Solving mold and mildew problems on antique furniture
Antique furniture is very appreciated by connoisseurs due to its immense resilience and agelessness, but particularly for its unique looks. Unlike the contemporary pieces and furniture created by the modern industry, the antique furniture was manually crafted and all the details were vigilantly and seamlessly integrated according to the predetermined patterns. At the opposite end, the modern furniture is created with the aid of automatic equipment and from poor quality materials, in an effort to reduce the retail and production costs. However, it is necessary to point out that both the contemporary and the antique furniture pieces have a common enemy: mildew and mold formation resulted from exposure to water.
Not to worry though, you will not need to throw away your valuable antique pieces if you catch the mold and mildew before they spread throughout the entire surface of the wood. However, you will need to act quickly the moment you notice that such formations are starting to develop and the following guide will show you how. The first accessories you need are a couple of buckets. While one of them will be filled solely with water, the other one needs to contain a mixture of 3/4 cup of bleach and water. Mix the water and the bleach until they become homogenous.
The solution of water and bleach will be distributed on the surface of the antique furniture affected by mildew or mold using a common, but clean sponge. It is necessary to point out that the sponge cannot be soaking in water when you are rubbing the solution on the furniture, so thoroughly wring out all the excess until it is just moist and not dripping. The grounds behind this consideration is that you need to avoid the water adhering to the surface of the antique furniture and penetrating through the wood, as that will only create further issues, such as warping.
Furthermore, after vigorously rubbing the surface of the antique furniture affected by the mold with the sponge dipped in the water-bleach mixture, you will need to take a second sponge dipped in the bucket of clear water and rinse it off. Once you have rinsed off the mixture, you will need to let the surface dry and check to see whether there is any mold or mildew left on the surface antique furniture. On a side note, it is often easier to spot its presence when the surface is dry.
If mold can still be found on the surface of the wood, then you will simply need to repeat the aforementioned steps until it has been removed completely. Depending on the mold’s level of development, you may have to repeat the process a few times. In this situation, drying the wood using a clean cloth is advisable, in order to prevent the water from soaking within its internal structure.
In closing, removing most of the common mold and mildew from the antique furniture pieces can be done in your home, but for the more fragile or valuable types of furniture, the aid of specialized cleaning services is advised. The same thing goes for extended and stubborn mold, as without the proper tools you are probably going to do more harm than good.
If you are interested to buy antique furniture, do make sure that you visit a couple of antique furniture shops as different shops might have a very different set of products for you to choose from.
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