe it off with a tissue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeadNight Warrior Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Move to Perth, youll never see mould on your guitars again! He'll never see civilisation again either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Send them to me in Colorado. Nothing molds, tarnishes, rusts or corrodes in this climate. Oh, and a soft cotton cloth with a drop of bleach and some clean water, mixed thoroughly, should kill the mold without damaging your guitar. Just wipe the bleach mixture quickly with a clean, damp cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members isthison Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thanks a lot for all your suggestions, guys. I don't think they're any luthiers around here I know, I could maybe drop by my local guitar store and ask the experienced guitar techs. Alcohol sounds pretty good. So should I just get some Ethanol from a hardware store and wipe my guitar clean with it?The areas I will be cleaining are my pickups, floyd rose/fixed bridges and fretboard. Can I use Ethanol for all of it?For the moment I'm just gonna leave my guitars the way they are and count down the days left until I'm outta here! I would hate to be responsible for any damage, and there may be a strong possibility of drying out the fretboard wood, but personally I'd feel confident using alcohol on the hardware. Probably with a toothbrush. The fretboard - if it was me, I'd brush as much of the mould away (remembering that this will likely cause it to send spores all over the place) as I could, then wipe the board with the alcohol on a cloth, not drenching it. I'd follow up with lemon oil. Maybe someone else can chip in with thoughts on alcohol on fretboards? I suppose it depends how much it bothers you - it may be risky, drying out the fretboard. But if you play it anywhere in future and it's still moulded up, you'll be the unwelcome spreader of mould! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FXR Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Depending on how well you care for your dehumidifier, it could be the cause of the problem even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jak83 Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Depending on how well you care for your dehumidifier, it could be the cause of the problem even. A twist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paradisel0st Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 To the OP, no problem. I had to do mold cleanup pretty frequently working in a dormitory awhie back that had severe mold issues. I read the information I provided from the OSHA regulations regarding mold cleaning and removal. Honestly on the fretboard I would probably do as another forum memeber suggested and clean it off with some lemon oil. Or just use Naptha to clean the board then reoil it with lemon oil (or whatever fretboard oil you like). I highly doubt you'd have issues with spores being left over alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zuzuman Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Kevin, have you smelled it to confirm that it's actually mould/mildew? It's hard to tell from your pictures, but it looks more like a corrosion reaction from the humid/salty air and the metal parts on the guitars. It could be both. I live in a humid part of the US, and I have had a problem with corrosion on a few of my guitars that were in a particularly wet room. I also had slight surface mildew on a couple. But I never had actual mold growing on the fretboard. Those fretboard pictures look more like a result of corroding fretwire. As far as solutions, docjeff's advice to quickly wipe any mildew with a bleach solution is probably the best. As far as corrosion, you will probably have to live with it if you are already doing everything you can to keep the guitars dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jayers Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Anybody considered the standard guitar cleaner - naptha? Also, you need to move the air around in your apartment more too. Stagnant air contributes to mold and mildew. Is this near a sink, shower or bathroom? If so, move them. Get a fan moving air across your guitar rack. I know sunlight kills mold, anybody have thoughts on light sources with enough UV that will work inside and not give him skin cancer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A-20 Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 Step 1: Fill bathtub and add a gallon of bleach. Step 2: Submerse guitars in bath and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Step 3: Scrub guitar with soft brush to remove old mold. Step 4: Give it another couple minutes in the bath. Step 5: Hang guitar outdoors in the sun for several days, but don't let it get rained on. Step 6: Tune up and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aliensporebomb Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 But Greg Norton is back to music with "The Gang Font, Feat. Interloper." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesway Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 i might be able to help i NEVER, ever let my guitars out of their cases unless i'm playing them. also, i keep a rag in each case and give them a wipe after i play...every time. another thing is that i get the big silica gel packs and keep them in the cases as well. ANOTHER thing is that i make sure my guitars are in GOOD, hard-shell cases that seal completely. and remember: a dehumidifier doesn't work against outside atmospheric humidity unless the room is COMPLETELY sealed. now, that was prevention..as far as fixing your mold-growth issue, i'd go at it with a dry cloth and try and attack it as much as possible....if you're talking about mold on the hardware, dude, get better hardware. it's happened to me on my cheaper guitars that use lower quality metals for the bridge and saddles (schecter csh-1) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EADGBE Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 You've got to to lower the humidity. I'd say to about 30% to 45%. Although 30% would work better. And don't use alcohol on your guitar. It could cause cracks. And it doesn't really kill mold. Check this website out: http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slidezone Posted February 16, 2010 Members Share Posted February 16, 2010 I use a citrus based product called "spray and forget" on my wood deck.It's citrus nature has a ph level that is unfavorable for mold/mildew.works good, non corrosivehere's the site:http://www.sprayandforget.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KevinTJH Posted February 17, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 I use a citrus based product called "spray and forget" on my wood deck.It's citrus nature has a ph level that is unfavorable for mold/mildew.works good, non corrosivehere's the site:http://www.sprayandforget.com/ This looks really good, should I give it a try? Thanks everyone for all your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jayers Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Naptha (You sure about it?) Yes, it is actually what Dan Erlewine says to use to clean up a gunky guitar. Removes oil, dirt, grime and general body gunk that accumulates over time. Lighter fluid works too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hshaitan Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Holy water kills mold. You should save some of it for science though. Maybe you can get a mold named after you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dega500 Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 I have a leather strap that seems to have a recuring mold problem. I keep wiping it off with a clean rag and it eventually comes back. A mild bleach mixture seams to have helped a little but hasn't completely cured it. Of course it's winter here in the south right now. That may be why it's seems to be better. FYI, Never leave your wet leather strap packed in your gear bag after a hot, outdoor gig. This appears to be what started my problem. Fortunately it only affected the strap. I usually don't even pack the strap any more. I let it dry before packing again. Dega Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seajay Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 But Greg Norton is back to music with "The Gang Font, Feat. Interloper." Does he still have the sweet 'stache? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cortfan Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 If you use Clorox or any chlorine laundry bleach, cut it with 50% water. Apply with a toothbrush, rinse with water, and dry throughly, maybe even use a blow dryer. Mold has to have moisture and lack of light to grow. Put your guitar rack near indirect sunlight or leave a light on, once you have removed the mold/mould. The black mold can be dangerous to humans. Naptha will eat the finish off of most guitars. Use only on the fretboard. Try in a small area before you go wild with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted February 17, 2010 Members Share Posted February 17, 2010 Here are some pictures of it. It looks like dust... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.