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 on Walls

Mold on walls in a home or dwelling is probably the single most irritating issue to face a homeowner. The problem can be fixed, though, if one remembers a few simple tips and hints for preventing or eliminating mold on walls in the future.

Investigate Thoroughly: Mold is carried into a house through mold spores, which float on the air or are carried in by humans, pets or on objects. Mold also needs moisture and humidity to thrive, so the first thing to do is examine all areas in the house for the presence of water leaks or humidity above 50 percent, which is considered high. Test the air with an inexpensive hygrometer or humidity reader. And check plumbing behind walls, or for wallpaper or paint that may be bubbling up. That’s a good indicator of moisture issues.

Taking Action: Once the sources of water or humidity have been identified, it’s time to take action to remove and prevent more mold on walls. Fixing or repairing any leaks can be expensive, in some cases, so plan out any work carefully. Cleaning of the moldy wall is a must. This can be done by the application of a good soapy water mixture to the wall’s surface, cleaning again and again until all trace of the mold is gone. Take care to dry it in between washes and examinations for mold.

Difficult Molds: Sometimes, a mold just refuses to succumb to soap and water. In that case, go with a chlorine bleach and water mixture (8 ounces of bleach into 64 ounces of water). The properties within the chlorine will kill any mold and spores adhering to the wall’s surface. Again, dry the wall thoroughly, and repeat as often as necessary until all the mold is gone. You can also use a good steam vapor cleaner on the wall, if you really need to.

Post-Mold Actions: Once the mold’s been eliminated, it’s time to repaint the area to prevent any possible return. It doesn’t really matter if the paint is a flat, a semi-gloss, or a high-gloss mix just so long as the painting is well-done. Wait a few weeks and check the area for any return of mold. If so, the problem may be more extensive than first found. In those cases, a professional should be called in to take a look at things.

Maintenance: Deprive mold of water moisture and humidity, and you won’t have to worry about mold on walls. Mold can’t grow without either of the two, so pay attention to bubbling on wall paint, or any discolorations in dry wall or wall surfaces. Use a good dehumidifier if needed.

Bathroom Mold

Would you agree that a clean and sparkling bathroom is something to behold?  Most people would like to have a bathroom that is clean all the time.  However, with the busy lives we lead, we often find our bathrooms in a state of disarray and sometimes we even find bathroom mold has taken up residence when we weren’t looking.  Despite the lack of time we have seem to have these days, it is possible to have a beautifully clean and mold-free bathroom by following just a few steps throughout the week.

Keep only the toiletries and beauty items that you truly use on a daily or weekly basis.  If possible, keep your counters as free as possible of items that may collect water underneath, such as tumblers, soap dishes, or toothbrush holders.  It’s a good idea to have a roll of paper towels handy for quick clean ups throughout the day.

Airflow is critical when it comes to controlling mold in a bathroom.  Anytime a bath or shower is being taken, be sure to turn on the fan in the bathroom.  This will draw out excess moisture, keeping the bathroom a bit drier and less likely to develop a mold problem.  Following a shower, it is a good idea to squeegee the walls down to remove excess water from the tile or shower enclosure.

Before deep-cleaning your bathroom, remove all the products, the trash can, rugs, and miscellaneous items.  This way, you can clearly see all the cracks and crevices at a glance.  Does the caulking appear loose in the shower?  Make sure to take the time to replace loose or missing caulk around the edges of the tub and shower.  This keeps moisture from hiding in unseen crevices and keeps mold from producing in those unseen places too.  Before placing the toiletries and other items back into your clean bathroom, wipe each of them completely to eliminate additional moisture and possibly the beginnings of mold.

It is possible that your slow-to-drain shower, tub, or sink drain is a breeding place for bathroom mold.  Standing water, or water that sits for a longer period of time before draining, is more likely to promote mold growth.  Make sure to keep drains running smoothly by using a bleach and water solution or a product specifically formulated to attack blockages.  If all else fails, contact your local plumber to come and snake out the drain.

Bathroom floors are best cleaned with a mold-inhibiting product such as bleach water solution or vinegar and water, depending on the type of flooring you have in your bathroom.  Use a sponge to wipe down the floor once a week along with regular cleaning.

Plastic shower curtain liners are another breeding ground for mold, especially along the bottom edge.  Consider investing in a fabric shower curtain liner that can be removed and thrown into the washing machine periodically.  In between washings, spray the liner with a product that will inhibit mold growth.

There are specific types of paint on the market today that are designed to help inhibit mold growth in areas with high humidity, such as bathrooms.  Consider painting your bathroom with one of these paints in addition to cleaning and disinfecting on a consistent basis.

Bathroom mold can be a health hazard if left unchecked.  Simply by deep cleaning your bathroom once a week and daily wiping down the shower and counter areas, mold won’t have a chance to grow, let alone stay, in your bathroom.

Basement Mold

Basements are a wonderful extension of living space for many homeowners. However, whether your basement is finished or simply a storage area, it’s important for homeowners to realize that basement mold can be a real problem. Basements are typically damp. Basements often store items that are paper based or contain wood, which provides an excellent food source for mold. Pipes, heating and air conditioning systems, washing machines and dryers are often located in a basement, bringing humidity and moisture to the area. Mold loves darkness and moisture!

Find the Mold in Your Basement

Your nose could be a good gauge to let you know if you have mold in your basement, but by the time you can detect a mildew or mold smell, the mold may have a pretty good hold. So, how do you know if you have basement mold? Regular inspections are the key to preventing mold from developing in your basement.

Regularly check drywall, ceilings, and baseboards, ceiling tiles, joists, carpeting and baseboards for signs of mold or stains that could indicate a water leak.

Check regularly areas that could be affected by a water leak, such as areas under the kitchen or bathrooms.

Pipes and the areas around them should be looked at periodically to ensure that water isn’t leaking slowly and providing the right conditions for mold growth.

The drywall around your dryer should be checked now and then too given that dryers produce heat and moisture every time they run.

Heating and air conditioning ductwork should be cleaned and checked on a regular basis to make sure mold spores aren’t being spread throughout your home every time the air conditioning or heat kicks on.
Check stored furniture and boxes too (undersides) to make sure mold hasn’t begun to develop in unseen places.

Prevent Mold in Your Basement

There are ways to prevent mold from forming in your basement.

One inexpensive tool is a humidity meter. Purchase one from your local hardware store and place it in your basement. A safe reading is anything below a 60% humidity level.

While you’re at the hardware store, purchase a dehumidifier too. A dehumidifier will help to control the humidity level by drawing moisture right from the air.

Wrap your basement pipes with insulation.

A well-ventilated basement is less likely to develop mold issues.

The ground area outside your home should slope away from the basement, not toward it.

If you have a water leak or flood, clean it up and get your basement dry as soon as possible!

An exhaust fan should be installed if there is a shower in the basement. Moist air will then be pulled outside the home instead of building up inside the basement.

The cost of drywall, new furniture, carpeting, and anything else affected by the mold would be far more costly and time consuming than a trip to the hardware store. You’ve heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, haven’t you?

The investment you’ll make in a dehumidifier, humidity meter, exhaust fan, and yearly duct cleaning can’t compare to what it would cost to get rid of basement mold once it has appeared and taken hold in your home.