Removing Mold In The Kitchen
To prevent mold and practice adequate kitchen maintenance, open your windows to improve ventilation and run the hood vent when cooking and cleaning. Wipe water from hard surfaces, and fix leaky faucets as soon as possible. Always make sure your tableware and serving dishes are dry before storing them to keep mold from proliferating in cabinets.
Spotted mold in your kitchen? Scrub any hard surfaces with one of the solutions mentioned above, taking care to thoroughly rinse any food prep areas after. You may need to replace porous surfaces, such as wooden cabinets, that are contaminated.
How To Prevent Mold From Growing In Your Home
This article was co-authored by Ashley Matuska. Ashley Matuska is a Professional Cleaner at the Founder and Owner of Dashing Maids in Denver, Colorado. Ashley has over seven years of experience in the cleaning industry. She and her team specialize in offering sustainable deep cleaning and maintenance cleaning services.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 95% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 176,180 times.
Molds are a type of fungus that naturally grow in many places, but inside your house they can pose a health risk and negatively impact air quality. Therefore, preventing mold in your house is important for the health and safety of your family and visitors who spend time in your home. The good news is that preventing mold is quite simple, and the key is controlling moisture and humidity in your house.
Check The Humidity Level Regularly
The ideal humidity level in the house should be between 30% and 50%. A high level of humidity leads to excess moisture, which creates the perfect conditions for mold to develop. You can check the humidity level by yourself or you can ask professionals to check it for you.
In case your humidity level is high, professionals can immediately check for mold spores and even mold signs. In addition, mold removal experts will advise you on proper dehumidifiers and any additional steps needed to remove mold from your home.
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Tile And Grout Sealing:
Cleaning the tiles and sealing up the grout for good is another effective solution to prevent any fungal infestation. Unfinished kitchen ties and broken bathroom floors often becomes a breeding ground for the fungi colonies and can lead to massive mold and mildew growths. Oftentimes you must have noticed brown or yellow stains on the floor this is due to the fungal growth, clean the tiles regularly and seal them properly for extra protection. You can get some professional help or use natural home remedies such as beeswax or herbal oils to seal the tiles and grout for good.
How Common Is Mold In Buildings
Mold is very common in homes and buildings.
One 2017 study found mold in every public building studied, with an average of about 14 instances of mold per building.
Another involving 31 European countries found mold in 1 in 6 homes. The author noted that the prevalence of mold may vary greatly depending on the regional climate.
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How Do You Get Rid Of Mold
There are plenty of commercial products that are effective for black mold removal, but many of them contain harsh chemicals that may be as harmful as the mold itself. There are several ways to get rid of mold without resorting to toxic chemicals.
Here are 5 ways to treat black mold using green household cleaners:
How To Get Rid Of Mold From Every Home Surface
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
- Working Time: 1 – 2 hrs
- Total Time: 2 – 8 hrs
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Estimated Cost: $0 to $20
Moldit’s a word that strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners everywhere, and for good reason. Mold can cause health problems and damage your property. But, no need to worry: we’re here to teach you how to get rid of mold from every surface in your home. We’ll start with the most common places where mold appears, and then move on to more specific surfaces. So read on, and learn how to keep your home healthy and mold-free.
Above all, remember the golden rule when it comes to cleaning: the faster you can attack the mess, the better. Don’t wait for mold to become unbearable before you get to scrubbing. It’s best to address mold issues the second you notice them.
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Scrub Moldy Surfaces With Mold Cleaner
- Scrub the surface mold stains from walls and wood trim with a mixture of one quart water and 1/2-cup bleach mold cleaner to kill the mold.
- Use a soft brush and work until signs of the mold disappear.
- After scrubbing the surfaces, allow the bleach solution to continue to penetrate the surfaces and dry.
- Wipe off, but DO NOT RINSE these surfaces.
- Set trim in direct sunlight to dry. Scrub concrete with TSP or automatic dishwasher detergent.
Family Handyman
Dangerous Mold Vs Mildew
The most common type of mold found in homes is mildew. Mildew is a surface mold that grows in warm, damp places like your bathroom and on fabrics and books stored in damp basements. Mildew begins as a gray or white powdery colony. It will turn black or brown if not removed promptly and often looks like soil accumulation. To test if the surface is covered with mildew or just dirt, dab the stain with a cotton swab dipped in household chlorine bleach. If the stain lightens or disappears after two or three minutes, it’s mildew. If not, it’s probably just dirt.
