Mold?!

[ghost of miles]

I pulled out my Duke Ellington Capitol Mosaic for a listen this a.m.--got it around '98 or '99 and haven't listened to it in a couple of years. The booklet and the plastic CD tray on the inside have a constellation of white snowflake-looking spots--what I fear may be mold. Pulled out some of my other older sets and found the same on the Blakey and the Andrew Hill. In each case they appeared on the cover and back of the booklet, sometimes on the black CD tray, and a bit on the outside of the box.

I used to store the boxes (w/booklets inside) in stacks against the wall of my study in our old, un-airconditioned apartment. We moved into a small bungalow about 5 years ago, and for the past two years I've kept the boxes in a tall, narrow bookcase. I have a window unit that I use in the summertime, as southern Indiana tends to get quite humid.

(1) What would cause this apparent mold to appear? Has this happened to anyone else here?

(2) How do I remove it? Goo-gone?

(3) How do I prevent it from happening again? I'm never going to sell these sets, so I'm not concerned about fiscal value--I'm just concerned about health issues and crappy aesthetic deterioration.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

don't know much here but I would get some Bestine for the booklets and all paper stuff. it's not going to harm the artwork and liner notes etc... no telling what some of the more petro based things might do.

as for the wdiscs and the plastic i'd go with some warm sudsy water first.

[RDK]

You didn't happen to buy this set used from or loan it to Aric by any chance?

[sidewinder]

The same thing happened to me with a bunch of my vinyl sets earlier this year. I have all of the Mosaics stored in cube storage shelves against a wall. Behind one of the cubes is an air inlet grill. The problem I think was there was not enough separation between wall and cubes with potential for localised moisture. Damp had started to form on the back surface of the cube units - adding additional separation distance sorted out the problem, to get a reasonable airflow through. Fortunately I spotted the problem just as it was starting - a rub with slightly damp cloth on the boxes sorted the problem. It didn't pervade to the vinyl inside the boxes fortunately. The problem was localised to the area where I have 5 or 6 of the Miles Davis LP sets stored. Funnily enough it only affected the Miles boxes.

Almost ones worst Mosaic nightmare come to life, especially when the first one you spot is the 'Miles and Gil'...

Edited April 20, 2005 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

I have a few records in my cellar that suffer from mold caused by exposure to the slightly damp atmosphere over the years. The jackets are ok, it's just a powdery substance that usually brushes off easily. The records are a different matter, the small round areas of mold cling tenaciously and often need two or three thorough cleans to get it all off. The surfaces never seem quite the same though.

The moral is keep them well ventilated and dry.

[doubleM]

This thread gives me the shivers!!!

[Brad]

Our house is well conditioned but I better check tonight because you never know.

[sidewinder]

Just checked my mold-susceptible area and it is looking fine. When the problem was originally discovered I moved the Miles Mosaics and in the offending area I stuck a row of French Pathe Marconi Blue Notes..

Edited April 20, 2005 by sidewinder

[ghost of miles]

Thanks for the advice, all. I'll give the afflicted boxes and booklets a good scrubbing ASAP. For the most part I keep the CDs stored with the rest of my jazz CDs, esp. if they are OOP--no problems there. We're thinking of expanding the house (esp. for that "Ellingtonia wing" ) and will be putting in central air if we do... hopefully that will help prevent it from happening again.

[sidewinder]

I think JohnS's advice about the good ventilation and avoiding naturally damp areas is the key. Good luck with the 'Ellingtonia Wing'. No 'Mosaic Wing'?

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Hey, isn't that the Ellington set you've been trying to sell to me? B-)

[Free For All]

When the weather gets warm and humid as it does in the midwest this time of year it becomes necessary to use a dehumidifier. Not a particularly expensive item, and it will help remove the moisture from the air. We have one in the basement (which is my "jazz cave") and it really helps. You can also get an inexpensive hygrometer (I think that's the word) to check humidity levels in the house.

[tranemonk]

When the weather gets warm and humid as it does in the midwest this time of year it becomes necessary to use a dehumidifier. Not a particularly expensive item, and it will help remove the moisture from the air. We have one in the basement (which is my "jazz cave") and it really helps. You can also get an inexpensive hygrometer (I think that's the word) to check humidity levels in the house.

you put your stuff in your basement? (The Jazz Cave...) I may someday have to do that (space issues) but I'm terrified of what would happen in a flood or even an inch of water....

Brave soul!!!

[JSngry]

You didn't happen to buy this set used from or loan it to Aric by any chance?

Too hip for the room, dude.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

You didn't happen to buy this set used from or loan it to Aric by any chance? 

Too hip for the room, dude.

If that were the case, the moisture would have triggered a massive growth spurt, and he'd be battling a field of Hawaii bud with a machete. B-)

[Free For All]

you put your stuff in your basement? (The Jazz Cave...) I may someday have to do that (space issues) but I'm terrified of what would happen in a flood or even an inch of water....

Brave soul!!!

No choice. That's my domain. It is a finished basement so it's actually pretty nice.

And yes, I worry about water. We did have some problems and recently put a sump in. I do keep things off the floor a few inches just in case, especially when I'm gone for a week here and there.

Another good thing about the basement is that it's far from the bedroom so my wife can go to bed early (as she does) and I can stay up late (as I do) and listen to music w/o disturbing her. Well worth the risk, IMHO.

BTW, it's currently 72 degrees with 45% humidity in my jazz cave.

You mean no one else here is banished to the basement?

Edited April 21, 2005 by Free For All

[Ron S]

You mean no one else  here is banished to the basement?

After hours, I'm banished to a virtual basement:

[chris olivarez]

The combination of moisture and music can be bad craziness. I appreciate the tips here and I'll definitely file this information away.

[A Lark Ascending]

Is mold the same as mould?

In the UK this is Mold:

http://www.moldweb.co.uk/

[ghost of miles]

You didn't happen to buy this set used from or loan it to Aric by any chance? 

Too hip for the room, dude.

Orange peels and glass jars. That's all I'm sayin'.

[ghost of miles]

You mean no one else here is banished to the basement?

I would gladly banish myself to the basement if we had one, but we're in a 1920s bungalow with a crawl-space.

It appears only several of my booklets and CD trays have been afflicted, so I think the Bestine/warm suds suggestion should take care of the respective problem--and I'm going to look into buying a de-humidifier. Once we expand and put in central air, I think things will be OK.

[ghost of miles]

Hey, isn't that the Ellington set you've been trying to sell to me?  B-)

Actually, it turns out that I've been seeing white snowflake spots everywhere I go... care to recommend a good physician? B-)

Edited April 21, 2005 by ghost of miles

[montg]

You mean no one else here is banished to the basement?

Your listening situation sounds exactly like mine. After the family goes to sleep it's just me and the cat down in the basement. But haven't some famous jazz clubs been cellars and basements? I like the vibe down there--I've brightened it up a bit with framed album covers along the walls, my own village vanguard or something.

[JSngry]

Actually, it turns out that I've been seeing white snowflake spots everywhere I go... care to recommend a good physician? B-)

[tranemonk]

You mean no one else here is banished to the basement?

Your listening situation sounds exactly like mine. After the family goes to sleep it's just me and the cat down in the basement. But haven't some famous jazz clubs been cellars and basements? I like the vibe down there--I've brightened it up a bit with framed album covers along the walls, my own village vanguard or something.

We're remodeling our house and I'm using the remodel to move all of my Cd's and stuff into a bigger space with my home office.... I'll love it until the bill comes and I run out of space... (Then I may be off to the basement)