Conclusion. Mold spores don't die and will grow back and multiply after a long time of inactivity once moisture is introduced. They can still cause health complications and need to be removed before they start to grow back and spread throughout your home or business.
Unfortunately, mold spores can remain airborne indefinitely, especially when mold is present, not fully removed, or disturbed in your home. And even if mold is not currently present in your home, mold spores can travel long distances—attaching to you or pets or entering through ventilation.
Mold spores are around you at all times and are highly airborne. Even if surface level mold is removed, mold spores will become dormant (non-viable) until the ideal conditions for growth are re-introduced. Depending on the species of mold, some spores can remain dormant for hundreds of years.
A bleach solution also works to kill mold. Mix one cup of bleach in a gallon of water, apply to the surface and don't rinse. Mix a 50/50 solution of ammonia and water. Spray on the surface, wait two to three hours, then rinse.
Without constant moisture, mold will become inactive but they never die unless you get rid of them completely. They can always come back to life in the presence of moisture and multiply rapidly causing serious health problems.
Dry mold will become active again once high levels of moisture or humidity are present in the area. Mold will continue to grow and multiply rapidly, which could intensify allergic reactions and other unfavorable symptoms. To put it simply, the answer to the question of “does mold die when it dries out,” is no.
Is Dry Mold Dangerous to Your Health? Yes! Dry mold is just as dangerous as active mold because as we've mentioned, they can still release mold spores. This can endanger your family members with respiratory complications and compromised immune systems.
Cleaning vinegar, which contains 6% acetic acid, is the best type for killing mold. White vinegar containing 5% acidity will also work just fine.
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.
Please note: Dead mold is allergenic and may cause allergic reactions and other health effects in some individuals, so it is not enough to simply kill the mold. It must also be removed.
You might have found inactive mold, but it's possible that disturbing it has actually activated it! Do You Need to Treat Inactive Mold? Any indoor mold should be treated, especially because seemingly “dead” mold might become reactivated by moisture. Proper mold cleanup involves more than just disinfecting the area.
Exposure to a large number of mold spores may cause allergic symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, itching, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, headache, and fatigue. Repeated exposure to mold can increase a person's sensitivity, causing more severe allergic reactions.
You should follow your mold remediation technician's recommendations, but most pros request that homeowners wait one day after the process is complete to move back in. After returning home, be sure to carefully inspect the exposed areas for any remaining signs of mold spores.
Mold spores are tiny and pervasive, so it's easy for them to travel from one place to another on surfaces, in boxes, or even on clothes.
If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold can be removed from hard surfaces with household products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Prevent Mold to Keep it from Spreading
But if you can keep the moisture levels down in your home or building, you can prevent it from destroying your living space. It's recommended to keep your home or office below 60 percent humidity level, so spores don't have enough moisture to begin colonization.
Concrobium Mold Control is an innovative, market-leading product that effectively eliminates existing mold, prevents mold re-growth and eliminates musty odors with no harmful chemicals. The unique technology is used by homeowners, professional remodelers, contractors and remediators.
The short answer? Yes. 'Ventilation is key to preventing mould growth,' says Jordan Chance, product manager at PlumbNation. 'Make sure to leave bathroom windows open for at least 10 minutes after showering and bathing in order to clear excess moisture from the atmosphere.
Mold can grow on almost any surface, including; wood, ceiling tiles, wallpaper, paints, carpet, sheetrock, and insulation. Mold grows best when there is a lot of moisture from a leaky, humidity, or flood. There is no way to rid your home of all molds and mold spores.
Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin.
Do air purifiers help with mold? Air purifiers help capture mold spores from the air, preventing them from reproducing and spreading throughout your home. While air purifiers won't help treat active mold that's already present on surfaces, they are a great way to control the spread of airborne mold particles.
Mold inside your walls is a sure sign of moisture intrusion. Mold also leads to the deterioration of insulation, studs, and drywall. Some types of mold can be hazardous to your health. 1 And for anyone thinking of selling their home, mold in the walls will undoubtedly show up on the inspection report.
Can mold make my family sick? Exposure to mold can cause health effects in some people. Mold spores are always found in the air we breathe, but extensive mold contamination may cause health problems. Breathing mold can cause allergic and respiratory symptoms.
It will return over and over again and can be a vicious cycle. Using Clorox will also harm your paint especially if you are trying to get it off of sheetrock. Above is an example of some mold that was growing on our paneling after a water leak. This had been there for over a month when we found it.
Don't Touch Mold. Some varieties of mold are serious and infectious. These can cause skin rashes, irritation, and fungal infections on open wounds. Even further, one should never touch mold with bare hands or get it on your skin.