Mold has hit my "cellar"

First things first. Check your house for mold before you worry about your beer. You can clean the bottles, but if there is a leak somewhere, that's a bigger problem.

 

I would buy some rubbing alcohol, water it down and funnel it in the bottles and swoosh it around. then take some antibacterial disinfectant wipes and wipe down the outside.

Show the mold who is boss and that they cannot have your bottle collection that easily.

 

The beer in your bottles should be fine. Wipe them down with disinfectant wipes. I would suggest investing in a wine cooler to keep your beer in a sealed environment.

 

I have a lot of bottles that have that same look. A little embarrassed that I didn't realize it was mold but I've drank many beers with it on them with no problem.

 

Call ServPro and ask their advice. They deal with mold every day. Mold needs food, warmth, and moisture to grow and spread. Mold is everywhere, and you will never get rid of it but can control it.

 

You've got a much bigger problem on your hands. Your apartment might not be safe to live in. Since you're leasing, your landlord is like responsible for paying for the apartment to be inspected and treated by professionals. If he refuses to pay for it or do this for you, you may have some options as far as doing it yourself, and withholding part of your rent payment. I don't know for sure. If the place is not safe to live in, you may have grounds to break your lease. Again, I'm not sure

You really need to look at your lease agreement to know for sure. If your lease agreement doesn't mention something (or in some cases, even if it does), you may need to determine what the applicable laws are in Florida to determine what your remedies are.

I'm an attorney, but not a Florida attorney, so I can't actually help you, but I suggest you talk to a friend who is an attorney, or pm me if you don't know anyone.

 

That's what store-brand vodka is for...cellared bottle cleaner.

 

Who cares what the lease says? Each state has habitability laws and you can't just sign them away. You'll need to file written notice with the LL and then they have x number of days (7 in Florida I think) to cure it. If not, you may terminate. Find a local landlord/tenant lawyer and have them help you. No addition to a lease can override their statutory obligations. Seriously, get a lawyer, and GTFO.

 

I wipe down every bottle I intend on storing exactly for that reason - I cellar mine in my basement - stable temperature out of sunlight. Basements are haven for molds - never had a problem but it was one of my first considerations when I started aging bottles.

 

You can do a lot of research on your own. Google stuff like "Florida warranty of habitability" and breaking a lease due to mold. Like a lot of legal stuff, the answer to most things is "it depends." Is it making you sick? Would your doctor write a note that you shouldn't be in that environment? Etc. etc...it's not quite as simple as I made it out of course, you have to make sure everything is documented and in writing, and so on. Even 10 minutes with a lawyer may help you. He may say "no matter what you are stuck, don't waste your time" or he may say here are the options, I can help, whatever. So it still might be worth talking to a few lawyers, even if only for 10 minutes. Good luck!

 

Nolo (http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/overview-landlord-tenant-laws-florida.html) is usually a great, free resource to start with before seeking out advice from an attorney. Also, state, county, and municipal legal aid societies usually have comprehensive and accessible landlord-tenant FAQs/guides available online.

 

@ASak10 is right. You can't necessarily just sign away your rights because it is in a contract. I don't want to say too much, cause I'm not licensed to practice down there, and I don't know Florida law. However, I have a friend who's a Florida lawyer down by Tampa, if you want to talk to someone. He doesn't do landlord tenant law, but he is in real estate, and he may be able to point you in the right direction.

In the meantime, the most important thing is to make sure you aren't doing irreparable damage to your health by being there. You may need to stay somewhere else for a while.

 

speaking as an environmental scientist who has completed dozens of indoor air quality projects... you are over reacting. and almost certainly incorrect.

there are no regulatory standards established for mold.
there are no regulatory requirements for mold mitigation.
so called toxic mold is mostly bullshit stirred up by unscrupulous contractors (anxious lawyers and real estate agents too I should add). check out the EPA web page, you will see they stress over and over that visible mold is a nuisance and not a practical health concern.

the mere presence of mold is not note worthy and 999 times out of 1,000 not a health concern. the 1 time mold can be a concern needs to be addressed with serious consideration. in every instance that 1 time is obvious.

mold is ubiquitous. wipe it down with wet sanitized cloth. eliminate or reduce the source of moisture. adjust the temperature. attempt to remove the food source (cardboard, spilled beer etc.)
then move on. don't let grandma or a little one play with the fuzz.

finally... Florida. mold. it happens everywhere and it is not special.
Cheers.