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moldy clay?

updated thu 30 jun 05

 

Rogene S on mon 27 jun 05


I recently used some porcelain clay I've had for about
six months. There were some small mold spots on it
which didn't concern me at the time. However, the next
morning I had a sore throat which has stayed with me
for days without progressing into a cold.

Now I'm wondering if I'm reacting to the mold on the
clay. I am sensitive to a number of airborne materials
. . . tobacco smoke, scents, latex paints, petroleum
based products, etc.

I'm carefully cleaning everything, including changing
filters on my air filtering system, scrubbing buckets,
scrubbing and vacuuming everything.

Is there anyway to get rid of the mold in the clay,
other than throwing the clay away?

Rogene Schorer

Steve Slatin on tue 28 jun 05


Cynthia --

I also am no expert, and since there are 10's of
thousands of species of mold, significant differences
certainly must exist. What I was thinking, though, is
that mold is generally associated with spores -- and
the spores are probably what people react to.

-- Steve Slatin

--- Cynthia Bracker wrote:

> I
> don't think mold on
> clay becomes airborne, but I'm not an expert.
> Cindy Bracker


Steve Slatin --

Frail my heart apart and play me little Shady Grove
Ring the bells of Rhymney till they ring inside my head forever



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Rosanne on tue 28 jun 05


Hello Rogene,

I use Paper Clay and it gets moldy all the time. If I am working with young
kids, I don't want to take the chance and expose them to the mold in case
they have an allergy to it and they don't know it. I spray Lysol on my paper
clay, wait about a minute or so and then wipe it down with an abrasive
sponge. Otherwise if the paper clay a little dry and is black/green moldy
all over, I take 1 Tablespoon of Bleach to 1 Gallon of water and take that
abrasive sponge again and wipe it down. I am allergic to Bleach so I tried
to use that option as little as possible.

Hope this helps.

Create, sculpt, fire-up!
Rosanne Sloane
Education Coordinator
Axner.com . . . A teaching company
1-800-843-7057 x231
rosanne@axner.com
490 Kane Court Oviedo, FL 32765
on 6/28/05 12:43 AM, Rogene S at saxony01@YAHOO.COM wrote:

> I recently used some porcelain clay I've had for about
> six months. There were some small mold spots on it
> which didn't concern me at the time. However, the next
> morning I had a sore throat which has stayed with me
> for days without progressing into a cold.
>
> Now I'm wondering if I'm reacting to the mold on the
> clay. I am sensitive to a number of airborne materials
> . . . tobacco smoke, scents, latex paints, petroleum
> based products, etc.
>
> I'm carefully cleaning everything, including changing
> filters on my air filtering system, scrubbing buckets,
> scrubbing and vacuuming everything.
>
> Is there anyway to get rid of the mold in the clay,
> other than throwing the clay away?
>
> Rogene Schorer
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>

Cynthia Bracker on tue 28 jun 05


I think the sore throat is probably a coincidence. Mold on clay is
actually a good thing and a natural occurence of clay aging. It is not
the same as the mold you get in homes that can cause breathing issues
or illness. There has been a summer cold bug much like what you
describe going around here in Kansas and probably other places too. Of
course given your sensitivity to other things, it is possible that the
mold on the clay is an irritant to you. Get some gloves to wear while
you throw to reduce the contact with you skin. I don't think mold on
clay becomes airborne, but I'm not an expert.
Cindy Bracker

On Monday, June 27, 2005, at 11:43 PM, Rogene S wrote:

> I recently used some porcelain clay I've had for about
> six months. There were some small mold spots on it
> which didn't concern me at the time. However, the next
> morning I had a sore throat which has stayed with me
> for days without progressing into a cold.
>
> Now I'm wondering if I'm reacting to the mold on the
> clay. I am sensitive to a number of airborne materials
> . . . tobacco smoke, scents, latex paints, petroleum
> based products, etc.
>
> I'm carefully cleaning everything, including changing
> filters on my air filtering system, scrubbing buckets,
> scrubbing and vacuuming everything.
>
> Is there anyway to get rid of the mold in the clay,
> other than throwing the clay away?
>
> Rogene Schorer
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>

pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on wed 29 jun 05


Hi Steve, Cynthia,


I was thinking this also...

If one wishes to be careful, one may open the Bag under Water maybe, in
order to instantly moisten the spores on the inside of the plastic and on
the Clay. Light friction, on that area of both, done under Water, would
assure this result much better then none at all.

Likely, a small moldy area in itself is not going to be of any concern even
to the sensitive, unless the spores are made airborne.

Once that little area is either washed off or merely smeared into the Clay,
it is sealed away and will do nothing.


Phil
el ve


----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Slatin"

> Cynthia --
>
> I also am no expert, and since there are 10's of
> thousands of species of mold, significant differences
> certainly must exist. What I was thinking, though, is
> that mold is generally associated with spores -- and
> the spores are probably what people react to.
>
> -- Steve Slatin

BobWicks@AOL.COM on wed 29 jun 05


Add some Peroxide to your clay and the mold problem will be solved.

Bob

bonnie staffel on wed 29 jun 05


I recently made up some paperclay and having read a post about adding a bit
of copper sulfate or carbonate, did so. So far, there is no mold or smell.
However, not having measured the copper, my first stoneware firing test
revealed a light green color that was a beautiful celadon color with my
white glaze. However, since I am planning on using this clay for pit firing
, the addition of copper can only add to the achievement of color with that
method. However, have recently heard that the bisque of paper clay is more
fragile than regular clay. I will test this out. I tried throwing this
clay and was surprised at the level of control and the smoothness of the
finished pot. I don't feel that trimming was that much more of an effort,
but did have to stop and quickly clean the ribbon tool and the Surform after
several passes.

Drying the mass after mixing is a bit of a problem for me by not having any
plaster in my studio. So have relied on the absorbency of my cement floor
to handle this part of the process.

Warm regards,

Bonnie Staffel
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
Charter Member Potters Council

William & Susan Schran User on wed 29 jun 05


On 6/28/05 12:43 AM, "Rogene S" wrote:

> There were some small mold spots on it
> which didn't concern me at the time. However, the next
> morning I had a sore throat which has stayed with me
> for days without progressing into a cold.

I've had a few students over the years have a reaction to mold in clay.
I had them wear a dust mask while working with the clay and be very careful
about allowing mold to form on surfaces, like on the piece of wood the pot
sat on while drying under plastic.

Mold on the clay is naturally occurring and the aging of the clay makes it
more plastic, which is a good thing.

I seem to remember Sculpture House producing clay to which they added a
preservative or something to retard the growth of mold. Some of my students
ordered this clay, but then one had a skin reaction to the stuff they added
to the clay.

You could always ask for new clay, sans mold.

Bill