Molds are not only disgusting to look at, but they can also carry a lot of diseases. Exposure to mold can lead to colds, respiratory complications, nasal problems, and sinus congestions. It can also cause sore throats and skin problems. If a family member suffers from asthma, molds can also trigger the attacks. Molds are also known to cause allergies.

Identifying Mold

Removing mold can be a tedious tasks and the first step in eliminating mold is to identify if it exists in your household. You would know that your house has mold if you smell a musty odor and see a mass of green or black slimy stuff. Mold is actually fungus that may float in the atmosphere much like pollen. They are usually found in moist and humid areas like the floors of your bathroom and outdoor patios or gardens. If you really want to detect mold in your house you can try reliable sampling. This may be quite expensive since this procedure can require special equipments and needs careful training of staff.

Where Mold Resides

Molds can be found in hays, grass, or leaf piles. Molds also grow in most organic resources like wood and paper. If our house has areas that are wet most of the time, chances are, mold will grow there. Walls can be one place where mold breeds. Painted walls that are washed from rain are also one place where mold can live. Molds can easily creep under cabinets and carpet padding. There are also some instances that molds can even penetrate the kitchen of your homes. When this happens, be alarmed. Since the kitchen is one place where you prepare your foods, it can be quite dangerous to cook foods in an environment with mold.

Removing Mold

When removing molds, remember that your safety should come first. Always use a respirator or mask to act as an air filter and prevent mold spores from getting into your lungs. Use eye protectors and rubber gloves. After using these types of safety equipment, it is best to dispose them immediately after use.

It is important to dampen or sprinkle some water on materials with mold. This can prevent airborne mold pollens from spreading into the air. You can use non-ammonia detergent or soap to clean hard surfaces. Hard surfaces include plastics, glass and metals. You can also use these in cleaning counter tops, kitchen, or bathroom tiles. It is important to note that you should never mix ammonia with bleach because they may give off fumes that can be toxic and harmful to your body.

It is sad to say, though, that it is not possible to remove mold from carpets or paper. Porous materials are usually impossible to clean if they have molds. There is no better way to remove these kind of moldy materials but to throw them away.

In walls or other wood structures, you can remove molds by scrubbing. But do not expect them to be completely gone. You can scrub them or sand them. Make sure that you use protective safety tools when you do this. Clean these stuff in a well-ventilated area, away from other equipments.

Use a commercial disinfectant after you have removed the molds. Bleach and water solution can also be used as disinfectant. The cleaning solution should contain one-fourth bleach for every gallon of water. Apply the solution in the material infected by mold and allow the solution to do its work for fifteen minutes. If there are too much molds in the material, you can use one and a half cup of bleach per one galloon of water. Be sure that you are in a well-ventilated area when cleaning. After several minutes, rinse the area with water and allow the material to dry. You can use fan or dehumidifier if you want them to dry immediately.