An old wooden box with white mold at home. Is it dangerous?
Good morning. I was given an old Soviet DP-5V dosimeter. It came in a green wooden case. The paper on the outside said it was manufactured in 1985. Inside were the dosimeter itself, instructions, rechargeable batteries (slightly larger than AA batteries), a strap, a voltage divider, a spare battery cover, and headphones.
The problem is that the inside of the wooden case was covered in a thin layer of white mold, about a millimeter thick, like cotton wool, in some places. There didn't seem to be anything on the device itself, the metal parts, or the paper instructions. There was no mold smell either, just a hint of rubber. So, I took everything out of the case and wiped it down inside and out with Russian vodka. I didn't wipe the dosimeter itself, the case, or the devices. Then I let it dry for a couple of hours and put everything back.
Now I'm wondering if I can use it at home and if it will cause mold or mildew on furniture and other things. There are a lot of antiques in the house... So that it doesn't happen like with these guys:
Posted Oct 30, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC