Prepare All The Necessary Tools And Put On Protective Items
As you know, one of the primary reasons youre cleaning mold out of the fridge is to prevent its harmful impact on your health. On the other hand, a lot of strong chemicals used while cleaning can be very irritating to your skin and eyes.
Since we shouldnt get rid of a health hazard by introducing another one, you should make sure that you have all the proper protection tools that you need for that project.
Ideally, wearing gloves to protect your skin from chemicals and mold is essential. If you also suffer from asthma or have allergies, you might want to also wear a ventilation mask as well as protective eyewear during the process.
With your protective gear on, you can now handle and prepare various cleaning solutions without worrying about them causing any irritation.
I always prefer to bring all the necessary items for the cleaning project before I start. This allows me to waste no time on fetching items and save me the effort of going back and forth around the house. Heres a quick list of all the items that youll need for that cleaning project:
- 2 empty spray bottles
Familiar Places For Mold Growth In The Refrigerator
Initially, molds are not visible and come to the sight when it gets bigger. It can grow anywhere inside the fridge. However, there are 3 familiar places you should always check.
- Interior walls and shelves: As mentioned earlier, a dark environment is a perfect place for mold. As a result, shelves and interior walls are the first targets. If there is any pooling water that is not cleaned up right away, you might see mold in a few days or even a week.
- On the gasket: You must be familiar with the rubber door seal, which helps the door to keep remains on the body. It is known as a gasket, which is the most common hiding place for mold.
- On the food: This is the most common place which will catch your eyes easily. It happened when you left something in the refrigerator for far too long.
Cleaning And Drying Fridge Seals
Dont forget to clean the rear, sides and coils of the fridge not to mention the fridge seal. Wash the entire perimeter of the seal with a mixture of warm water and dishwashing detergent, before drying it with a clean cloth.
Keep in mind that dodgy fridge seals can lead to food spoilage and mould, because if the air inside isnt circulating properly it can cause a sweating effect of moisture in the refrigerator.
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Why Is There So Much Mold In My House
Roof and foundation leaks, high interior humidity, overflowing washing machines and more severe forms of flooding are common sources of moisture and are what causes mold in a house. Drywall backing, wallpaper, carpet backing, household dust and wood products are commonly attacked organic materials.
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What does mold poisoning feel like? Each persons body is affected by mold toxicity in different ways. Some experience constant migraines and headaches, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue or even depression. Since symptoms differ from person to person, they may not be quickly associated with mold exposure.
How can I tell if I have mold in my walls?
Most mold is unmistakable, but sometimes small or largely hidden growths just make a surface look dirty. A quick test for mold can be done when you dip a swab in diluted bleach and dab it on the wall. If the spot quickly lightens , assume its mold.
How can you tell the difference between mold and black mold? While other types of mold may have a fuzzy, light texture, black mold will usually be slimy or wet. Some early forms of black mold have a powdery feel. Rub the mold with a paper towel to determine the texture, but be sure to wear gloves, a face mask, coveralls, and safety goggles when going near mold.
Can The Mold Do Any Harm To You
A mold of any kind should be avoided in your refrigerator because it can cause allergic reactions in you or your family members.
Contacts can result in long-term breathing difficulties, congestion, coughing, itchy skin, eye irritation, and other symptoms.
People with weakened innate immunity, pregnant women, seniors, and children are especially prone to certain interactions.
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How Do You Clean And Seal Black Mold
White mold is not dangerous but it is unsightly. It does not pose any health risks. It is harmless and cannot spread from person to person. However, if you see white mold on your walls, furniture, or carpets, it needs to be cleaned immediately. Bleach is a good choice for cleaning white mold because it kills mold spores and bacteria. How long does it take to kill mold? Can I use bleach to remove mold stains?
What You Need To Know About Your Moldy Fridge
Mold grows both indoors and outdoors. The fungus responsible for causing the mold is resilient and thrives in damp, dark conditions.
Refrigerators encourage the growth of mold because theyre dark, damp, and cold. If you have mold in your fridge , it will destroy your food, cause a rancid odor, and stain the compartments.
Additionally, mold can cause serious health issues if you inhale or touch them as they produce toxic compounds known as mycotoxins.
The most common source of mold in a refrigerator is moldy food. Rotting food often develops mold while in the fridge . The mold can spread to other surfaces through air circulation.
Food like hard salami and cheese produces mold naturally, which is less likely to spread to other surfaces.
