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Mold Removal/Prevention in Concertina?


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Hello,

 

I have a wooden Lachenal and had not played for a couple weeks. When I opened my case today, I saw some mold in the wooden ends and on the straps. I didn't notice it immediately, but still it was more than just a small amount. I used an old, soft bristle toothbrush to try to clean off as much of the mold as I could. I used a paper towel to wipe away the rest. I'm reluctant to use any alcohol cleaning solutions as the ends are wooden, and it's an old instrument.

 

My apartment has extreme climate fluctuations during the year: in the winter it's bone dry and I need to run a humidifier when I play and keep a small humidifier in the case; in the summer it's usually over 80 degrees with high humidity (average is 60%). We will run the AC in one room when it's very hot, but I usually don't keep the concertina in there. Any advice is welcome on cleaning; storage; and how to prevent this from happening in the future. Thank you in advance.

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A friend of mine had a Wheatstone duet which she said was totally unplayable be]cause of the mould inside the bellows. She said she was prepared to have new bellows made if that would solve the problem but before she took that step, could I do something about it. She is very sensitive to dust and allergens so whilst I couldn't detect or smell anything, I gave it a go.

 

I wiped the entire bellows internally with a bathroom mould & mildew cleaner - not wet, just a damp cloth to avoid (or minimnise) any softening of the bellows glue. I then exposed the inside of the bellows to a UV light for 48 hours (suspended a UV bulb inside the open bellows in the garage). Finally, I stuck a piece of ac tivaterd charcoal filter inside the bellows so that air would "wash" through it as she played.

 

This all seemed to do the trick and my "customer" said she could now play it without discomfort.

 

I'd be interested in more professional opinions but some of this may work for you?

 

Alex West

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10 hours ago, Alex West said:

I wiped the entire bellows internally with a bathroom mould & mildew cleaner - not wet, just a damp cloth to avoid (or minimnise) any softening of the bellows glue. I then exposed the inside of the bellows to a UV light for 48 hours (suspended a UV bulb inside the open bellows in the garage). Finally, I stuck a piece of ac tivaterd charcoal filter inside the bellows so that air would "wash" through it as she played.

 

What sort of UV source was that, Alex? 48 hours sounds like a lot if it was a proper UVC disinfectant lamp (i.e. the dangerous type that will burn your retinas if you look at it it). I would have thought more like 15-30 minutes would be adequate.

Edited by alex_holden
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Living in an old house in the West of Ireland, dealing with mould seems to be part of life. If it occurs on the wooden ends it is most likely growing in places where you touched it, feeding on the oil left by your skin. . Keeping hands clean and giving the surfaces a wipe (with a microfibre cloth) will go some way preventing growth.

 

Leather will always be more susceptible to mould growth in humid climates,  best to  find the least  humid and well ventilated location available to you to store the instrument.

Edited by Peter Laban
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1 hour ago, perspiration said:


I’ve thought about using these but my concern is you can’t really control the level of dehumidification. I’d be concerned about drying my instrument out too much. Is that a valid concern?

You could monitor the humidity level with a small humidistat.

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Alex

You clearly know more about UV than I do! Looking back at the Internet source I used, it was only 24 hours and I used an "ordinary" 15W Energy Saving Black Light bulb.  I figured that whilst UVC was "best" I could use an ordinary source and simply soak teh bellows for longer.  I didn't get anywhere near the light when it was operational as it was shielded in the bellows

 

Alex West

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1 hour ago, Alex West said:

You clearly know more about UV than I do! Looking back at the Internet source I used, it was only 24 hours and I used an "ordinary" 15W Energy Saving Black Light bulb.  I figured that whilst UVC was "best" I could use an ordinary source and simply soak teh bellows for longer.  I didn't get anywhere near the light when it was operational as it was shielded in the bellows

 

That sounds reasonable to me. UVA (black light) does have some disinfectant effect but operates much more slowly than UVC.

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