I’ve been taking some preventation measures since discovering the frequency in which mold grows on EVERYTHING in Hong Kong - (you can read my previous article on “How to remove mold or mildew from HONG KONG walls?”) especially where I live on the island.  Just want to share with you so you can take them too and hopefully reduce the growth rate of mold.  I recently opened a box of wallets I don’t often used, only to find that 4 out of 5 of our wallets were moldy.  Needless to say we didn’t keep them, but it’s such a shame that wear and tear isn’t the reason for disposal.

1. Do you notice the little black dots on the filler around your tub or sink?  Well that’s mold if you can’t quite scrub it off.  We’ve tried scrubbing with 100% bleach without success, but my helper has a new technique that works.  You soak toilet paper with 100% bleach and line the tub or sink for 1-2 days and it just kills whatever bacterial presence is there.  Great technique at an economical approach.
2. Open your windows to let in both air and light.  As mold prefers damp and dark conditions, it’s best to have air circulating (even though relative humidity outside might be higher than inside) and natural sunlight where possible.  The art of convection (here’s where my Chem Eng degree helps) will hopefully withdraw some of the moisture off the surfaces of your home (walls, furniture, whatever).
3. Don’t let things suffocate.  By this, I mean:  Open your shower curtains to let them dry, don’t keep things enclosed in boxes all the time or if you do - open them from time to time to circulate the air, open your drawers from time to time and keep them opened.
4. Use a dehumidifier strategically.  I will once a week, especially if it’s particularly moist have the dehumidifier on rotation throughout the rooms for 1 night, swinging open as many closets and drawers as possible.  Some air conditioning units will be modeled with a dehumidifier as well and I don’t use hesitate to use them often.  The cost in electricity is far less than the replacement cost of clothing.
5. Take the clothes out to the dry cleaners every so often.  The dry cleaners tend to use HOT water and HOT dryers - by which eliminating both moisture and hopefully kill everything.  Obviously don’t apply this to clothing that can’t withstand heat.
6. Inspect regularly.  I’m a nit-picky freak when it comes to mold, because the spores they give off are harmful to your lungs, so I inspect the walls and clothing pretty often.   Don’t wait until it becomes blatantly obvious, act on the smallest presence of mold.
7. Bleach the walls regularly.  And when I mean bleach, it isn’t in parts, it 100%.  Do this on a day when no ones home or you plan to be out and then air the whole room out after you’ve bleached it all.  This activity both kills whatever is in existance and prevents growth for some time.

UGH, so yes, it’s so much work, but the toss up is that I don’t the problems of having a house - though I’m sure having a house comes with other problems.  You’d be surprised where you can find mold in Hong Kong, it just sneaks up on you and comes uninvited.  GROSS.