As promised, I’m returning to my parent’s dining room silk drapes that I TAP tested for mold with the EC3 Mold Test Plates a few weeks back. If you want to read the whole original post, here it is. After I tested them, and found out that they had a higher mold count than I was comfortable with–they cultured 5 colonies, which, according to the reading key for the plates, means that the mold can present a moderate risk of inflammation for low sensitivity sufferers and a high risk of inflammation for severe sufferers–I wanted to treat them with the EC3 Mold spray. I wanted to see firsthand how quickly just spraying the drapes and doing absolutely nothing else would take the mold count down to an acceptable level. I wanted to not be me, crazy mold-cleaning lady, and instead, be the average Joe, who would just prefer to purchase a ready-to-use product, spray it, and then trust it to do its job.
Sooooo…I had to really temper myself and hold myself back from spraying and steaming the dickens out of those drapes. I mixed myself some EC3 Mold spray, using the EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate and distilled water, per package instructions, sprayed the drapes once and made myself walk away.
My self-mixed spray bottle of EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate and distilled water.
Despite wanting to clean the drapes more thoroughly, I misted them with my EC3 spray, once over, from top to bottom, and walked away.
I allowed the spray to dry, and immediately TAP tested the drapes again.
The sealed EC3 Mold Test plate, ready for use.
I’m ready to TAP test the drapes, with my test plate unwrapped and ready to open.
Tapping the bottom portion of the mold test plate to the drapery fabric. This test is being done after the drapes have been treated for mold with the EC3 Mold Spray.
The test plate is sealed, labelled, and dated.
Then, I cover the test plate in aluminum foil, so that light cannot get to it, and label it again. Also, I put my watch next to the plate with the date clearly visible, so that my readers can trust my results.
I did not spray multiple times. I did not spray both sides. I did not spray or treat any of the areas around the drapes. I did not use any other treatment methods. I sprayed them once, in a cursory manner, and walked away.
The results of my 2nd TAP test after waiting the prescribed 5 days after testing (for more information on the process of TAP testing and to purchase the EC3 Mold Test plates, click here) couldn’t have pleased me more: the drapes cultured 3 colonies of mold.
A picture of my watch on results day, so that you know I waited the prescribed 5 days before looking at the results.
The first look at the test plates after 5 days incubation.
A look at the test plate from the back reveals a closer look at the mold colonies. You can see the 3 round dots in the agar material on the bottom of the plate.
Thus, they now present a low risk of inflammation, period. Not just for those with low sensitivity, but for anyone. That makes me happy. The product does what it says, and it does it quickly and with no magical application or fancy additional twists.
Next up in my drape TAP testing extravaganza…burning the EC3 Air Purification Candle in the dining room, where the drapes hang for 7 hours to see how drastically completely purifying the air around the drapes affects the mold count on the drapes. Experimenting is fun, isn’t it?
Stay tuned!
