MOLD!!!! on my witch!

[She_wolf]

I am not sure what to do at this point....I have been working on one of my witches for the last month and I just discovered mold on her head. I removed her lips because she was growing mold there too....but the head section has already hardened should I worry about it spreading? Should I spray bleach on it or when adding another layer put salt in the mixture? Or should I just throw it away?
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

[GhoulishGadgets]

I'm not sure what mix you use, the brands are different that you use to what we get here in the uk.
I generally use just paper strips and wallpaper paste much of the time, as the paste has anti-mold stuff in it, so far, I've never had a problem - maybe you can get something similar and apply a painted layer of that?

I've never gone with the adding flour or salt, as I've always worried about rot and mold.

when I get built up, I then add fine plaster powder to the mix - this gives me a smoother finish, but too much causes cracking on the surface.

I use the same for making my mache-clay, I use hot water and paper that I've shredded in a waste paper shredder, mix this by hand (wearing gloves), once a nasty grey pulp, I add the wallpaper paste and change the ratio until I get the mixture I want.
The only down-side is that it taked ages to set.

Good luck, I hope you sort it.

Si

[GhoulishGadgets]

Sorry, Duplicate post - I must stop using the quick reply, always seem to happen, no matter what machine I'm on..
Si

[Bone Dancer]

What mache recipe are you using or what brand?

[morbid mike]

dont use flower if your having the humidity we all are having it will mold quick ...spray it with bleach and carry on ...I use drywall compound and water make it super soupy and it will dry hard it works great for me that is what my creepster is made of

[RoxyBlue]

If this is papier mache prop, the fact that it's a porous material means you really won't be able to remove all the mold even with bleaching. I work for a company that does (among other things) mold inspections, and when the inspectors see porous paper-based materials like drywall or cardboard covered with mold, the recommendation is always to remove and replace. You might not want to be so drastic if you've put a lot of time in the prop, so perhaps you could experiment with sealing the piece and then putting on a good coat of primer (assuming you're ready to start painting it).

Mold needs three things to thrive - food, moisture, and favorable temperatures. Papier mache provides the first two, and your work area will likely provide the right temperature. I've done a few props over the last couple of years using papier mache and have yet to see a problem with mold, although I've certainly heard of it causing problems for other folks on occasion here. I use a simple flour-and-water mix, and work fast (basically a day between layers - just long enough to dry before adding another layer, and I have never used more than three layers). Once the last layer is thoroughly dry, I seal the piece before painting it.

Mike is correct that humidity is going to be one of the biggest spurs to mold growth along with all that paper/flour tasty goodness. If humidity is an issue where you work on props, use a fan or hair dryer to help speed up the drying process when working with papier mache. My basement work area tends to be on the dry side since we use a dehumidifier, which probably helps as well and is not a bad investment. I also think using a sealant is helpful (although my Ghoul Hounds were never sealed and they are still mold free after two years:))

[She_wolf]

Thanks everyone I think I might just have to duplicate the head by using aluminum foil as base and paper mache it all over again....this time I am definately using wallpaper paste!!!! It looks like the mold maybe spreading to the next layer and that is already an issue.
I am currently using cellu-clay and this is the first time it ever molded up on me. I think it's because of all the rain we are having where I live.