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.
The problem of mold and mildew won't go away on its own. Use these simple cleaning tips to remove and prevent mold and mildew in your home.
Dried mold will become temporarily inactive like a colony in hibernation. They can remain dormant for years and won't easily go away. But once the airborne spores land on damp surfaces, they will grow and spread more rapidly.
Mildew tends to cause less permanent damage than mold. As a surface fungus, it's often easy enough to eliminate with a simple cleaning solution. Still, it's important to tackle mildew when you see it in the home.
Even if you cut off the supply of water or humidity to a mold infestation, it won't just “go away.” It will still remain there in its dormant state. For this reason, it's not enough to just eliminate humidity from the equation.
Drying time per coat is approximately 15-45 minutes (depending on thickness) with normal application. External factors such as humidity, proximity to sunlight, and the use of fans or heaters can cause drying time to vary. Film must be completely dry before proceeding with molding.
Mold generally looks slimy or fuzzy, tends to have a raised texture, and can come in a rainbow of colors, including deep green and black. Mildew is powdery, looks white or gray, always appears flat, and grows on surfaces.
Use undiluted white vinegar on hard surfaces in kitchens and baths. 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.
If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.
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.
Mildew and mold are both fungi, but mildew is not as invasive or troublesome as other types of mold. Typically found in wet areas, mildew looks grayish-white and may turn brown. It's flat and powdery and it's an easier fungus to clean because it lives only on the surface of a material (such as bathroom tile).
Most yeasts and molds are heat-sensitive and destroyed by heat treatments at temperatures of 140-160°F (60-71°C). Some molds make heat-resistant spores, however, and can survive heat treatments in pickled vegetable products.
When present in the home, mold releases tiny spores that float through the air. Left unattended and untreated, mold colonies can multiply quickly, leading to serious health issues for your family and irreparable structural damage to your home.
Baking Soda and Peroxide
Rinse with white vinegar to eliminate the white residue that baking soda leaves behind. Hydrogen peroxide is another way to kill mildew naturally. Just apply it full-strength directly to affected surfaces, let it sit for at least ten minutes and then wipe the mildew away.
While Mildew is not as dangerous to your health as certain types of toxic mold (black mold, for example), nor is it as damaging to your home, mildew should still be taken seriously and it's important to remove it as quickly as possible in order to prevent adverse health effects and/or cosmetic damage to your home.
To Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home
Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. You can buy a meter to check your home's humidity at a home improvement store.
The first option is to combine 2 ounces of chlorine bleach with 16 ounces of cold water to produce a bleach-based mold and mildew cleaner. The second option is to mix 2 ounces of white vinegar with 2 ounces of Borax and 16 ounces of lukewarm water to produce a natural mold and mildew cleaner.
Mold is more than simply a smelly and unsightly stain on walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Like all forms of fungus, mold is a living organism that can grow and reproduce.
Does the Smell of Mildew Go Away? Mildew, moldy, and musty odors are some of the toughest odors to get rid of once they've set. If left alone, the smells might fade over time, but likely won't completely go away on their own. To get rid of the smells, you've got to also get rid of the fungal growth that's causing it.
The foreign grain beetle, Ahasverus advena, and several other tiny, fungus-feeding beetles, feed primarily on mildews and fungal spores. This insect, and other similar species listed below, sometimes become abundant indoors, especially in new homes.
Tip. For persistent mildew odor, use distilled white vinegar. Vinegar is mildly acidic and breaks down the mold structure, killing it slowly. Vinegar eliminates odor but does not remove mold stains.
Mildew can cause some health effects but effects from mold—especially black mold—are more severe. Health risks some with the presence of both mold and mildew, but the effects of mold—especially black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum—are much more severe.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. Use the diagram on the facing page to assess the extent of mold in your home.
Never paint over mildew—it will grow through new paint, which will make subsequent cleaning and maintenance even more difficult. Wash the affected surface with a mixture of household bleach and water—three parts water to one part bleach—or with a household cleanser designed to kill mildew.
Mold has a strong, pungent odor that's enough to make you gag. Mildew has more of a musty smell that can make you wrinkle your nose, but it doesn't invade the senses as much.