Mold in the joints, in the corners, on the glass blocks: it is now everywhere in Uwe-Peter Spinner's bathroom. He has been living in his rented apartment in Stuttgart for 24 years and doesn't know how to get rid of the mold. In the winter months he heated less – as was advised – to save energy. That's what really allowed the mold to bloom. What do you do about mold? And how well do anti-mold sprays really help? Market check SWR took a closer look.
Mold spray from the hardware store
Marktcheck takes a close look at six common remedies. They cost between 0.29 euros and 6.58 euros per 100 milliliters. The products Mellerud and SchimmelX do not use chlorine and rely on hydrogen peroxide. AGO and Sagrotan contain chlorine. Also the home remedies denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol.
Anti-mold spray in the test
All mold remedies are tested in a specialized laboratory using a test that goes beyond the manufacturers' standard tests. Microbiologist Judith Meider has been researching mold for around 20 years: “We have different modes of action of mold. On the one hand, we have allergies and we have not yet fully researched the system of health risks posed by mold or microorganisms in general. That means we’re still pretty much in the dark.”
This is how mold spreads
Mold consists of so-called hyphal cells. The actual mushroom body. Spore carriers grow from it with the spores at the tip. This fruiting body is then visible as black mold. The spores spread through the slightest air movement and spread the mold further. That’s why mold must be killed completely and permanently. Because they can trigger allergies and respiratory diseases.
By loading the video, you accept YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Conclusion: AGO performed best in terms of immediate and long-term effects in our test. However, the product can be harmful to the respiratory tract. Sagrotan also performs well in terms of immediate effects. However, Sagrotan has an inadequate long-term effect and also contains chlorine, although in lower doses. Although alcohol and spirits are harmless, they only have a mediocre immediate effect and do not last long. Mellerud and SchimmelX are also not convincing in terms of their long-term effects in our laboratory.
Source:
Market check SWR / Annika Erbach
Already read? The challenge of the flood of information in the digital age affects us all. Are we really prepared? Mimikama classifies: When texts, images and videos on the Internet lie
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )