What should I do about white feathery mold on stud wall in bathroom?

[Gary111]

Hi, I have had a longstanding leak in the bathroom, there is white feathery mold on the stud wall wood.

Also black and possibly brown mold on the inside of the plasterboard.

It seems to wioe off easily and the wood looks fine structurally.

What is the best course of action please?

 

[Gary111]

Sorry the pics are a bit distorted.

 

[^woody^]

If you have stopped the leak and the timber is still sound then just brush it off.

 

[Gary111]

thanks woody, I think that mould has spread to the plywood under the floor tiles, I have read that you should be careful to get rid of this stuff or it an spread more, do I need to lift those tiles and wipe it off ?

 

[Eccles]

If the timber is soft when you press something like your thumbnail into dry rot may already have got started. NB so called dry rot which is fungal requires the wood moisture to be above 20% for a long period the fungal filaments which destroy the timber fibres need the moisture in order to grow and eventually start to produce the white/gray spore bodies which you are seeing. You may get away with it if you thoroughly spray all the wood with a suitable fungicide and take steps to get every thing thoroughly dry but don't count on it and check if the timber has re-hardened so to speak after a month or so.

 

[DiyNutJob]

Bleach kills them all.

 

[Eccles]

Bleach kills them all. Very true but does not penetrate the wood.

 

[DiyNutJob]

Very true but does not penetrate the wood.

Penetrates wood like water dose. If the wood is rotted to the core, it's not penetration you need. You need a chisel in that case.