You are not logged in.
Hi,
I just completed 2 pm projects that I'm really proud of, and I've noticed some faint signs of mold or mildew. I was able to get it off, and have applied a sealer, but I'm wondering if the fate of these pieces is totally doomed, or if there is something I can do, such as sealing them really well with a specific product. After reading many of your messages, I realize this wasn't the best way to go about it. I used store bought 'celluclay' pm clay. After it dried, I primed it with latex house primer. It is now covered with intricate designs that I drew and painted on. Please give me adice on how I can save these pieces. Also, I love how convenient the 'just add water' pulp is. If I add a bit of bleach in the future, will that solve me problem?
many thanks in advance,
pink pink
Offline
Hi,
uuuh, thatīs really bad! 
Sorry Iīve got no idea how to save them.
In the future you can try this: put a little borax in your celluclay. Someone told me that it prevents the dried pm from mold or mildew if it gets wet later on, so it can dry again without rotting. You can also use it in your house if you have mold.
Here in Germany you can buy it in every pharmacy. Itīs a white powder. It can be added in the wet celluclay or you solve it in the water you add to the celluclay.
I hope you can save your works,
all the best!
Christina
Offline
Thanks for the borax advice. I will definitly give that a try.
Does any one have suggestions on how I can save my pieces that are already completed?
thanks!
pinkpink
Offline
Right, let's see.
You've obviously got some damp around so the first thing is to make sure the piece is totally dry. Providing you don't have any plastic bits in the decoration, put it in an oven. The temperature doesn't necessarily have to be high. Something like half an hour at 60 degrees Centigrade should be enough.
If you think it reasonable, you could give it about five minutes at a higher temperature (180?).
To seal it, use a water based clear varnish and give it about three coats. It will waterproof it and the gloss tends to improve the appearance.
Hope this helps.
DavidO
Offline
You said you cleaned off the mold and applied a sealer. Dopapier's reply was right on... IF there is still some surface that is free of sealer from which the moisture can escape. For instance, if they are vases and you just sealed the outside and left the inside "raw", it should work. Bit if the entire thing has been sealed with some moisture still under the sealer.... it may be doomed.
Also, I'm not sure how safe it is to put latex paint in the oven, nor the sealer.
If it's a vase sort of shape as I described above, maybe you could use a hairdryer or something just on the raw surface. From your "speech pattern", I am assuming that you are in the U.S. At places like WalMart, Home Depot, etc, you can buy a product for drying closets and such, called Dri-Z-Air, about 2 cups of pellets in a plastic bag for $1.50 or so. It sucks the moisture out of smaller areas (not entire rooms). If your object is a container of some kind, put some or all of the pellets in a plastic bowl inside the container, then put a simple lid on the opening (doesn't have to be tight). DO NOT put the pellets directly onto your PM surface, as they are some kind of salt. If the container is fairly moist, moisture will collect in the plastic bowl of pellets, SO BE CAREFUL!
If the object is only sealed on one side but isn't a container shape, you might put it in a COLD oven with the bowl of pellets on the shelf beside it (or wherever it fits). DO NOT turn the oven on -- you are just using it as a container that will limit the amount of moisture both the project and the bowl of pellets are exposed to.
Check at least once daily. If any moisture has built up, you might want to discard it into the garage and replace with fresh, dry pellets. You can stir the pellets with your finger to see how much moisture has accumulated, just be sure to wash your hands afterward. If there are just a few spoonfuls of clumped pellets, remove them with a spoon and discard them.
Hope some of the ideas offered here work! Otherwise, you'll just have to write them off as a major learning experience. 
Sue
Offline
thanks for all of the tips.
Because I used latex paint as well as spray varnish on the piece, I'm nervous to heat it up, but I will bake my raw pieces a bit before painting them in the future.
I will definitly try the dehumidifying pebble idea.
wish me luck!
thanks again for all of the replies,
pinkpink
Offline