Mold Disaster

[vram1974]

I put all my climbing gear in my shed for the winter and went to check on it recently and found a white mold had grown over most of it, including my trad gear and crash pads.

Am I screwed? Do I have to throw all this stuff out?

Obviously climbing on gear that had mold living on it would sketch anybody out. But the crash pads. Surely some of you guys in Squamish have had to deal with this before?

Tips?

[smallman]

I think I would be less worried about the trad gear and more worried about the crash pads. You can wash the slings with zero in the tub and gear itself is metal. But the mold and associated spores in crash pads are going to contaminate your house and air every time you land on them or move them around.

Good Luck.

[rolfr]

A mixture of bleach and water sprayed on your crash pad will kill the spores. They are not potentially toxic until the mold drys and the spores become airborne. I agree wash your slings and gear.

Mold is a bit of an alarmist issue these days, the forests are full of molds and spores and always have been. Fixed draws also have the potential to carry mould and spores, but i will still clip them and gladly grab them when the need arises.

Rolf

[rolfr]

A mixture of bleach and water sprayed on your crash pad will kill the spores. They are not potentially toxic until the mold drys and the spores become airborne. I agree wash your slings and gear.

Mold is a bit of an alarmist issue these days, the forests are full of molds and spores and always have been. Fixed draws also have the potential to carry mould and spores, but i will still clip them and gladly grab them when the need arises.

Rolf

[Dru]

once clean, stick the crashpad under the bed so it stays warm and dry,
and take up mixed climbing so the rest of your rack and gear gets used all winter