Black Mould and the Battle Beneath the Basin

Everyone has a mould story. Some are mundane, some are full-blown horror movie material. Thankfully, mine sits comfortably in the “mildly annoying” category. But still, black mould is black mould.

As with my prior guest post, A Case Study: My Battle Against Bedroom Dust Mites. I'm on a mission to reduce my triggers. One such space was our kitchen. I’ll come home from a day of Healthy Home Assessing and start sneezing.

In my quest for a healthier home, I had to confront the damp little secret lurking beneath my kitchen sink.

The space under my sink is a bit of a Bermuda Triangle. It's where glass jars go to retire, and my water softener takes up most of the real estate. Ventilation? Non-existent. And because physics loves drama, the pipes started sweating.

That condensation created the perfect spa day for mould spores. Give it a few weeks and voilà. What was once a white pipe now appeared to have joined a goth band.

The Cleaning Begins

It was time to suit up. I'd heard from Ryan at Test My Home that mould hates bleach. Luckily, we've gone full natural with our cleaning products; we've been using a homemade castile soap mix and got to work.

Being a bit of a hypochondriac, I made sure to gear up: I had a leftover COVID mask, rubber gloves, and clothes I was happy to throw straight into the wash. I have no regrets.

I scrubbed every surface with hot water and soap, every. single. surface, and dried it all like my life depended on it.

To finish, I deployed our plug-in mini dehumidifier under the sink for a week. It pulled out about 150ml of water, which, honestly, was a modest amount. According to "The Internet”, a mini dehumidifier could be pulling 250ml a day! I should either be worried or relieved. You tell me which.

Tech to the Rescue

I used our shiny new thermal imaging camera to ensure we weren't missing any sneaky cold spots (aka mould breeding grounds). There were no weird temperature dips or pooling water. Just peace of mind and a few cool photos straight out of the Predator movie.

Verdict: A Mild Victory

My sneezing has reduced in the kitchen, and I'd call this first round a win. The mould's been contained, but the under-sink battlefield is tricky. There are many barriers, awkward pipe connectors, and little room to manoeuvre. So, we'll keep a close eye on it with regular inspections, quick responses, and maybe a little less jar hoarding.

Final Thoughts

Don't be like me. Check under your sink before it turns into a biology experiment. Look for cold spots, damp patches, and anything that smells like regret. If you have a dehumidifier and a thermal camera, even better.

About the writer

Alfie, our Head of Technology and Growth at Emerald Grey, joined the company with a personal mission: to improve his health and create a healthier environment. Passionate about well-being, he optimises sleep quality, respiratory health, and skincare.