Mold
may be growing in your home & you don’t even know it. That’s because mold loves dark, warm, & humid places to live. Your basement, kitchen & bathroom are at the most risk for mold & bacteria growth, because they are in constant contact with moisture. When the conditions are right, mold can grow within 24-48 hours. Leaving mold untreated can cause respiratory illnesses, as well as be a major factor for year-round allergies. This is why it is so important to kill mold at first sight.
If you’ve discovered a mold problem in your home, you may be eager to clean it up yourself & save money. Who should do the cleanup depends on a number of factors. One consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, following the EPA guidelines. If you don’t know how to clean mold, trying to remove it on your own could make the problem worse & cause potential health hazards. But if you’re going to go the DIY route with mold cleanup, you at least want to do it right. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when removing mold. If you choose to hire a contractor, or other professional service provider, to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold.
Some things to know:
Don't use bleach for mold cleanup! Does bleach kill mold? This is a widely believed myth. Bleach will change the color of your mold to a clear and/or white shade (just as it does to your clothing). Unfortunately, all you have done is to create an environment for the mold’s continued growth. You also may have possibly ingested bleach fumes & airborne mold spores (which is not a healthy thing to do). Usually, within three to four months of bleaching, the mold will return & do so with a vengeance.
Click here for some non-toxic ways to clean mold:
You’ll need the following cleaning supplies:
Scrub brush
Rubber gloves to protect your hands
Spray bottle
Here are 4 household solutions for cleaning mold:
Hydrogen Peroxide is an anti-fungal, anti-viral & anti-bacterial solution that kills mold effectively on a variety of materials such as kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, floors & walls. To kill mold: Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle. Saturate the moldy surface completely & leave it to sit for 10 minutes. Next, scrub the area to remove all of the mold & mold stains. And finally, wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores.
Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. (Baking soda is often used along with vinegar for killing different species of mold). To kill mold: Use white distilled vinegar & pour it into a spray bottle without watering it down. Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface & leave it to sit for an hour. Finally, wipe the area clean with water & allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours.
Baking Soda is a mild, white mineral powder, that can be used to kill mold in your home, plus it is safe for your family & pets. Besides killing mold, it will absorb moisture to help keep mold away. To kill mold: Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water & shake until it has dissolved. Spray the moldy area with the baking soda & water solution, then use a scrub brush to remove all the mold from the surface. Next, rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface. Finally, spray the area again & let the surface dry. (This will kill any left-over mold & prevent the mold from returning).
Borax is a white powder you can purchase at most groceries in the laundry/detergent section. For cleaning mold: mix one cup of borax with 1 gallon of hot water. Apply the borax solution to the area with mold. Do not apply the solution to a porous material, such as drywall. These types of surfaces absorb water easily, which will only exacerbate the mold problem by keeping the area moist. After you apply the borax solution, scrub the area with a rag or a wire brush until the mold is gone. Wipe the area off & make sure it dries thoroughly. You can repeat the application of the solution. Borax prevents new mold from growing, so you don’t need to fully rinse it away. Once this is complete, run a dehumidifier or a fan to dry out the area within 24-48 hours.
All of these solutions are great non-toxic alternatives to chemical based cleaners. Not only because they are safe to use & safe for the environment, but all of these products are inexpensive & easy to find in your local store.
To learn more about the basics of mold, check out this guide from EPA.gov.
Information from:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-10/documents/moldguide12.pdf
https://www.maids.com/cleaning-hacks/3-non-toxic-ways-clean-mold-natural-cleaners/
https://www.angieslist.com/research/mold-removal-and-remediation/
https://moldblogger.com/does-borax-kill-mold/