How To Stop Black Mold From Spreading

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:

Not All Mold Inspections Are Created Equal

OK, so you had a leak and you suspect mold. Youre ready to get some professional help but how do you know who to hire? Have you ever had mold removed from your home? Do you know what to ask mold removal companies? What do they really do?

As a mold removal company, we know what you should expect and what the industry standards should be. Some of our competitors offer free mold inspections. Which basically means that the inspector shows up and hands over a price to fix a symptom, without truly knowing the nature of the problem. The primary reason that we charge for our mold inspections is the time and resources that go into each one.

If you think you might have a mold problem, youre far better off with a thorough inspection like ours. We analyze the symptoms to determine the root cause of your problem, and will only recommend solutions that will solve the actual problem.

Especially if you live outside our service area, check out our post: How to Choose the Best Mold Removal Company. We let you know what you should expect and what the industry standards should be. If the company you interview doesnt know the answer to the questions in our article, you dont want to hire them!

How Can You Tell Black Mold And Mold

Black mold has a unique smell of earthy scent of rotten leaves and dirt. Apart from this, the other way to spot is that its black. Scientifically, there are no species of mold called Black mold. However, studies have shown that black mold is of black and green color. But it can be pink or white depending on where it grows.

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Removing Mold From Outdoor Surfaces

First and foremost, to fully eliminate mold, you must address any moisture problems, and then remove the mold.

Common causes of moisture pooling are poor yard drainage caused by ill-maintained gutters and drains and improper slope. If you have these issues, clean out gutters, fix drains and regrade your yard so it slopes at a rate of one inch per foot. Repair leaky pipes and roofs and check for water stains on all outdoor and exterior surfaces.

Once youve identified any areas of excess moisture and addressed them, get your gloves and dust mask on and prepare to get rid of any mold thats collected.

Patio Surfaces

If the surface can withstand it , power wash your patio with water using a wide, low-pressure nozzle or fan tip. You can also spray on oxygen bleach and let it soak in without drying. Scrub moldy areas with a stiff brush and rinse with water. If you notice mold coming back, make sure water drains off your deck properly.

Building Materials

If youve stored wood or other building materials outdoors and they are showing signs of mold, first seal off the area while wearing your rubber gloves and dust mask . Create a makeshift airlock to isolate spores by covering the opening to the supply area with a sheet of plastic slit in the center, then cover that sheet with another. Wrap all materials twice and wash the remaining hard surfaces with a bleach solution and let dry.

Farmhouse Porch by Dallas Media & BloggersSarah Greenman

Outdoor Cushions and Pillows

Is Black Mold Dangerous

The short answer isnot really. But that doesnt mean you should keep black mold as a pet.

Everyone has different levels of tolerance to allergens like mold spores, but thats all black mold isan allergen.1 Those with asthma, respiratory allergies, or immune suppression will feel the effects of black molds mycotoxins more than most folks.

As one source put it, Previous reports of toxic mold syndrome or toxic black mold have been shown to be no more than media hype and mass hysteria. 2

But whether you feel black mold symptoms or not, its best to get rid of black mold as soon as you find it.

Also Check: How To Treat Mold On Sheetrock

How To Kill Black Mold With Vinegar

For damp and warm regions affected by molds, such as laundry room or bathroom, add vinegar to your cleaning routine to stop the infestation. Its the best idea to put a vinegar bottle in the bathroom and spray it all over the surface after taking a shower. You can even add vinegar to your mopping solution to prevent the growth of black mold and other types on the floor.

Is Wood Mold Dangerous

Yes, wood mold can cause allergic reactions to some people. Although mold may not be dangerous in itself, it may produce various toxins that fill the air. It is rare to come across an aggressively toxic wood mold. Wood mold may appear as a discolored layer on the wood. In high concentrations, the spores produced will fill the air in your home and cause allergic reactions to sensitive people.

Act Now and Remove Mold from your HomeCall a Professional Mold Remediation Specialist or Get Up to 4 Quotes Now.

Exposure to wood molds may cause symptoms such as:

• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Watery eyes

Wood mold may grow behind specific structures in your home and penetrate the air through air vents. The concentration of mold in your air will cause adverse respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis and fungus lung inflammation.

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Wear The Right Clothing

Make sure you are properly geared before you start with your DIY mold cleanup. Wear gloves, goggles, and loose clothing especially if youre using a chemical. After cleaning the mold, dispose of your clothing and gears or thoroughly wash them. Mold spores can easily spread within your house as they travel through the air.

When it comes to black mold removal, it is better to ask professionals to do it. Black mold is a dangerous type of mold and can have a hazardous effect on your health.

