We have shifted into our current place for over 2 years. Built in 1988, it is an old unit of 31 years but we revamped the entire place. The tiles were hacked and the paints were fresh. We engaged an interior designer for this project, not because we didn't trust our aesthetic radar, but it was more for convenience. Both the hubby and I work, hence we really needed someone to supervise.
Two years later, I regretted. White patches started appearing on my feature wall.
Initially I thought that it was my children's masterpiece. They told me that they did not vandalise my wall and I believed. The patches somehow started to "grow". I tried using a cloth to wipe (because Easy Wash right?), but it still resurfaced after a day. I highlighted the situation to my ID who then taught me an unorthodox method which was advised to him by his paint supplier -- Nippon. The concoction was bleach and vinegar in hot water. Armed with gloves, we tried once again. Sadly, it didn't work. Shortly after I wiped the wall, it dried and the patches resurfaced. I was exasperated and got the supplier in for a site visit. I was told that not only was my master bedroom affected by mould, the two adjacent rooms were also affected! I just couldn't see it because the walls were white. I was skeptical, especially when I was persuaded to paint the entire house! Imagine the hassle! Where am I to stay for at least a week? The stench from the sealer will be unbearable! More importantly, it was going to cost me a whopping $3100 should I choose to go ahead.
I decided to seek a second opinion. I chanced upon GUSH, a local paint supplier and decided to call them in for a site visit. While the other giants have great market share, I know that very often, they subcontract, hence the severity of the diagnosis might have been inflated all in the interest of profits. I do not blame them, but I asked if there were going to be any guarantee against this, and the answer was that they would only give one year's worth of warranty but the mould may come back in 5 years time! So tell me again, why should I spend $3100? GUSH paints came into the picture as I searched for anti-mould paints. What drew me to GUSH was not so much their anti-moulding solution but their air-purifying properties in their paints. This is the first time I am hearing of such technology and the Science behind it is quite intriguing.
6 BENEFITS OF GUSH
1) Air Purifying
GUSH Cair interior paint is able to purify the air. It eliminates 60% of Formaldehyde in 48hours, has zero VOC and helps break down other VOCs. Say What? I hear you! These jargons baffled me as well. In general, there are 2 main types of pollutants in the air -- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which is essentially gaseous chemicals released in the air due to biological or chemical components. These may come from traditional paints, building adhesives and even your furniture and traditional cleaning solvents!
2) Regulates Humidity
Efficiently absorbs moisture when the air is too humid, and releases it back into the air when it is dry. WOW! So smart! Your room would feel less humid on hot days and less dry with the air-con turned on. High humidity is also the reason why moulding is so common in Singapore and by regulating it we can reduce the chances of mould growing.
3) Anti-moulding
This is another key feature of GUSH paints. By limiting moisture accumulation, it effectively prevents mould growth, ensuring that your rooms are free from mould and keeps mould-related health conditions at bay.
4) Releases Negative ions
The other pollutant which you may be more familiar with is PM2.5/10. PM2.5 poses one of the biggest danger in indoor air pollution. The tiny particles are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, causing eye, nose, throat irritation as well as asthma and even heart diseases. We scrambled to get hold of those 3M masks in times of haze, but unknown to us, these particles are lurking in our interiors, haze or no haze. We certainly can't be putting on our masks while moving around at home. The negative ions released cluster with PM2.5, causing them to sink to the ground, away from our respiratory tracts.
5) Anti-bacterial
Eliminates 99.9% of infection-causing bacteria such as E.Coli and S. Aureus for a cleaner and more sterile interior.
6) Zero VOC
GUSH’s zero VOC, odourless and non-toxic formulation means that you and your loved ones will not be exposed to such toxic chemicals.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The core material of GUSH paint is highly absorbent. Almost 3000x more absorbent than charcoal! It draws surrounding air towards the wall but not into the wall. The paint is packed with catalysts that are then able to break down harmful pollutants in the air (like Formaldehyde) into harmless substances like CO2 and water vapour.