You must clean your fridge thoroughly to discourage mold from growing. Also, to avoid the recurrence of mold, you need to moderate your refrigerators humidity level and ensure the water line isnt leaking.
Extremely high humidity and water accumulation in your fridge
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Tips To Keep The Mold From Growing Back
This cleaning process is meant to get rid of the mold. Mold in the refrigerator is bad for a persons health and can come back at any time so it is important to take some steps to keep the mold from growing back. Following are some tips to help a person get rid of mold in the refrigerator and keep the mold from coming back.
- To remove the smell of mold put a box of baking soda in the refrigerator to take in the odor.
- At one time it was suggested to use bleach to get rid of mold. While bleach is effective it may damage the refrigerator. The baking soda and water mixture is a better choice.
- To prevent the mold from growing back it is important to keep the refrigerator clean.The refrigerator should be cleaned with soapy water at least yearly. If a person notices that it is getting dirty they should clean it more frequently.
- The interior of the refrigerator needs to stay dry. Mold likes moisture and if there are still they need to be cleaned up immediately. This will help reduce the chance of mold growth.
- It is important to store foods properly. Fruits and vegetables can grow mold easily. They are also a carrier for mold. They should be stored in an airtight container. They need to be removed from the packages that they can in. These packages contain moisture and this can lead to further development of mold and fungus.
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Does This Cleaning Kill Mold
It is not intended to kill mold, just remove it. Mold is very hard to kill and requires special EPA/DEEP registered chemicals.
Why do we use baking soda?
Baking soda is alkaline, not toxic and a good cleaning agent. Most molds would rather be in an acid environment so any residuals of baking soda would not encourage more mold growth. Baking soda in powder form also helps clean the air as the air circulates through the unit.
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Can Mold In Fridge Make You Sick
You can certainly get sick from eating food thats been contaminated by molds, especially if you have allergies to certain types of mold.
Some people react negatively to the toxins produced by mold as well and may develop health problems like sinus infections.
Mold on non-food surfaces in your refrigerator and freezer usually isnt a problem unless its left there for long periods of time or becomes airborne .
If you decide not to clean up your moldy fridge, dont be alarmed when the smell sticks around even after youve cleaned out all of the moldy products.
That odor should disappear once it has aired out for a while, but if it doesnt go away, you may have to get rid of whatever items are causing the nasty smell and start over.
If you have persistent mold problems, contact an expert to see if they can help find the source of your problem.
Make sure that you do not stack anything on top of air vents or on the fridge door and leave some space from the wall so that when you clean it will be easier for you to clean up all the dirt inside because as time goes by molds will grow inside your refrigerator if it gets wet from time-to-time.
Is Mold In Fridge Dangerous
Molds are very dangerous for human health. The molds in the fridge can cause food toxicity and also cause an allergic reaction to humans.
The most dangerous part of it is, it can lead you to have cancer in the throat or any other part of the body.
So, it defines the dangerous effect of the mold of the refrigerator on the human body.
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Can You Use Bleach To Remove Mold From The Refrigerator
For a few decades, government agencies recommended using bleach to clean mold, but according to the new recommendation, they advised to use baking soda and vinegar instead of bleach. However, bleach does clean mold, but it may damage the parts of the refrigerators. Besides, bleach will usually roughen the surface and make it easier for mold to grow again.
Why Do I Have Mold Growing Inside My Fridge
Opening your refrigerator and seeing signs of mold can be alarming for anyone, but why is it that its started to grow in this kitchen appliance?
You might first notice mold on food in the fridge or perhaps dark stains beginning in one compartment, or even get a whiff of the unmistakable and unpleasant odor that mold is known for.
Mold is a fungus that grows very quickly and can be extremely resilient, especially when it comes to the items stored in our fridge.
Despite people assuming that mold grows in hot or humid climates, it can tolerate cold environments like that inside of the fridge, as long as there is moisture for it to latch onto and somewhere for it to spread.
The dark conditions of the fridge are also conducive to mold growth, so its the ideal place for it to live.
This fungus acts as a plant with roots which can easily spread itself through areas quickly, attaching onto anything it comes into contact with.
Even if you cant see the growth of mold so obviously its likely still there, and when contained in somewhere small and unventilated like a refrigerator theres a good chance thats been spread further.
Having a refrigerator with old or spoiled food, one that has broken seals and parts, or simply not cleaning and caring for the appliance can all contribute to mold growth in the refrigerator.
