Stop Your Curtains Getting Damp and Mouldy
It’s time to bid farewell to summer for another year and start facing the reality that soon it’s going to be cold and damp for a while. As we enter those colder months and condensation appears on the windows, we thought it was a good time to share some tips on preventing mould and mildew growing on your curtains.
What makes mould and mildew grow?
Interestingly, it’s not directly the condensation on your windows that causes mould and mildew because most curtains don’t come into contact with it. Mould and mildew grow when there’s moisture and warmth in the home, which condensation does contribute to.
Just like everything absorbent in your home, as temperatures go up the moisture in the air evaporates and is absorbed into the fabric. As they cool, the moisture changes back from its gaseous state to being closer to its liquid form. In absorbing this moisture, they also take in any bacteria it holds. Repeated over time, this is what causes the nasty growths.
The difference between mould and mildew
Mould is a broad term that encompasses multiple identical nuclei and can grow beneath and penetrate the surface of affected material. Mildew is a type of mould that grows on the surface and can therefore be much more easily treated/removed. When its live, moulds are orangey or reddish in colour. The black patches we see are actually the hibernating mould spores waiting for the sun to warm them up and bring them back to life.
Where does all this moisture come from?
We live in a pretty humid climate in New Zealand at the best of times; in some areas it’s even greater. But it’s not all weather related. Cooking, showering, drying clothes, unflued gas heaters and simply breathing and existing all produce moisture content within our homes.
Preventing moisture build up and/or drying out your home
- Install a home ventilation system of some kind.
- Crack the windows a little during the day to allow a bit of cool air to flow through your home. North facing windows are best....
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.5% Yes
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14.9% No
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2.6% Other - I'll share below
Poll: Do you think the inclusion of affordable homes will have an impact?
Off-the-plan sales at the long-awaited $3 billion Te Awa Lakes housing development in Horotiu will start in early 2025, some seven years after Perry Group originally announced the project.
Once finished about 2500 homes are due to be built on the 90ha site, with a target of 10% “affordable” homes being maintained. More than 5000 people are expected to live at the development once finished.
Do you think the inclusion of affordable homes will have an impact? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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0% Yes
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0% Maybe
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0% No
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
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