Friday was a lovely day and I found myself unfurling after being hunkered down for the winter. The yurt was feeling pretty stuffy and musty so it was nice to open the skylight and get more fresh air flowing through. Even though knew it would be better for both me and the structure to ventilate it well, I’d been keeping the skylight closed because it had been so darn cold out. With my busy schedule this winter I never took the time to develop a good ventilation strategy. It seemed that if I kept the skylight cracked while I was gone during the day at class or work all my hot air went through the roof (literally) and it took too long to get the place warmed up again. So I would crack it on warmer days or when I was going to be home for a few hours.
With all the fresh air and sunlight streaming through the skylight, I felt inspired to do my spring cleaning. I hauled my table and chairs outside so I would have enough room to play rubix cube with my furniture. With some help I was able to move my dresser, bed, and kitchen cupboard and remove the rugs that covered the yurt floor. The rugs had provided a barrier between my cold feet and the cold floor, but they’d also become mildewy.
When I rearranged my furniture I discovered that there were a few spots where the mold had grown back where the wall meets the floor. Back in November I’d discovered that I was having Mold & Moisture Trouble and I’d cleaned it up with vinegar and water. I thought I’d taken care of the problem, so it took me a while to realize that the sinus trouble I’ve experienced the past couple months might be related to my indoor air quality. It turns out that although vinegar is a long-time home remedy, it isn’t the most effective mold killer since it doesn’t kill all types of mold. So I decided to step it up. I purchased a spray bottle (gotta add that to My 200 Things List!) and a little bottle of tea tree oil and headed home to do some mold remediation. I removed the insulation I’d placed over my windows on the inside, rolled up the flaps that cover the windows from the outside, and removed the clear window covers. Then I opened the skylight to get the fresh air moving. I filled the spray bottle with a mix of tea tree oil and water and then sprayed the perimeter of the yurt.
Now my house smells fresh and clean and I think I’ll breathe a little easier. I know this weather is a tease and that we have several weeks of cool days ahead of us, so I’m going to put the clear window coverings back on the windows as soon as the yurt is aired out, but it will be really nice to have the additional light and views from having the windows open again. Hooray for springtime!