Five Tips For Mold Removal Around The House
Almost every homeowner deals with a little mold around the house now and then. You might see mold around the edge of your sink or on your basement walls. Perhaps some will appear under your kitchen sink following a leak. In any event, you need to fight that mold with a vengeance... and these tips will help you do just that.
Use bleach water.
"All natural" cleaners like vinegar and baking soda may kill some species of mold, but bleach really is the most effective option as it kills almost all species of mold. You do not have to use straight bleach -- mix one part bleach with about 10 parts water.
Let the mixture sit.
Some people just wipe over the moldy area with bleach water and expect the mold to go away. This might work for a small amount of mold on a very non-porous surface, but there is a better way. Swab the moldy spots with a cloth soaked in your bleach water, and let the water sit on the area for a minute or two before wiping it away.
Always retreat the area.
After you treat a particular area for mold, always wait a few days and then retreat the same area -- even if you do not see any mold on the area again. There may be some lingering mold spores in the air, and if they land back on the surface, they could sprout and grow. This retreatment ensures you get to this new mold before it really takes hold.
Address the moisture.
To keep mold from coming back, you need to address the conditions that caused it to grow in the first place. In almost every case, this is moisture. Identify the source of the moisture, and take steps to get rid of it. If you have a plumbing leak, get it repaired. If the window has a crack and is leaking water, caulk it closed.
Call a professional for big areas.
Treating small spots of mold on your own is totally doable. However, if you ever have a huge wall covered in mold, hire a professional service — like DiBiaso's Cleaning and Restoration, Inc. Exposure to large amounts of mold can be dangerous, and the pros have the right attire to minimize their exposure. Plus, they will be better able to treat mold that is in and behind walls -- whereas you can probably only target the surface.