Mold doesn’t just look ugly – it can also make you sick. If there are visible growths of mold in your home, it’s possible that there are lots of spores in the air. Breathing in these spores can often make people feel nauseous, as well as producing headaches and itchiness. In serious cases, mold can cause people to develop respiratory problems such as asthma and aspergillosis. All in all, mold can be a health hazard.
By getting rid of mold in your home, you can stop yourself from falling sick. Below are some tips for tackling mold.
Detecting a mold problem
Mold is often easy to detect. It takes the form of black or brown growths on walls, windowsills or ceilings.
Sometimes mold growths can be hidden in a cupboard or behind furniture. In these cases, you may notice them, however there will likely be a musty smell to the air and you may experience certain symptoms like itchiness or headaches.
If you own your own home, then it is your responsibility to find and treat the mold; however, if your home is rented it becomes the duty of your landlord. When landlords are informed of something happening within the property that could be harmful to residents, it is their legal duty to do something about it. When landlords fail to take action and injury or illness is incurred, you can take action against them via Gilroy Accident and Injury Attorneys.
What causes mold?
The most common cause of mold is dampness. Combined with heat and lack of sunlight, mold can thrive.
Mold can quickly grow following water damage from a flood or plumbing leak. In these cases, it is recommended that you use a water and flood restoration company to repair any damage before mold can set in. Problems like rising damp may also lead to mold growth and should be fixed.
If condensation is allowed to collect on walls and ceilings, this can also promote mold growth. In steamy rooms like bathrooms and kitchens, mold may grow if there is no ventilation. Even the moisture from people breathing can cause mold to grow in bedrooms.
Mold can sometimes grow on damp clothes or damp towels. Hanging laundry outdoors or using a tumble dryer may prevent mold growth.
I live in the DESERT and we struggled with mold! Our dryer didn’t have a good vent to the outside and that moisture collected on our walls. Plus we do also hang dry laundry nearby. Properly venting our dryer made a HUGE difference. What else might help?
Getting rid of mold in your home
Wiping away mold with a wet sponge is not recommended. It may not be enough to get rid of thick mold, resulting in stains afterwards. The dampness caused by the wet sponge may also cause mold to grow back.
You’re better off using a specialist anti-mold spray or bleach to kill off the fungus. With some cleaning solutions, you can spray it directly on the area and wait a few minutes and the mold will be gone! There’s often no need for scrubbing unless it’s very thick mold. Make sure to wear a mask and use gloves as such chemicals can be harsh.
You can also use UV light to kill off mold. This usually takes a couple hours – it is the preferred method for those that want to avoid using chemicals in their home.
Preventing future mold growth
Mold may grow back after time. Tackling the cause will help you to prevent future mold growth. This could involve repairing water damage or it could involve improving ventilation in your home by adding extractor fans or regularly opening windows. A dehumidifier can also help to reduce moisture in the air – this can be worthwhile in homes in naturally humid locations.
The Hurricane Katrina event had many products being tested. The one that came back as effective and preventative in JUST ONE APPLICATION is (drum roll plz – bcz it was especially difficult to believe) VINEGAR!
Yup. 9 parts water to one part vinegar. Apply.
A certain vehicle of ours became moldy due to lack of use (we live on the very damp Oregon Coast) and let me tell you (!) wherever a certain sweaty prepubescent friend of my son had touched went moldy.
Perfect imprint of hand and fingers of where he had touched *MOLD*
So gross ?
My son took a bottle of the 9-1 water to distilled white vinegar and MERELY SPRAYED.
OCD me thought ?? that ain’t gonna cut it. So I went out to check it…a week later (fearful okay!? Mold is super sickening!)
I was sure I was going to see mold still. Or again. Or something. Anything. But NO! Nothing. Not a trace of mold.
Amazed.
But Imma be honest here – my OCD wouldn’t let me leave it at that. I took fresh clean white cloths and soaked them in a fresh batch of that solution and wiped everything down and went for the trunk as well because apparently that was where the dampness started – with a hole in the bottom of the trunk and a mama driving through deep mud puddles – Oregon fun, we’re limited here okay?
TL/DR:; 9 parts water to one part distilled white vinegar works and does not leave any lingering smell once dry – and the mold does not return.
Also- if it’s your vehicle, be sure to drive it and heat it regularly if you live in an environment that has 100% humidity. ?
Thanks for sharing! I live in the high desert so we don’t have as many issues with mold. I know people who HAVE had issues in their homes, behind walls, etc, but in general, our cars won’t be an issue. I always love cheap AND natural solutions! I like to add a few drops of essential oils, too, just for an added kick and scent.