How To Treat Black Mold Poisoning

Black mold, scientifically referred to as Stachybotrys atra or Stachybotrys chartarum, is typically black or dark green and often linked to serious health problems.

In fact, black mold exposure can lead to poisoning, or stachybotryotoxicosis a condition thats dangerous, particularly for young children and the elderly.

Even though black mold poisoning typically affects horses, cows, and pigs, humans can become infected if they inhale or ingest the spores.

Symptoms of stachybotryotoxicosis include skin rashes , throat and sinus irritation, burning eyes, and a decrease in the production of white blood cells.

Also Check: Can You Clean Mold Off Of Leather

How To Clean Mold And Mildew From Fabric

Avoid sending mold spores into the air and throughout the house by first taking fabric and upholstery outside when possible. Brush off as much of the mildew as possible. Then treat fabric or upholstered pieces individually as follows.

Moldy or mildewy fabric should be laundered in chlorine bleach and hot water. If chlorine bleach is not a safe option for the material, soak it in oxygen bleach and hot water for a half-hour, then wash as directed. Take it outside to dry in the sun if possible.

Upholstery that you can’t take outside should be vacuumed first. Replace the vacuum bag or take the canister outside to clean. Then mix 1 cup of ammonia with 1 cup of cool water. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stains with the ammonia solution. Blot until all the liquid is absorbed. Repeat the process until the stain disappears. To remove the resulting ammonia solution, sponge the area with cold water and blot. Dry thoroughly with a fan or hair dryer set on cool.

How To Prevent Mold And Mildew Throughout The House

Help keep your home free of mold and mildew with a few preventive measures.

• Use dehumidifiers, fans, and open windows to help reduce the moisture in your home. Be especially vigilant during hot, humid months.
• Fix plumbing leaks as soon as possible.
• Do what you can to prevent rainwater from seeping into your home. Check potential problem areas regularly.
• Clean the fabrics in your home routinely and keep them dry.
• Store items in dry, well-ventilated areas.

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Keep Mold Off Household Plants

Treehugger / Christian Yonkers

They’re beautiful and help keep your indoor air clean and mold loves them. The moist soil in indoor plants is a perfect breeding ground for mold, which may then spread to other areas of your house. Instead of getting rid of your plants, try adding a bit of Taheebo tea to the water you give to your houseplants. The oil of this tree, which withstands fungi even in rain forests, helps hinder mold growth in plant soil and can be found at natural food stores.

How To Remove Black Mold

Protect yourself. You don’t need to worry about having mold tested if you find mold in your house. But you should get rid of it no matter what type of mold it is. Take precautions to protect yourself before you attempt to remove mold.

Use an N-95 face mask to avoid breathing in mold spores. Wear gloves to protect your hands and goggles without ventilation holes to protect your eyes.â

Find and destroy the mold. The most important part of removing mold is finding and removing its water source. Mold can’t grow without moisture. Keep the following tips in mind when you’re cleaning up mold:

• Items that can’t be dried quickly should be discarded if they show signs of mold or water damage. Porous items such as carpet, padding, drywall, and paper soak up moisture.
• Do not paint or caulk over moldy surfaces. Remove the mold and dry the surfaces before you paint. Paint applied over mold will peel.
• Use plastic sheeting to block an area with mold from the rest of your house and keep the spores from spreading.
• Scrub hard surfaces with mold with detergent and water and dry them thoroughly.
• Put any moldy items in a plastic bag before you take them out of the room to prevent mold spores from spreading.
• Use a HEPA filter in your air conditioner and furnace to capture mold spores that may be airborne in your house.
• Consult a specialist if you’re not sure of the best way to clean a valuable or sentimental item.â

Also Check: Airborne Mold In House

Use Mould And Mildew Cleaning Sprays

You can use a specialist mould and mildew cleaning spray or create one yourself with household cleaning items before a session of mould and mildew removal. One-part bleach to four parts water is an effective mould and mildew killer.

Use a cloth or rag to help clean the mould away and dispose of it in a bag after using it to prevent spreading mould to another part of your home.

Make Sure That Downspouts Arent Draining Onto The Foundation

Even if your gutters are clear, you can have problems if the water is draining too close to the house. It can leak into the basement or wear away at the soil underneath the footings, causing the walls and ceilings to crack. To avoid this problem, make sure that downspouts extend a minimum of ten feet from your house.

