Black fungal growth on skirting board - what should I do?

[OM2]

I moved a cardboard box that was sitting in the corner of a room.
On the cardboard box were loads of tiny creatures.
(Didn't look like spiders or anything else I would recognise.)
Box thrown away.
We have a black stain mark left... see picture at the end.

How shall I treat and repair?
Someone said it's dangerous black fungus.
I should spray bleach on, wait 30 minutes before cleaning with gloves.
Then... dry with a fan for many hours.
Is this good advice?

Drying many hours with fan - surely this would put bleach in the air and would therefore be breathed on surely?

See below for the pic of the item.
Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Were the creatures woodlice?

you need to find the source of the damp. It might be coming from the floor. is it a concrete floor? I see some kind of laminate or similar flooring has recently been added.

What sources of water are nearby? Drains? Pipes? Radiators?

What is on the other side of the two walls? If an external wall, please provide photos, all the way down to the ground and including nearby drains and airbricks. You can add pics to your reply by "copy and paste."

 

[OM2]

Not woodlice.
Immediately next tot he corner we have a small shower and toilet - no signs of any mold there.
Flooring is wooden I guess - this room is an extension we had made 4 years ago to the house.
There is a drain underneath. No pipes, no radiators nearby.
The wall was the previous outside wall of the house. On the other side is the kitchen - directly behind is the kitchen sink and washing machine.
No photos to provide, would be happy to send, but no photos that would actually reveal anything.

EDIT: don't think relevant... but the cardboard box was from China!
I just thought I would mention. LOL.

Let me know what you can suggest.
Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Immediately next to the corner we have a small shower and toilet

probably an unseen leak, then.

provide photos if you want.

 

[OM2]

That's the problem! Can't provide pics of anything else!
Confused and worried about what to do now.
I've watched a few videos on youtube and am worried!
Let me know what you can suggest.
Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

photos of the water-containing things in the adjacent rooms, and their position relative to the wet patch.

For example, showers, WCs and sinks all contain water, as do their pipes and drains.

Look at the outside walls of your extension. If it has a wooden floor, there will be airbricks. If it is concrete, not.

tread on the flooring near your wet patch. Do you hear or feel squelching?

 

[Ihavenojob]

Was it these bugs ?
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/5-facts-about-silverfish/

 

[JP_]

Might as well get a utility bar and pull out the skirting board, if bad in front, could be bad all the way through - bleach and a fan might not be enough to kill off what is there.
Rot might go all the way through the wall to wherever the leak is - kitchen or shower. Or come from a leaking drain below if in concrete.

 

[OM2]

@JohnD
"photos of the water-containing things in the adjacent rooms, and their position relative to the wet patch."
It's hard to give actually. I've no problem giving photos! It's just that I would just be giving a photo of a toilet and a shower.

@Ihavenojob - no it wasn't these. BUT!... in the shower toilet room, these silver fish cretins are there at night. I've been meaning to do something for a long time, never got round to it. Something I should be worried about and take action to get rid of ASAP?

@Djangobanjo - take off the skirting board? Absolutely necessary?
Behind the skirting board is a solid brick wall.

Confused and worried now!

 

[JohnD]

It's just that I would just be giving a photo of a toilet and a shower.

you might also show the plumbing, and perhaps spark ideas of where the leak is coming from.

Tiled floor, is it? And the walls?

 

[JohnD]

And I seek reassurance that the floor is wood (with airbricks to ventilate the void) because I suspect that it is damp concrete.

 

[OM2]

>> And I seek reassurance that the floor is wood (with airbricks to ventilate the void)
>> because I suspect that it is damp concrete.
Just above the skirting board, I guess is concrete.
Actually... having thought about it... The whole floor maybe concrete. I'll have to find out about.

I took some pics just now.
See below.

Let me know what you think.
Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Which wall is closest to your wet corner?

Do pipes come up through the floor?

When was the shattaf installed, and where are its pipes?

 

[OM2]

There are no wet corners. None of the flooring is wet.
Pipe do come up from the floor.
Let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Probably a pipe leaking in or under the floor. Start with the ones nearest the wet patch.