Mouldy Tapes on the rise

As time goes on, more and more old VHS, Beta and camcorder video tapes will be showing signs of age. This can come in many forms, from general poor picture quality and tracking on the TV screen, to physical damage of the tape or outer cassette itself. Tapes can suffer from effects of warping, affected by heat or cold, or becoming overwhelmed by dust, dirt or bugs. One aspect we don’t often think of though, is MOULD. In Australia’s varying climate and conditions, many home video tapes are prime targets for becoming mouldy, usually after being exposed to humid or moist conditions. While initially it may only look like small particles of white or grey ‘dust’ resting on the tape reel, this can quickly develop into full blown mouldy tapes, rendering your videos unwatchable and your memories lost. Mould will even grow on tapes stored correctly, so don’t assume that yours will be immune from the common signs of age. At-home cleaning of mouldy tapes can involve opening the...