If you are a researcher or a medical professional who works in a lab, you need a cold room to keep certain materials and substances at temperature. Unfortunately, these spaces can become breeding grounds for mold, and when you're trying to keep your materials safe and your co-workers happy, that is not ideal. To avoid mold in the cold room, check out these tips.
1. Keep an Eye on Condensation
Water droplets from condensation can invite mold to grow in that area. If you notice condensation, try to figure out what's happening and eliminate the problem. In some cases, it means that the line on the defrost drain is clogged up — check that and contact a cold room services company as needed.
Other culprits may be putting in items that are very hot. Those warm temps mix with the cold air, causing condensation to occur. In some cases, leaving the door open also leads to condensation.
Make sure to keep the door closed and well sealed. Also, consider putting some desiccants in the fridge if it's a pervasive problem.
2. Have Separate Sections for Each Group
If you are sharing the cold room with multiple scientists or health care professionals, it can be hard to keep track of who's using which part of the cold room. To keep things organised, assign a separate area to each individual or professional group. That makes it easier to keep tabs on whose behaviour or stored items may be putting people at risk.
3. Clean Up Spilled Liquids and Powders
Some substances are very prone to mold spores, and if they spill in the cold room, that can also cause issues with mold. Make a cleaning policy and post a reminder in the cold room. Ideally, everyone should wipe up spilled substances immediately.
4. Don't Store Food in the Cold Room
To be on the safe side, you should keep food out of the cold room. If someone forgets their lunch in there for a few weeks, that could easily get moldy, and once those pores are in there, they may spread. Have a separate fridge for snacks in the lounge area.
5. Clean Regularly With Bleach
Finally, when mold appears and to reduce the chances that it might appear, clean the surfaces and walls in the cold room with a bleach and water solution. Do this as needed as a response to mold, or be proactive with weekly or monthly cleanings.
Share1 May 2017
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