How to Remove Mold Safely

Mold is a major problem for homeowners.

Not only does it look and smell bad, it accelerates the deterioration of your home’s interior and makes you sick. In fact, according to studies, children raised in a mold-heavy environment are more likely to develop allergies and asthma. Microscopic mold spores in the air can do more than trigger more frequent asthma attacks in both children and adults, it can also exacerbate chronic lung disease.

If you suspect you have a mold problem, you should have it taken care of immediately. Delaying mold removal will only further damage your house and put your family at risk. So whether you hire a team of professionals experienced at removing mold, or want to attempt to do it yourself (which we don’t recommend in most cases), taking adequate safety precautions is a must.

What is Mold?

Mold is a variety of fungus.

Mold growth occurs in moist or humid environments, and mold reproduces when mold spores, which are tiny particles of the fungus, travel through the air. While humans are exposed to tiny amounts of mold in everyday life without significant health effects, in concentrated form (such as in a house or apartment with low airflow), it can become dangerous.

The most common type of mold found in households is mildew. This is what you might see in your bathroom between the tiles in the shower, a naturally humid environment. You might also find it in humid basement storage, or in the kitchen near perpetually wet surfaces. Mildew, like other forms of mold, will leave mold stains that are often greenish in color, but can also be brown, yellow, or even have a white, fuzzy texture.

How to Identify Mold

Before you can clean mold, remove mold or prevent it from otherwise collecting in your house, you first have to be able to identify it.

Sometimes the best first step is to use your nose. If you detect a musty odor in your house, you might have mold. It could be growing anywhere there is too much moisture, whether that’s underneath your carpet, in a hamper full of wet towels, or on your walls or wood framing.

The main takeaway is this: if you see black or green mold, it’s trouble – particularly if the mold is fuzzy, wet to the touch, or has rotted the surface on which it sits. If you see that, it’s time to call in the experts right away. However, if it is simple mildew and you have caught it early enough, you may be able to clean it yourself with household cleaning products.

How Should I Clean, Remove and Prevent Mold?

As mentioned above, certain types of mold like mildew are more common in the home. This less dangerous type of mold is not as hard to get rid of, and you can kill mold using household products without the use of a professional mold remover company.

Items like distilled vinegar and baking soda, bleach, detergent, ammonia or hydrogen peroxide can be used to kill mold. All you’ll need to do to get rid of it is to gently scrub the area until the stain is removed, remove any local source of moisture, and dry the area thoroughly.

However, when you see mold that is black or green, forget the hydrogen peroxide, and leave the baking soda in the fridge – it’s time to call in the professionals. This especially true in places where the mold has begun to damage the walls or surfaces on which it sits. If that’s the case, the materials are toxic, and it won’t be enough so simply engage in mold removal. If there’s mold growing on the surface, whether it’s a wall, a piece of furniture, or part of the flooring, should be completely removed and replaced.

It’s also necessary to call in a team of professionals if the mold in your home covers an area of more than 10 feet. You can simply remove mold of this kind with household products, you’ll need a thorough cleaning that only heavy-duty chemicals can provide.

Why Using Professionals is a Good Idea

If you want to kill mold and remove it completely from your home, especially if you have a serious mold problem, a thorough cleaning will be required. And usually, if you don’t do a perfect job the first time, you’ll have mold problems returning to your home before you know it. Getting a professional team to clean mold is an investment in the long term health of your home. Making sure it won’t come back again is also an investment in your peace of mind.

To clean mold professionally means having experts use safety equipment like glasses, gloves and respiratory protection, and doing careful work removing any damaged materials or structural elements along with the proper disposal of those materials. It means replacing any water damaged flooring, using wet/dry vacuums, and including a drying time of several days. It also involves using chemical cleaning solutions appropriate for the job, which only a team that has been taught how to remove mold can do.

A company like Certified Asbestos is a great choice when it comes to cleaning mold in your home. They’ll not only get rid of the spores and the damaged materials in your home, they’ll make sure to give you the type of advice that ensures water and harmful moisture don’t return! Cleaning mold can be very serious business, and if you’re unsure of whether or not you should take care of the problem yourself, it always helps to get some friendly advice.

Contact Certified Asbestos today, and they’ll be able to inspect your home and give you the type of direction you need to take the type of action befitting your situation.

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