Moldy apartment... What to do? How to clean? Landlord vs. tenant?

My boyfriend and I rent an apartment that has a month to month lease. We have been living in it for about half a year. When we moved in, I didn't see any mold problems... About a month ago I've begun to see a lot of mold developing in different areas of the house. The apartment is very old and has those old windows that are tall and slide up to open. The screens on the front windows of the apartment were missing when we did our initial walk-through and I asked him, (the land-lord), if they could be replaced, and he said no because they are hard to find... It is always stuffy in the apartment, and the only way to ventilate the front is to open the front door, which has a screen. We also have a 55 gallon aquarium with turtles. I'm afraid because of showering and the turtle tank that we are adding to the mold problem, or caused it?


The windows in the front always have condensation on them. I live in California so it's usually hot, but the way this unit is situated (there are only 5 units, single level) we are always shaded. Moss grows on the cement in the front in some areas. The mold is black and spotty on almost every window sill in the house. The bathroom walls are moldy as well as the ceiling. .......And to my HORROR, I was cleaning our bedroom and moved our dressers to vacuum and the walls and sills behind the dressers were FULL of black spotty mold. We have tons of shoes and I keep them in the closet, and most of them had MOLD ON them and IN them on the soles!!!! Green and white mold!! Omg. I threw away the shoes and have been cleaning the mold (and newly discovered mold) with 409 cleaner... But you can still see it in the paint.


Is this a tenant problem? What can be done about this? I haven't alerted the landlord yet because he is so flaky and avoiding of other problems that we have (refrigerator can't get enough power to stay cold, carpet replacing, locks, etc)


How do I clean the mold so that it isn't visible? I read about using steel wool, but that would damage the paint. What about health issues? I don't always want to keep the door and windows open especially when it reaches 105 in the summer.


And what if the carpet has mold??








........I know, I know, move out. But the rent is very affordable and we are young college students with lame jobs and lots of bills.





Is there anyone else that has had a bad mold situation and neutralized it? How??? What should I expect from the land-lord?





Thank you thank you!


I know, it's gross.Moldy apartment... What to do? How to clean? Landlord vs. tenant?
Below is a link the an EPA publication that will answer all your questions. As far as who is responsible, I would think that would fall on the landlord unless you are causing excessive moisture through some sort of abnormal behavior. It doesn't sound like that's the case. Mold can aggravate respiratory problems like allergies or asthma but normally doesn't affect healthy people unless there is an extensive problem and it sounds like your problem is extensive.


If the mold is as extensive as you say then you should not try to remove it yourself. Unfortunately, it sounds like your landlord wouldn't be the type to spend the money to have it properly removed or to fix the problems that led to it.


I understand your financial concerns but your health is not worth saving a few bucks. Move out. Best of luck.Moldy apartment... What to do? How to clean? Landlord vs. tenant?
mold grows when there is a lack of air movement, combined with damp conditions.


1 . use white vinegar and wipe down the sills etc. in bathroom and toilet.


crack windows open whenever possible to allow fresh air to circulate .


also if dampness is prevalent use a dehumidifier


it is the spores of the mold that settle then it attracts the dust ,