[Nhcoll-l] Mold on specimens (skeletal, taxidermy) and cardboard boxes

[John E Simmons]

Do not use bleach on skeletons--it will damage the bone and it is very
difficult to remove completely (we know this from its past use to clean
skeletons).

Instead, clean the bones with a high concentration of ethyl alcohol. Ethyl
alcohol at concentrations of 70% or higher (I recommend using
full-strength, 96%) is an excellent biocide, and the higher concentrations
will evaporate quickly from the surface, reducing the chances of causing
more damage to the bone. Keep in mind that any surface the mold is growing
on will already be damaged by the mold, so adding chemicals to it can cause
even more damage.

Taxidermy specimens possibly can be vacuumed using HEPA filtered vacuum,
but I will leave advice on that one to one of the conservators on the list
who has experience removing mold from hair and feathers.

The cardboard boxes should be removed and destroyed. It will be very
difficult to remove all the mold from cardboard, and of mentioned the
cardboard surface will have already been compromised by the mold growth.

Be sure to use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (lab coat, mask,
and goggles if necessary) and work under a fume hood to prevent spread of
the spores around the building. Anyone who has a compromised respiratory
system (e.g., asthma, emphysema) should stay clear of the infested area and
cleaning activities.it

I have attached a paper on cleaning a similar mold outbreak that you may
find useful.

--John

John E. Simmons
Writer and Museum Consultant
Museologica
*and*
Associate Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
*and*
Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima


On Tue, Sep 20, 2022 at 11:52 AM Chris Evelyn <christopher_evelyn at ucsb.edu>
wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> We have a pretty serious mold issue. Everything in the room has some mold.
> The jars and surfaces can be cleaned but a few items are trickier so I'd
> love some feedback:
>
> 1) Skeletal specimens (will 10% bleach solution work?)
> 2) taxidermy specimens (will 10% bleach work?)
> 3) cardboard boxes with small specimens (replace the boxes or just clean
> them off?) I
>
> Attached are some images of the current situation.
>
> Thank you for your assistance!
>
> Chris
>
> Christopher J. Evelyn
> Vertebrate Curatorial Manager & Asst. Researcher
> Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration
> University of California Santa Barbara
> Ancestral Lands of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation
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