While mold can be useful in some areas, it’s generally unwelcome indoors because of the risks it poses for the health of you and your family. Almost every home gets mold, and so you needn’t as if you’ve done anything wrong upon spotting mold. In fact, getting rid of it completely is impossible, as it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. However, you do have the power to greatly reduce the amount of mold in your house, which should be done so that it is no longer a danger to your household members.
Here are the main steps involve in removing an existing mold infestation:
What you will need
- Measuring tape
- Plastic sheets
- Duct tape
- Trash bags
- Safety wear (goggles, mask, gloves)
- Bucket
- Warm water
- Bleach
- Laundry detergent
- Borate-based detergent
- Sponge
- Household cleaning tools
- Begin with a very thorough search of your house, allowing you to locate the area where there is existing mold. Damp areas such as the bathroom, kitchen, and the basement should be on top of your list, as mold is most likely to grow in these locations. Carefully sniffing will also help, as mold emits a distinct musty odor. Look for areas where there are black, white, or fuzzy-looking spots.
- Once you have found where the infestation is occurring, measure the area. If it’s bigger than 10 feet, you will have to call the best mold removal services. For any areas measuring less than 10 feet, you should be able to handle these situations yourself.
- Isolate the moldy area as best you can. Seal the room so that mold spores won’t have the chance to travel from one room to another, and cover any air vents, holes, or windows with plastic sheets and duct tape.
- Remove all furniture and appliances from the moldy area, and dispose of any papers and books. Fabrics should be moved out and saved for cleaning later on.
- Wear safety masks, goggles, and gloves when tackling the mold in the area. Your safety should be a priority.
- Wash all moldy surfaces with a mixture of 1 cup of detergent and 1 gallon of warm water. Leave these surfaces to air dry, and wash them for a second time using a mixture of bleach and water. After 20 minutes, wash the surface with water and repeat for two more times.
- To prevent reoccurrence of the mold, mix 1 cup of a borate-based detergent with 1 gallon of water and wash the surfaces with this.
- For final cleaning, simply use normal cleaning methods to make sure that everything is clear of all of the substances used.
- The fabrics saved from the earlier stage simply require normal laundry methods.
- Wash all furniture from the moldy room with the detergent and warm water mixture.
- Repair any leaks from taps or pipes, and install insulation that controls humidity in your house to avoid any future mold infestation.
- Post-cleaning, check the infected areas regularly. Contact professional mold removal services if the infestations reoccurs.