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Prevent Mold Growth In The Refrigerator
You may be wondering how to keep mold out of your refrigerator. This is a relatively simple thing to do, other than cleaning your refrigerator. Mold can be prevented just as easily as any other germs or bacteria. The refrigerator is an important storage area for us, so we need to keep these microbes away from our food.
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Keep certain foods out of the fridge.
The biggest way to prevent mold growth is to not store certain foods in it. There are some foods that normally have bacteria and mold on them. Some of them are more susceptible to mold growth as well. These items are:
Most of these foods are considered dry foods to begin with. The skins of these foods will keep bacteria on the surface and away from the tender innards. Tomatoes are tender and will rot more rapidly than the other items on the list. If you do need to store any of these items, be sure to separate them into air-tight containers.
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Inspect foods and groceries before adding them to the fridge.
Whenever you buy fruits and veggies, it is a good idea to inspect them thoroughly before purchasing them. Human error is prevalent when it comes to sorting food and pulling expired foods. If you buy a rotten egg or a package of strawberries with one moldy strawberry in it, you could find a pretty nasty surprise after a few days. Always make sure that containers of food are closed and unopened.
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Add a box of baking soda to your fridge and freezer.
How Does Mold Affect Food
At its most basic form, mold is a fungus. The main purpose of fungi is to break down organic and inorganic materials. However, whenever it is exposed to organic material, the spores will try to break it down regardless if it is old or not. Whenever mold is introduced to healthy organic material, it will still try to break it down. It will age the material very quickly. Food will rapidly become inedible. It can also get into your lungs and cause allergy responses.
While mold is usually brought in by moisture, it can also be brought in by other foods. A moldy piece of food will cause other foods to deteriorate quickly because the spores will release in the environment. Once the spores take hold, the mold will grow on the uninfected foods. It can also spread on other surfaces, especially if it is in the refrigerator. This is why many people use containers, aside from trying to keep it fresh.
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What Products Should I Use For A Clean Fridge
Natural, non-toxic cleaning agents are better for both the environment and your health win, win. Fridges in particular are susceptible to damage if you use harsh, abrasive chemicals like chlorine bleach or ammonia, as these can discolour and crack its plastic surfaces.
A mixture of baking soda and warm water makes an ideal fergicide to tackle fridge mould. Simply add two tablespoons of baking soda to a quart of warm water and stir until the baking soda is completely dissolved. Now its time to get scrubbing!
How To Prevent Mould
When it comes to fridge mould, prevention is better than cure. One of the easiest ways to prevent mould from reappearing is to make sure that both your fridge, and everything that goes inside it, is 100% dry.
You should also clean out the foods from your fridge on a weekly basis to prevent bacteria-spreading food debris. Organising your fridge into food zones can help.
Do defrost your fridge regularly, as any ice or frost inside the fridge will eventually melt, leading to you guessed it mould-causing moisture.
If youd like a quick fix replacement for your currently mouldy refrigerator, or more tips on fridge rental, contact us at ACECO today.
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Whats The Best Cleaning Solution For Mold
The best cleaning solution for mold depends on the surface youre cleaning. For non-porous surfaces, like the plastic in your fridge, its fine to use a non-penetrating substance, like bleach. Mold will only grow on the surface of these materials, so you only need to clean the surface.
But some surfaces are porous, like drywall or rubber. To clean these, youll need something that gets inside those pores. Vinegar can get into the pores and clean mold inside and out.
Clean The Interior Thoroughly With Water And Soap
Warm water and soap can be used to remove mold from stiff substrates. To clean all detachable elements in the kitchen, use liquid soap water.
To avoid touching the mold, wear gloves when wiping down these surface areas. Spray the sections with vinegar before cleaning with a baking soda solution. Mold can be difficult to remove, so thoroughly brush the retractable items.
If the mold doesnt come out the first time, spray it with vinegar, wait 10 minutes, and then brush it with water and soap again.
Rinse and dry the parts thoroughly with clean paper towels. Put the napkins in a garbage bag and throw them away.
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S To Clean Moldy Refrigerator
In order to clean a moldy refrigerator, first remove all food from the fridge. Next, using a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar, scrub all moldy areas. Finally, rinse the fridge with clean water and dry it thoroughly.
In todays world, it is more important than ever to know how to clean moldy refrigerator. With the increasing popularity of housing and office buildings with mold, it is becoming a more and more common problem. If you dont know how to clean moldy refrigerator, you could end up with a serious health problem. Mold can cause a variety of respiratory problems, including allergies and asthma. In some cases, it can even lead to death. Thats why its so important to learn how to clean moldy refrigerator properly.