Also Check: Removing Mold From Leather

Causes Of Black Mold Growth

In order for mold to grow on any surface, but especially wood, moisture must be present. In homes and other buildings, moisture build up can be caused by many different things. If you have a large household, you have a better chance of finding the black fungus when we breath we give off moisture. Additionally, hot showers and even cooking can contribute to the moisture-level in homes. However, moisture build-up can also occur from certain malfunctions in your home. Black mold can show up after youve had a leaky roof or pipes as any moisture that is trapped can turn into black mold.

If Necessary Sand The Wood

These cleaning solutions should take care of your mold problem, but if youve got some stubborn traces left under the surface, you have one last resort: sanding.

• Use 100-grit sandpaper to rub out the affected portion, taking care not to sand away too much of the surrounding areas.
• Repeat Step 2 to remove the dust and any loosened mold spores.

Read Also: Basement Mold Removal Diy

Ways To Remove Black Mold On Wood

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• 5 Conclusion

In general, homeowners know that it isnt good to have black mold on wood in their homes, but few people are well-informed enough to know exactly how harmful it can be to them. It is therefore a good idea to monitor your home and check that there arent any surprise mold growths, particularly if you live in a humid environment.

Make Your Own Black Mold Cleaner

While there are many chemical solutions that you can find at a hardware store, some natural ingredients can also remove black mold without the added toxicity. Popular choices are tea tree oil and grapefruit seed extract.

To create your DIY cleaning solution, mix a ratio of one cup water to one teaspoon of either tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract. You can also use bleach to treat the area, mixing one part bleach with two parts water.

Also Check: How To Remove Mildew From Ceiling In Bathroom

How To Prevent Mold On Closets Clothes And Laundry

There is nothing worse than getting your favorite shirt out of storage, only to find that it has mold on it. However, it can be prevented. The main method of prevention involves keeping your clothes dry. Never hang damp clothing in your closet always dry your laundry completely before hanging it up. Along the same lines, keep hanging clothes a few inches away from the wall, in case it has condensation. Also try not to keep clothes too tightly packed together, as the fungus can spread from one article of clothing to another.

Black mold can be scary, but it is also preventable. If you pay attention to all discussed areas in your home you should be able to prevent black mold and keep yourself and your family away from this fungus. Your home should be a haven, and you can help to keep it that way through black mold prevention.

When To Call A Professional Mold Remediation Company To Get Rid Of Mold

When it comes to non-toxic mold in small areas on non-porous materials there is a fair chance you can remove the mold on your own using one of the products listed above. However, professional mold remediators are recommended when:

• Mold is in your HVAC systems or inside materials and places that are difficult to repair or replace
• The mold infected area is large
• You dont have the appropriate ools or sufficient knowledge to remove the mold on your own
• You are already experiencing mold exposure symptoms
• You prefer not to waste time or nerves on mold removal

Mold remediation specialists have a lot of experience and professional equipment that will completely remove mold. These professionals know what mistakes to avoid, what not to overlook, and how to permanently solve your mold problems.

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Can Black Mold Spread From House To House

Yes. If you have had mold in your old house and youre moving into another space, it is possible to cross contaminate this new environment.

Because mold spores are not visible to the naked eye, it is hard to tell which surfaces are contaminated. Therefore, the mold has to be completely cleaned before you renovate or move to a new home.

Vinegar Is A Universal Cleaner

You can find vinegar in every kitchen, and it has amazing properties that might surprise you. It can help you get rid of odors, its a great surface cleaner, and it acts as a natural fabric softener. But did you know vinegar can also get rid of mold?

All you need to do is apply it directly onto the moldy surface and let it sit for one hour. Then, wipe the surface using a clean rug or a sponge soaked in water and the mold should be gone.

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How Can I Paint Over Mold To Prevent It From Coming Back Again

The source of the leak has been fixed, however the old mold keeps showing though the new paint.

Don’t try painting over mold. Use bleach to get rid of it first. Make sure the entire area is completely dry. Then use a special anti mold paint.

• 8This. If you paint it over your mold will never go away. This is your best bet. If you just cover it up you will get some serious problems later. Mold in homes can really mess up your health too.Aug 19 ’10 at 13:31
• what kind of bleach do you use ?Mar 27 ’12 at 6:04
• 2This site recommends using a 10% Borax solution instead of bleach. They claim it works better and is less hazardous to you. According to that site, bleach releases carcinogens when it makes contact with mold.Mar 10 ’13 at 23:07
• 2Bleach is not the best way to kill mold. Yes it will kill it, but the mold spores will sense the bleach, and migrate. Professional mold products are available but you probably won’t find them at Home Depot. user13230May 28 ’13 at 23:38
• I used bleach and water and it does work user15364