If you detect a musty smell anywhere in your home, then you have a high concentration of mold. It can be coming from a hamper filled with damp towels, from a damp crawlspace under your home, or from carpets that have mold growing in the padding. If you smell that odor, it’s definitely time to take action to get rid of the problem.
All mildew is mold, but not all molds are mildew. Mildew can discolor and slowly harm surfaces but there are much more dangerous molds that can damage the structure of your home. If you see a black or green mold that is fuzzy or slimy and the drywall or wood underneath is soft or crumbly, there is irreversible rot, and the mold and the damaged surfaces must be removed immediately.
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Take Care Of Your Windows
Take down all drapes and curtains and wash them thoroughly. Make sure you dry them well before you hang them again. If the weather allows it, you can put them back while they are still wet and leave the windows wide open. This will make your entire room smell fresh, but again, you should be careful about the humidity level, as it can bring about mold.
Using warm water, damp cloth and mild dishwashing liquid, scrub each window with a brush and rinse thoroughly. By doing this, you will remove any dirt and mildew from your windows. In case you see dark spots on your windows and suspect a mold problem, now is the perfect moment to call professionals to test if it is mold or not. Window condensation often causes mold to grow in your home.
Dont forget to wash both the interior side of your windows as well as the exterior one and windowsills. The best way to prevent mold in your home is to keep your windows open as often as possible, as mold isnt a fan of fresh air.
Mold Removal Using Bleach
Bleach kills virtually every species of indoor mold that it comes into contact with including mold spores which leaves a sanitized surface making it resistant to future mold growth. However, bleach is only effective if the mold is growing on non-porous materials such as tiles, bathrubs, glass and countertops.
Bleach is unable to penetrate into porous materials such as wood and drywall which means it cannot get rid of mold growing beneath the surface of these materials. If you use bleach to kill mold on these surfaces it will only kill the mold above the surface. It will be unable to reach the mold within the material and the mold will soon return.
Bleach is a harsh, corrosive chemical which means it can damage the materials it is used on. It also gives off harsh fumes and produces toxic gases when mixed with ammonia. There are safer alternatives such as borax or vinegar which dont produce the dangerous fumes or leave behind toxic residue.
How to Kill Mold Using Bleach
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Clean Your Walls And Ceilings
As weve said many times before, mold loves moisture. It loves it so much that it will throw a party everywhere they find enough moisture and organic food. That being said, in order to prevent mold from invading your home, it is important to thoroughly check your walls and ceilings for any signs of leaks. Both high humidity level and condensation may increase your chances of having mold on your walls, so keeping control of these two components will keep control of mold.
Start by dusting and vacuuming all the surfaces in every room. Wipe the walls and get rid of any spider web you see. If you notice any leaks, find the cause and fix it immediately. While you are at it, carefully dust your light bulbs, chandeliers and any other light source you have in your room. Remember, there is no better organic food for mold than dust.
Equip Your Home With Mold
Building a new home or renovating an old one? Use mold-resistant products like mold-resistant drywall or mold-resistant Sheetrock, and mold inhibitors for paints. Traditional drywall is composed of a gypsum plaster core pressed between plies of paper. Mold-resistant drywall is paperlessthe gypsum core is covered in fiberglass, making the surface highly water-resistant. Moisture-resistant drywall is especially valuable in areas prone to wetness, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and kitchens. Not only is traditional drywall more susceptible to mold than the paperless kind, but it is also difficult to rid of mold, and removal and replacement can be expensive. Mold-resistant gypsum board is also available the core of the drywall is developed in such a way as to prevent moisture absorption, and thus prevent mold growth.
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Preventing Mold In Your Home
First, well lay out important steps you can take to avoid mold problems. This approach boils down to one major concern: controlling moisture in your home. Whether youre taking steps to maintain the ideal home humidity level or assessing common problem areas, effectively controlling the environment is whats most important.
Some Precautionary Measures To Prevent Mold Growth
Mold and mildew is found both indoors and outdoors, from the doors, walls, ceiling, cupboards, to the backyard and garden shedit is everywhere! You can adopt these preventive measures to reduce mold growth:
- Open the doors and windows, let the sunlight stream in
- Cover your nose and mouth properly before you begin the cleaning spree.
- Fix the leaking roofs, windows and pipes to prevent mold on walls
- Fix the ventilation issues, add exhaust fans and ventilators in bathroom and kitchen
- Clean the corners thoroughly, especially after floods
- Take steps to control the humidity levels, keep the house warm and dry,
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When To Call For Professional Help
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends hiring a professional to clean mold in your home if the moldy area is larger than 10 square feet.
