Essential oils inhibit mold on wood

Abstract

Methods of treating wood lumber to inhibit growth of mold fungi by surface treating the wood lumber with an essential oil being geranium Egyptian, thyme, dill weed or rosemary. Various surface treatments include dipping, spraying, brushing and vapor exposure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a bar graph comparing seven different essential oils against mold fungi growth using the vapor method of treatment on SYP, whereby the analysis included mold resistance of SYP specimens exposed to vapors of seven essential oils (each alone) and challenged with three mold fungi individually in a Petri dish test chamber.

FIG. 2 shows a bar graph comparing seven different essential oils against mold fungi growth using the dip stake method of treatment on southern yellow pine (SYP), whereby the analysis included mold resistance of SYP specimens individually dip-treated with seven essential oils (each alone) and challenged with three mold fungi individually in a Petri dish test chamber.

Claims

1. A method of treating a cellulose-containing material to inhibit growth of mold fungi comprising surface treating cellulose-containing material with an essential oil selected from the group consisting of geranium Egyptian, thyme and a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface treating is a member selected from the group comprising dipping, low pressure spraying, high pressure spraying, brushing, misting, fogging, immersing, injecting and pressure treating the cellulose-containing material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the essential oil is geranium Egyptian.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the essential oil is thyme.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the essential oil comprises a combination of geranium Egyptian and thyme.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulose-containing material is a member selected from the group comprising wood, wood product, wood lumber, oriented strandboard composite, engineered composite, drywall and ceiling tile.

7. A method of treating cellulose-containing material to inhibit growth of mold fungi comprising vapor treating the cellulose-containing material with an essential oil selected from the group consisting of dill weed, rosemary and a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising passively vapor treating the cellulose-containing material.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the essential oil is dill weed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the essential oil is rosemary.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the essential oil comprises a combination of dill weed and rosemary.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the cellulose-containing material is a member selected from the group comprising wood, wood product, wood lumber, oriented strandboard composite, engineered composite, drywall and ceiling tile.