Removing mould inside bubble?

[edd_jedi]

My latest MOC purchase has an unwanted visitor inside the bubble... some white mould! It looked like sticker residue on the bubble in the photos when I bought it, but I can't really send it back as it was in the photos (although you would think the seller would mention it.)

Anyway, I have successfully removed 'frosting' from figures inside bubbles by putting them in the sun before, has anyone had success removing mould on a card similar to this?

 

[lejackal]

I imagine the same technique would be worth a try. I've not had to do it though

 

[Robstyley]

The bubble prob has a tiny hole or crack in it. You get mould from moisture and a low temperature. If a bubbles completely sealed moisture shouldn't be able to get in there. A warm temperature may help to dry it out inside, don't know if the white mould will completely disappear though.

 

[poncho]

The sun will harden it and kill it potentially but that needs physically removing

 

[Snaketibe]

My latest MOC purchase has an unwanted visitor inside the bubble... some white mould! It looked like sticker residue on the bubble in the photos when I bought it, but I can't really send it back as it was in the photos (although you would think the seller would mention it.)

Anyway, I have successfully removed 'frosting' from figures inside bubbles by putting them in the sun before, has anyone had success removing mould on a card similar to this?

IMG_1571.jpeg

I agree with Poncho. I believe the mould would need physically removing, even if you managed to dry it out and kill it either with sunlight or heating the back of the card with a hair dryer (although I believe it would wipe off far more easily and completely if it could be done whilst it was still alive and moist, but of course that's impossible with a T-L bubble unless you open it).

However, mould inside the bubble is one hell of a lot more serious than sticker residue on top of it, and the seller had an absolute obligation to highlight it prior to the sale, in my opinion. All the more so if the photos weren't sufficiently clear or hi-res enough to properly identify the mould for what it was. Sticker residue on bubbles is fairly common and easily removed. Mould growing on the card behind them certainly is not, and as such I believe you have a perfect right to return it for a full refund. I know I bloody would!

Best of luck.

Jeremy

 

[edd_jedi]

Sadly you guys may be right. Here is the photo from the ad, as you ca see the reflection makes it look like it's on top of the bubble. I bought it on Facebook, no mention of the mould in the description. I am going to try sunlight tomorrow (assuming there is any :lol: ) but if it won't fry off I may have to think about contacting the seller again as I don't want to open it, and it certainly looks way worse in reality than it does in the below photo.

 

[Grant_C]

Can you locate any gap/crack on the bubble?

 

[edd_jedi]

Can you locate any gap/crack on the bubble?

It is lifting slightly in the bottom right corner, but I don't think it's enough to get something in to clean it

 

[lejackal]

Can you locate any gap/crack on the bubble?

It is lifting slightly in the bottom right corner, but I don't think it's enough to get something in to clean it

Rather than get something in could you possibly suck the mould out? ie use a vacuum cleaner (carefully) to suck the debris out.

 

[jayums]

Can you locate any gap/crack on the bubble?

It is lifting slightly in the bottom right corner, but I don't think it's enough to get something in to clean it

Rather than get something in could you possibly suck the mould out? ie use a vacuum cleaner (carefully) to suck the debris out.

Maybe a suction pen / ear wax remover if there is a crack in the bubble ...

Or you could try a covid nasal swab stick :lol:

 

[edd_jedi]

3 hours in the sun today and no improvement. I can't get inside the bubble without damaging it. I have messaged the seller about a refund

 

[weasel]

Sadly you guys may be right. Here is the photo from the ad, as you ca see the reflection makes it look like it's on top of the bubble. I bought it on Facebook, no mention of the mould in the description. I am going to try sunlight tomorrow (assuming there is any :lol: ) but if it won't fry off I may have to think about contacting the seller again as I don't want to open it, and it certainly looks way worse in reality than it does in the below photo.

157193586_10219567839053693_1406421983306612729_o.jpg

That looks like a very deliberately chosen photo. The seller knew rightly and was chancing his arm.

 

[jayums]

3 hours in the sun today and no improvement. I can't get inside the bubble without damaging it. I have messaged the seller about a refund

You should definitely get a refund. Surely that's the kind of thing that should be mentioned when selling. If I picked it up at a bargain beater price and it was listed 'sold as seen' etc then I'd think it fair enough, but if I had comms with the seller I would be pretty aggrieved if an issue like that wasn't drawn to my attention.

