Household Mold Solutions

If you find that you are suddenly suffering from things like headaches, itching eyes, having difficulty concentrating or breathing difficulties, the mold in your house may have to be treated. You may think it is only a small spot or may not even be able to see it, but all of these are common symptoms of mold and you will need proper household mold solutions to be able to address it properly.

If you are unsure if it the mold affecting your or possibly just some allergy symptoms, ask yourself the question if you are always suffering from these symptoms or only when you are at home. If it is your house that is affecting you this way, your symptoms will more than likely clear up after you are out of your home for any extended period of time.

If you are unsure if you have mold, it should be fairly easy to tell if you know what you are looking for. You will see small black spores that gather in moist spots that will come back regardless of how much you wipe them away. You may also see stains on the ceiling or walls that don’t immediately seem like they are anything, but then upon removal you see the mold spores on the back of the wall or tile. If you have this, it is going to have to be treated properly.

One of your primary household mold solutions is to locate the source of the mold. This may be a leaky pipe or ceiling leak. Whatever it is, you are going to have to fix it before addressing the mold situation. If you ignore the root of the problem, cleaning it up will be useless if you do not cure the cause.

Once you are ready to clean it up, make sure you get a mask and some protective gloves as you will not want to breathe in the mold or get it on your skin once you disturb it. You will also need to contain the space. Scrape the mold off of the spot that is affected. Use soap and water to clean the spot and then let it dry. Then use a bleach and water solution and wash the area again and let it air dry or you can also use a fan to expedite the drying process. You will then wash the area again with a anti-mold solution and allow it to dry.

When you have everything cleaned up, immediately throw away all supplies and containment items (usually plastic tarps that you will tape up around the room to contain the mold) in plastic bag and dispose of them outside. The mold will have to be monitored from that point and the moment it reappears, repeat this process.

These household mold solutions can be a lot of work but mold can be very hazardous to your health and left alone it will only multiply.  The sooner you can get to work on cleaning it up, the better off you will be!

Mold Odors

Mold odors in a house or building can be distraction or worse, if the odor is really strong. Many people suffer allergic reactions to odors, and mold can be a big cause of those reactions. But, eliminating the odors created by molds is simple, if done right. By taking a few sensible steps, most any mold odor can be eliminated.

Find the Source of the Odor: Mold can sometimes be hard to spot. It likes dark, dank and moist places. Investigate those areas in a house first, and make a list of their locations. Check for any water leaks, or areas of high (above 50 percent) humidity. There are thousands of different types of mold, but most are easily seen, so concentrate on the spotting any mold buildups.

Treating the Moldy Source: There are a number of things a person can do to eliminate a moldy odor. The single best step is to get rid of the mold itself. Washing down a surface with hot, soapy water works well. Then, a treatment with any store-bought mold killer sprayer followed by more drying and treatment, if necessary. Also, a mechanical vapor steam cleaner may do the trick.

Tough Molds: If the mold is more embedded than thought, you can also make up a chlorine bleach and water solution to help tackle the problem. Mix about 8 ounces of bleach into 64 ounces of water and scrub down any moldy surfaces. Always use rubber gloves when doing so, to prevent any skin problems from using chemical mixes.

Moldy Smells: After eliminating any mold, any water buildups and lessening the humidity to below 50 percent, the left-behind mold odors can be treated in a number of ways. One of them is with a common odor neutralizing spray, which can be found on most supermarket or home store shelves. Also, thoroughly washing, dry-cleaning, or otherwise cleaning up the once mold-ridden surface or item will serve to get rid of the last of the moldy odor left behind.

Odor Proofing: Prevent mold and mold odors from getting into a house, building, clothes or other items in the first place. If the humidity is above 50 percent, install a dehumidifier. This will dry out the air and prevent the release of odors from mold. It also deprives the mold of the moisture it needs to grow. Use a good odor-neutralizing spray as needed to stop further odors in a home or on items.