Mold inside your home is a big deal.
You should never take it lightly as it can cost you health wise and financially too. In this guide, you’ll learn what you should to get rid of mold in your home.
What is Mold?
Mold is a type of fungus that can reproduce by spreading spores.
These tiny airborne particles are easily inhaled or ingested, and some can cause infections in humans. Some people are more sensitive to mold than others, but mold exposure can affect everyone’s health.
The risk of developing an infection increases with dose, duration, and frequency of exposure. Exposure to high concentrations of airborne mold spores over long periods may pose serious risks to one’s health.
If you know or suspect you have been exposed to mold, here are some tips on how you may be able to prevent illness.
14 Things To Do Help Get Rid Of Mold In House
1- If safe to do so, clean up any visible mold as soon as possible using detergent and water. The use of bleach is not necessary, only in some situations should bleach be used.
2- Use a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter in your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system.
3- If you have this option, use a UV light to help eliminate mold that has grown inside the ductwork for health reasons clean the central air conditioning unit.
4- Open windows when it is possible doing so will allow fresh air into your home, which can help remove some of the moisture still lingering after cleaning up water damaged areas. This will discourage growth of additional mold spores.
5- Do not dry your clothing or other items next to an open window or an air conditioner. Instead, hang them outside in direct sunlight and away from any overhanging structures like trees or houses that may cause shade on parts of the clothes or other items.
6- Remove and discard all porous materials like wood, drywall and carpeting that has been severely contaminated with mold if they cannot be cleaned successfully.
7- If at all possible restore your home with materials that are more resistant to mold such as solid surface, ceramic tile or stone which can be easily cleaned after water intrusion events.
In some ways, this will be less expensive than replacing wall board, carpeting and also easier on allergy sufferers as well. If you decide you must replace wall board for example, always install a HEPA filter into any return air vents to the HVAC system.
8- Avoid sleeping in a home with mold growing on walls or ceilings, especially if you have any type of breathing condition
9- If possible do not use your heating and air conditioning system until it has been thoroughly checked by a professional. Heat can speed up the growth of mold and make the problem worse.
10- After water damage, clean all hard surfaces with hot soapy water and then rinse with 1 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water followed by immediate rinsing again using clean water.
After cleaning rinse everything thoroughly with clean water as detergents tend to leave a residue that can attract mold. After the area is free from contamination dry with air or use a dehumidifier to remove any moisture from the air
11- If you are feeling ill at all, be sure to tell your doctor if you think that there may be a connection with mold exposure in your home.
Doctors will want to know about things like how long it has been since your illness began, where and when you were exposed to mold.
It’s also helpful for them to know what medications you’re taking so they can rule out any interactions between your prescriptions and any side effects that have developed as a result of exposure to mold.
12- Always keep essential oils on hand such as tea tree oil, lavender and peppermint oil as they can be effective against mold.
13- You may also want to consider using an air purifier in your home. If you choose air purifiers, make sure that they have a HEPA filter and not just a conventional pre-filter. The HEPA filter is capable of removing mold spores from the air, unlike conventional pre-filters which do not remove mold spores but only collect them on their surface
14 -Use a steam cleaner to clean up any mold in carpet. Steam cleaners are very effective for both killing mold and cleaning it out from carpets.
You will have to use the highest setting on your steamer though as the lower settings won’t be able to penetrate deep enough into the carpet. But always make sure that you take precautionary measures when using a cleaner such as wearing suitable protective gear like gloves and a respirator.
Is it OK to live in a house with mold?
Yes, it is possible to live in a house with mold as long as the mold has not become an excessive problem and it is being routinely cleaned.
Mold grows best in warm, humid conditions. If you eliminate these two things by increasing air flow on your home or if you’re able to reduce humidity levels you can easily control mold problems.
But always clean up any water damage immediately so that there is no chance for mold growth and be sure to do regular cleaning and maintenance of your home’s heating ventilation and air conditioning units (HVAC) so that they are free from dust buildup which may encourage mold growth.