Mold/Mildew on Uniforms, Helmet liners and Hats

[Rolf D.]

Hey guys, I am in need of some good solid advice. I have a large collection of helmets, uniforms and hats at my parent's house and for some reason they develop a light mold/mildew on them.

I haven't lived at home for around nine years, but have kept my collection at my parent's house due to space constraints at my current house. I will be leaving the state for 4.5 months for training and will be unable to even visit to clean/maintain my collection, and as it is, my collection is nearly three hours away.

What I need to know is how to keep the mold and mildew from forming on the hats, helmet liners and the uniforms. My brother says that the door to my room is left open, so it isn't so much as my collection is sealed up, but rather probably doesn't get dry/fresh air circulating through it often, if at all.

I have thousands invested in this collection and don't want to see it ruined due to something like this. I have been collecting this stuff for 15 years and have many nice, hard to find items.

Thank you for your input. I appreciate it.

[Shawn Southern]

Mold....

Mold (fungi) is an issue related to moisture. Are you sure it's mold? If so, I would strongly suggest you check the relative humidity levels in your room over a period of time. Fungal spores only need three things to grow, two of which are found in every home (proper temperature range and food...dust, gypsum wallboard paper, etc. ) The third variable is the only one you can control - available moisture. Relative humidity conditions typically greater than around 60% for even a short period of time are conducive to the fungus proliferating.

First thing to do though is to make sure you are dealing with mold and not something else (such as debris coming from an overhead heat/AC diffuser).

If a humidity issue, I would strongly suggest buying a dehumidifier capable of reducing the moisture in your house.

Good luck.

Shawn

[bodes]

I would say buy something like Silica gel or Damp Rid.....The silica gel is found in packets in store bought shoes and used to keep them dry.....The Damp Rid is a commercial brand chemical used to do the same thing......I use the silica gel in larger packets to keep moisture out of my gun cabinet.....Again another option might be a de-humidifier......Bodes

[fader107]

I had 3-4 helmets in my basement all year and I picked them up just yesterday to find the liners had a layer of white & green crap (mold? No idea)

Good news is it all wiped right off with rag.

I moved them to the attic where it's freezing cold!

Thinking that's also a bad idea...

[Paul.B.]

I would say buy something like Silica gel or Damp Rid.....The silica gel is found in packets in store bought shoes and used to keep them dry.....The Damp Rid is a commercial brand chemical used to do the same thing......I use the silica gel in larger packets to keep moisture out of my gun cabinet.....Again another option might be a de-humidifier......Bodes

I agree Bodes
I also had this problem a few years ago.
Just remember that some of these product can become the problem if
they are not replaced when they have done the job they are supposed to do.
Always keep a note of the shelf life of these products.

[Adam S.]

Mike - the cold attic is also bad for your helmets. Extreme temperatures and fluctuations will cause issues.

I run a dehumidifier all summer long 24 hours a day in my war room. Kills the electric bill but preserves the items.

[fader107]

Thanks Adam,
I figured as much. I'm having trouble finding a good spot as the wife wants them out of sight!

[fader107]

Thanks Adam,
I figured as much. I'm having trouble finding a good spot as the wife wants them out of sight!