THE PROCESS
The team from GUSH came down for a site visit and while many layman will dismiss the white patches as dirt, I was told that these chalky spots may be caused by initial moulding issue or efflorescence, which is a crystalline deposit of salts which are caused by humidity. If your walls are plaster, it is possible that a chalky appearance is a result of water seeping through the walls from behind. As the water seeps through, it carries with it mineral salts that are deposited on the surface of the wall.
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| Small mouldy patch |
They also spotted a small patch of furry white substance on the wall, next to my bed. That could potentially be MOULD! This was certainly a big concern with our two little ones often being in our room.
Mould thrives on moisture, air and warmth. Singapore is extremely humid and we can't prevent that. We can reduce humidity by improving ventilation, drying your laundry thoroughly before keeping them in the closet, have a dehumidifier, use your air conditioner (but be warned of inflated bills) and of course, paint with GUSH!
The day to paint....
After ascertaining the problem, we immediately got down to work. I was told that I needed a day to complete the painting of 2 rooms as opposed to one week for the whole house to be painted. Apparently, there were no traces of mould found in the other parts of my house! GUSH could have easily blown things out of proportion and get me to do the entire house, but they were ethical. They were honest. In fact, the signs for mould weren't even distinct in my kids' room and I could have potentially just have my master bedroom painted only. But, I thought prevention is better than cure.
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| They shifted our bed and protected it. |
The painter and the project manager came down that morning. Our friendly painter, Min, took down all the curtains and protected all our furniture.
They first needed to clean the wall of any existing mould with their solution. Before all, they did a small patch test to see if the solution would work. Ours was a partition wall, hence it may be too porous thus reducing the efficacy. But all was good and we proceeded as planned.
Next, they brought out their ionizer to kill all spores in the air. Even though the ioniser was used only in both rooms, I was told that is so strong, its effects may extend to my living and dining area. They ran it for a few minutes, after which they applied an oil-based sealer.
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| Applying sealer |
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| Paint peeling off easily after removal of stickers |
Apparently, the project manager with 20 years experience in this industry, told me that no sealer was used previously as the paint came off easily when he scratched it with his nails! Once that layer dried, Min, our friendly painter, proceeded to layer on with GUSH paint. He was so dedicated and meticulous and psst, he is under the direct payroll of GUSH and not a subcontractor who may upsell you.
Fast forward 10 hours later, Min was done! I was actually in and out my house , working and picking my children when the project was running. Initially, I hesitated but the project manager sent me images of Min applying the second layer and I was certain they were trustworthy. I was home for a bit when the sealer was applied and eek! The smell was really very over-powering. Then, I went out and hours later, I came home and could smell a significant difference. The stench was not that over-powering anymore! The air-purifying property was working! We tried to ventilate the house as much as possible and that night, we were able to sleep in our rooms. While the smell of sealer was still apparent, it was bearable. By about 48 hours later, the smell had dispersed! GUSH really delivered! I am so proud of this homegrown brand!
PRICE STRUCTURE
You really won't be breaking an arm or a leg with GUSH.
A 4-room HDB flat would cost approximately $1900, depending on the current state of your home. A top up of sealer requires an additional $350 - 450 as well. Final pricing will only be confirmed after a thorough inspection. For your reference, I was told by another competitor that I had to double the price of painting a room should I require anti-moulding treatment. This was a far cry from what GUSH has laid out. They also have an extensive range of 200+ colours to choose from.
How do you like my new wall? The husband didn't want such a dark colour anymore, hence I gave in and we chose a lighter shade of grey. It was really interesting to note that the kids felt that it was more a purple than grey whereas the hubby and I felt it was a concrete grey. The next morning the kids told me it was grey but come night, the wall was purple again! haha what voodoo is this?
So if you suspect that you have a moulding issue at home, don't leave it to chance or if you'd like a fresh coat of paint for the impending Chinese NewYear, call in the experts from GUSH and have it assessed! Remember, mould doesn't have to be black or green in colour. It can be white as well!
DISCOUNT CODE
Quote "JANICE WONGJ" for a 10% discount (up to $200) for painting services
Terms and Conditions:
- Offer valid till February 2020 (Just in time for CNY!)
- Discount code must be mentioned during the site visit
- Valid for a single room up to whole house painting services which include both painting application and paint supply.
LIVE RIGHT, BREATHE RIGHT!
GO WITH GUSH!
