Today we are going to learn how to clean mold in the most efficient way. The first step is recognizing the presence of mold. If the conditions are right, mold may grow on the walls, floors, or ceiling, leaving a noticeable, unappealing trace. In addition, it comes from a fungus that can cause serious health problems.
The presence of mold is a serious threat to your loved ones. Actions must be taken immediately to prevent any harmful symptoms.
At GS Mold Solution we are aware of the problems caused by the presence of Black Mold and Mold poisoning symptoms. Cleaning it is key to preventing these problems. In this article, we give you some instructions on how to clean mold.
You can take note and learn how to do it easily and effectively from the professionals at GS Mold Solution.
Keys to keep the mold under control
Due to humidity, mold reproduces, and also when there are closed environments with little ventilation and deprived of sunlight.
It is for this reason that we must keep these factors under control, as it will be of great help to prevent the growth of mold. Before fully entering into its cleaning and removal, we are going to give you some keys to prevent it effectively:
Control humidity
We know that the reproduction of the mold is due to the spores that are released from the air, which settle in places with moist surfaces. The key to avoiding it is to maintain good air ventilation. Humidity must be maintained at levels around 30% to 50% maximum.
To have a better control, we must verify if there are no leaks or damaged pipes in the house. If there are any, it is essential that they be repaired as soon as possible, taking into account that the mold begins to form in a period of 24 to 48 hours.
If there are some closed and poorly ventilated areas in the environment, these become an ideal environment for the presence of mold.
This is what leads us to our next point, to implement preventive measures against mold, by opening air and light inlets.
Monitor the kitchen, bathroom and basement
The presence of mold is generally linked to spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, basement and gardens. These are places where there is normally a lot of humidity and, above all, in the
case of the basement, which is a closed environment and where little ventilation enters.
Bath room
Some measures can help us prevent the appearance of mold in a bathroom, including installing an exhaust fan.
The extractor fan can be placed on the ceiling and turned on when taking a shower and then for at least another 30 minutes, until the environment is dehumidified.
Windows can also be opened, if any, when taking a shower, so that water condensation in the environment is avoided.
After the shower, we could also eliminate the excess humidity that is in this environment. The water on the walls and doors of the shower area should be dried very well. In addition, it is important that there is optimal air circulation, since this way the humidity concentration can be controlled.
To avoid the appearance of mold stains on the floor tile, you can apply a mold sealer, but not without first take precaution and following the labled instructions.
Kitchen
Also in this area, it is important to dry all areas off after cooking. To do this, it is necessary to periodically check if there is any leak from the faucet, or a damaged pipe under the sink. Since this way you will ensure that there is no presence of mold in these areas of your kitchen.
Another very important measure is that when you boil the water on the stove, keep the pot covered and thus avoid the evaporation of the water.
Keep a close eye on the plastic drainers, because moisture tends to accumulate in these items, you should dry them after drying the dishes.
Basement
The basement is also a highly vulnerable place to the presence of mold precisely because of the lack of ventilation. Therefore, you must apply any measure that improves the conditions of this space.
We must prevent the basement from becoming a warehouse for junk and obsolete appliances, which hinder and reduce space. If we do not have enough space, this can also help with less ventilation and higher humidity.
Okay, now that you have all this information we can move on to the next step. In case you are already dealing with the presence of fungus in your home, you need to know how to clean mold.
How to remove the mold?
Before getting into the matter and giving you the keys to mold removal. Here is some practical advice.
From GS Mold Solution we are going to give you some recommendations. You must take into account before moving on to the cleaning task;
- The size of the area affected by mold development should be evaluated. Before asking how to clean mold, the degree of difficulty of the affected area should be determined. The best and healthiest thing for you is to leave this in the hands of a specialized company. In that sense, if the stain has an extension of approximately 10 square feet. It is best to hire professional services. That according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with acronym in English.
- In the event that the affected area is not large, we recommend moving on to mold removal. To do this, you will need to wear clothes that are no longer useful, so that you can get rid of them. Having rubber gloves and boots is also necessary, as well as safety glasses and an N-95 mask. This way you will have the proper protection throughout your body to avoid burns or other accidents.
- When you go to remove the mold on hard surfaces there will not be much difficulty in this regard. Mix a cup of chlorine in a gallon of water, and with that solution you are going to scrub the area with a brush. Then, you should rinse with clean water and dry very well until you make sure there is no moisture left.
Other alternatives
We know that chlorine or bleach, in combination with water, can clean the moldy area very well, but this is a mixture that not all people can be exposed to.
These products give off vapors that can cause adverse effects in people with allergies or respiratory conditions.
Let’s evaluate other alternatives that are also effective for mold removal:
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- You can mix a cup of Borax over a gallon of hot water. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it on the stain to rub hard afterwards. Of course, you must let it act for about 30 minutes and at the end, clean and dry very well with a dry cloth.
- You can also use distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle, without water, and then spray on small mold stains. You must let it sit, in this case for 10 minutes and at the end clean and dry with a dry cloth and without using water.
- Another idea is to mix half a teaspoon of baking soda in water, using a spray bottle to spray on the stains. Then, it should be rubbed vigorously using a brush and finally, the worked area is rinsed and dried very well.
Please remember that these tips will work, if the mold removal is minuet. If the affected area is large, please refer to our professional team for guidance.