 

[edd_jedi]

The seller offered me a decent partial refund, so I accepted it and will have another go. I used some of the money to buy a UV-C lamp from Amazon, it was only £20 and after reading up on it apparently UV-C is the only light that kills mould, and there is only a tiny % of it in sunlight. For £20 it's worth a try.

Plan B is to put a very tiny needle or something under a lift in the bubble, but I would rather not do that. It would have been less hassle to send it back, but as you can see from my sales thread even this one is a massive upgrade on my other one, and it's a difficult MOC to track down so I want to try and save it!

 

[Snaketibe]

Best of luck, I hope it works.

 

[welshwookie]

If you want some fine wires Edd, my wife has a few different guage ones in work ?

 

[edd_jedi]

If you want some fine wires Edd, my wife has a few different guage ones in work ?

Thanks for the offer, I was thinking that I might try a really thin pipe cleaner or something. Needs to be thin enough to get in the bubble, but also have some kind of brush or bristles to remove the mould.

 

[welshwookie]

The sliver ones are thin, just a little thicker than cotton thread. Would you be wanting to poke something through the thickness of paper. If possible, if the bubble allowed?

 

[Snaketibe]

How about an interdental brush, but extended in some way? It would certainly be fine enough and has a built-in brush at the end:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391709515667

 

[edd_jedi]

Yes something like that!

 

[Cazza]

A swab from a COVID Lateral Flow test might work a treat...

 

[edd_jedi]

The lamp has arrived, I will report back! 8)

 

[edd_jedi]

Well it's made no visible difference. It might have killed it, no way of knowing really, so looks like plan B is needed.

 

[welshwookie]

Would you settle for the mold not being on the card back. But sort of like dust in the bottom of the bubble?
As I can't see how you are going to catch it all. From a small area lift.
If the mold was "wet" or alive so to speak what about trying cat litter or rice to see if it would have drawn it out from the bubble to the card back ?
I'll send you some wires, as if you use the dental sticks you might need a longer length for manipulation.
The fabric from pledge fluffy dusters might have good grab quality if you could get a piece small enough inside.
Best of luck on whatever you decide .

 

[Grant_C]

The lamp has arrived, I will report back! 8)

Loving the effort. :idea:

 

[batman]

Sorry i did not see this topic any sooner, judging from your picture i'm too late to warn you that UVC light is the most effective light to damage the blister and cause it to yellow https://www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=858
I have been working with UVC light to battle mildew on plants and while it kills the mildew and it's spores it does not remove it so you will have to agitate it to remove it from the cardback.

 

[edd_jedi]

Sorry i did not see this topic any sooner, judging from your picture i'm too late to warn you that UVC light is the most effective light to damage the blister and cause it to yellow https://www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=858
I have been working with UVC light to battle mildew on plants and while it kills the mildew and it's spores it does not remove it so you will have to agitate it to remove it from the cardback.

Thanks, appreciate it! I only put it under the light for 15 minutes as per the recommendations with the lamp, hopefully not enough to do any damage. I also covered the card with paper.

 

[Snaketibe]

I had a thought. How about a very long, thin blade or knife? If you could insert it through the gap in the blister, you might be able to literally scrape off the mould and bring it back to the gap on the end of the blade. Brushing off the mould risks dislodging it and spreading it around inside the blister, but if it could be neatly retrieved back to the gap, you might be able to remove almost all of it from the blister.

 

[edd_jedi]

Well attempt 1 has been pretty successful, before and after below I bought one of these from eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333735464167

There was a small gap at the bottom of the bubble where the seal was weak, so I popped it in there and with much manouevering and patience managed to get most of it off. I have probably made the bubble lift slightly worse, but I would prefer that to a load of mould inside. Will have another go later.

 

[Mini99]

Well attempt 1 has been pretty successful, before and after below I bought one of these from eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333735464167

There was a small gap at the bottom of the bubble where the seal was weak, so I popped it in there and with much manouevering and patience managed to get most of it off. I have probably made the bubble lift slightly worse, but I would prefer that to a load of mould inside. Will have another go later.

Screenshot 2021-03-27 at 13.38.39.png

What a difference, well done with your perseverance.