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.
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on materials such as clothing, floors, bathroom fixtures, walls and items such as kitchen appliances. Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle.
Mould will easily grow and spread if the right conditions are present. So, dehumidifiers don't kill mould, but they can help to prevent it from growing inside your home by reducing humidity. However, the best way to deal with it is to get rid of its source.
Specifically, air purifiers with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters work great at removing mold spores. HEPA filters are considered to be rated MERV 17 or above, which means that the filters can trap more than 99.7% of air particles as small as 0.3-1.0 microns in size.
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.
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores can cause a person to become allergic to mold. Molds can trigger asthma symptoms including shortness of breath, wheezing, or cough in people with known allergies. People who do not have allergies can also become irritated.
If you live in a humid environment and want to control moisture levels to prevent mold growth, a dehumidifier may be the best choice. Dehumidifiers are effective at reducing humidity levels and removing excess moisture from the air, which can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
Ventilation fans are the best way to prevent mold build up inside a home. Think about it: what happens when a home has a flood? Typically, a water damage expert will be called in and the first thing they do is bring in ventilation fans to dry out the moisture and wetness inside the 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.
Hydrogen peroxide: Pour a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and apply it to the affected area. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub the mold away. Vinegar: Pour undiluted white vinegar into a spray bottle and apply to the moldy area.
Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent in warm water and scrub the entire area affected by the mold. Use a stiff brush or cleaning pad on block walls or uneven surfaces. Rinse clean with water. Dry completely.
While it is possible to use bleach to kill mold as well, experts agree that vinegar is a much better option. Unlike bleach, vinegar can effectively kill the mold at the root, which means it's less likely to return. Vinegar is also less toxic than bleach, making it a better choice for household use.
When warm, humid air comes in contact with a surface that's cooler than the surrounding air, condensation can occur. When moisture accumulates on porous surfaces, it can cause mold to form. That's why keeping the relative humidity inside your building low is important for mold and mildew prevention.
Install an Air Purifier: Using an air purifier to remove mold spores in the air is one of the best ways to initially get the problem under control because they work by capturing and removing harmful pollutants in your home.
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.
Mold hates light. Other than moisture there's nothing mold loves more than dark places.
Keep the thermostat at 78 degrees or above. A higher thermostat setting and slightly warmer air temperature results in drier indoor air. In the cooling mode, temperatures lower than 78 degrees generate more humid air and cool indoor surfaces, increasing condensation that breeds mold.
If the fan is set to the ON position daily, your home will be unable to rid itself of humidity. This, unfortunately, results in dust mites and mold growth. The EPA suggests an indoor humidity level for your home to be between 30%-50%. These levels prevent dust mite and mold breeding from occurring.
A dehumidifier makes the external conditions less welcoming to mold; by removing moisture, they reduce the chances of mold growth. An air purifier, however, removes mold spores from the air, making it harder for mold and mildew to create new colonies. HEPA filters are one of the most important tools for removing mold.
Open Windows and Doors
One of the easiest ways to dehumidify a room is to open up the windows, says the National Asthma Council. Doing so lets in fresh air, improving the air circulation in the room and—when you keep your inside doors open—within your home.
Disconnect the dehumidifier's cover to access the coil. Spray the coil with a no-rinse foaming anti-microbial coil cleaner. The foaming cleaner should drip into the water collection tank; though, follow the instructions on the type you use. Use a soft cloth to wipe down the coil and parts.
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.
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. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions.
Perfectly healthy individuals with no history of respiratory issues have been reported to suffer prolonged coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. This combined with a weakened immune system that long-term mould exposure can cause may lead to even worse conditions like bronchitis.