You should also hire a professional cleaner if you have mold in your air conditioning, heating, or ventilation systems.
If you have a known allergy to mold or if you have a health condition that might be aggravated by breathing in mold, you should avoid doing the cleanup yourself.
What Causes Molds In Your Home
- High humidity levels: High humidity means high moisture present in the air. If your house has a high humidity rate, then you can expect to see molds growing from your walls, ceilings, and even under kitchen sinks. To handle the humidity level in your home, provide proper ventilation indoors.
- Poor ventilation: Ventilation is an important aspect of preventing molds. A place with poor ventilation becomes an ideal place for mold spores to spread and grow. As a matter of fact, molds just love stagnant air! So make sure that you provide proper ventilation and use the vents as often as you need to.
- Damp areas: The areas in our homes that suffer from mold attacks the most are the basement and bathrooms. These areas are usually damp, and make the best place for molds to thrive and grow.
- Leaks: A leaking air-conditioning system, a leaking roof, leaking pipes, leaking windows, and so on every unattended leak in your home can lead to mold breakouts over time. Make sure that you always check your place for possible leaks to prevent mold growth.
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A Guide To Cleaning And Preventing Mold And Mildew
Mold growth is an inevitable fact of nature. It can also be a major problem in areas of your house. Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements are all areas that retain moisture and practically invite mold to make itself at home. Here are tips for fighting mold in the home before it spreads to vulnerable areas.
Stop Harmful Fungi From Taking Over Your Home With Simple Steps For Removal And Prevention
Mold and mildew are types of fungi that can quickly grow anywhere you find moisture. There is very little difference between the two in fact, mildew is just mold in its early stage. Both serve an important purpose in our environment by helping to destroy organic materials such as leaves, which enriches the soil. But some mold and mildew isn’t as helpful for humans. Living in a moldy home can cause serious health issues like headaches, respiratory problems, sinus congestion, and eye, nose, or throat irritation. It’s especially dangerous for infants, children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and people with existing respiratory conditions, who are at a higher risk for these problems.
BHG / Laura Wheatley
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How To Prevent Mold And Mildew On Windows
Mold on windows is often the result of condensation. It starts by growing at the bottom of the windows, where the glass meets the window frame, but it can also grow around window frames.
The main problem with mildew growing on windows is that people sometimes do not even notice they have it. Since mold is often darker, it is a lot easier to spot it than mildew. Even though mold typically doesnt feed on windows themselves, it can easily destroy wooden frames of your windows.
Since mildew is more often seen on windows than mold, it is very important to get the discoloration tested out to determine what you are dealing with. Together with a mold or mildew test, mold experts will inform you about the best way to treat the problem you are dealing with in order to prevent its further growth.
Both mildew and mold on windows are the result of condensation thus, to prevent mold, it is very important to stop the condensation itself from happening.
First things first, in both mildew and mold prevention processes, it is important to regularly ventilate your rooms. If the weather permits, keep your windows open to let fresh air dry the window frames. Pay special attention to kitchen and bathroom windows as steam can be one of the mildew and mold triggers.
The influence of dust on mildew and mold growth is often overlooked. It is essential to regularly clean your homes interior, especially window frames, to prevent mold and mildew from finding additional food sources of their growth.
How To Eliminate Mold On The Exterior Of Your House
Just like it is indoors, mold is a serious problem on the outside of your home. Over time, mold can damage your siding and decks, so it’s best to nip it in the bud before it gets established. Bleach works well to clean everything from siding to brick, stone, and concrete, but it will kill plants, so be sure to thoroughly cover them with plastic before beginning any project using it.
To rid your home’s exterior of mold, apply a 1-to-10 mixture of bleach and water on problem areas. Scrub stubborn stains with a stiff bristle brush, and be sure to leave the solution on for 20 minutes before rinsing.
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Black Mold Removal Using Vinegar
White vinegar is a mildly acidic product that cleans, deodorizes, and disinfects. It can also kill 82% of mold species, including black mold, on porous and non-porous surfaces. You can use it safely on most surfaces, and its offensive odor goes away quickly.
Pour undiluted white vinegar into a spray bottle. Because white vinegar contains only about 20% acetic acid, adding water makes it less effective. Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave for an hour. Finally, wipe the area clean with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours.
