How To Clean Up Mold

How To Clean Mold And Mildew

Having mold in your home is nasty business. It can cause many respiratory illnesses and the flare-up of asthma. Mold spores can grow on any surface that has accumulated moisture. According to www.epa.gov, control of moisture is what prevents mold from growing. However, if moisture has accumulated and mold is growing, you have to clean the area. You need to clean all mold within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.

The best way to clean mold and mildew really depends on how big an area we are talking about. If it is just a small area, then your basic dish detergent and water will do the job nicely. Still, even with a little bit of mold, you need to take precautions. Wear gloves, even for just a little bit of mold, you do not want to touch mold spores with your bare hands. With your basic dish detergent, rubber gloves used around the house will do fine. Wear eye goggles that do not have air holes in them, to prevent mold from getting into your eyes. Avoid breathing mold spores by wearing a mask. The EPA advises to wear a N-95 repirator, which can be purchased at any hardware store.

If we are talking about cleaning a large area, you are going to need to go with an industrial strength disinfectant, such as bleach. If you are using a strong cleaner like this, your gloves need to be made of neoprene, nitrile, or other natural rubber. Fumes from bleach or any other disinfectant can be very strong, follow directions on the bottle of cleaner, and open windows and doors before opening the bottle to help with ventilation. You can dilute the bleach if the smell is still too overwhelming for you. I would say three cups of bleach to one cup of water. Keep in mind that any absorbent material will have to be removed and replaced, such as carpet or ceiling tiles. All areas need to be completely dried after cleaning.

To prevent mold you should address any moisture issues in your home. Like properly venting all bathrooms and dryers, and using exhaust fans when cooking or using the dishwasher. Add insulation to windows, doors and pipes to avoid condensation. If you have cleaned and fixed the moisture issues, all moldy smells and visible mold should be gone. Wait a few days before returning to the area in question to be sure no more mold growth is present. Never paint over mold before properly cleaning the surface, the paint will only peel, and the mold will still be present. Sometimes, even after a proper cleaning, mold can still be present. If this is the case, call someone who specializes in cleaning mold, you can find a list of these companies in your yellow pages. Lastly, you should never stay inside a home or dwelling with mold; it can cause a host of health issues. Your health is most important.

Sources: www.epa.gov http://www.rightwayrestoration.com