Moisture can lead to the growth of mold inside of homes and buildings. Leaks from roofs, plumbing or window frames usually cause the biggest problems. Add excessive moisture with a lack of ventilation and you have created a perfect environment for mold and mildew fungus to grow. The key to successful mold prevention and control is to lower indoor moisture and make sure you have proper ventilation. It is not possible to remove all mold and mold spores indoors, but mold cannot grow if moisture is not present.

The best ways to prevent mold from forming is cleaning, disinfecting and drying surfaces which will help to prevent mold growth. Mold will grow on damp surfaces within a couple days at normal room temperatures. Reduce moisture levels in the bathroom by running an exhaust fan during and after showers. Fix plumbing leaks and seepage to prevent the buildup of moisture and prevent the growth of molds. Also, ventilate using outside air during winter months when the outside temperatures are normally colder than indoor temperatures. Ventilating with warm summer air typically increases the air's relative humidity in a basement. Insulating walls and installing storm windows keeps walls warm and keeps condensation levels low.

How do you determine if you have mold or mildew? To begin, look under flooring, carpets and behind wallpaper. If mold is present in your home these are likely places for mold to form.

Next, look in your bathroom since there is normally abundant moisture present. Look at the area surrounding the toilet. Try to gently rock your toilet back and forth. If it does not move then you are in good shape. If it does move then there is a possible problem. This usually means that the wax ring under the toilet is leaking and is not getting a tight seal. If that is the case you can replace the wax seal at very little cost. Also look around the walls of the shower or tub and also the floor surrounding it. Make sure that the caulking around the tub or shower is in good condition and is not turning dark. If it is, then it is time to recaulk.

Look next in your laundry room and check the hoses to your washer and make sure there is a tight connection. You may want to install a watertight pan to catch overflows.

Kitchens are also common places for mold growth especially if you are not using an exhaust fan. Refigerator pans which are used in automatic defrosting refigerators also are a common place for mold groth.

Lets look at some of the surfaces that you commonly encounter mold and what is the best method for removal.

For a painted surface inside your home, scrub moldy surfaces with a solution of 1 cup of household bleach to 1 gallon water. A little detergent may be added to the solution, but do not mix bleach with cleaners containing ammonia. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry thoroughly.

For bathrooms, scrub surfaces with a solution of 1 cup household bleach, 1 tablespoon detergent that does not contain ammonia and 1 gallon water. Keep the surface wet for about 10 minutes, then rinse well with water and dry.

For untreated wood or wood shingles, scrub surfaces with a solution of 1 quart household bleach and 1 ounce detergent in 3 quarts water. Rinse thoroughly. If stains remain, increase the concentration of bleach to water and re-treat.

For carpets or rugs, discard pads containing mold. It is almost impossible to clean and destroy all the mold in a pad. If you do try to save the carpet yourself, apply rug shampoo with a carpet shampooer. Place the carpet or rug outside in direct sunlight. Using 1/4 teaspoon of bleach to 1 cup of water apply to the back of the carpet and rinse well. After shampooing and sanitizing, dry the carpet or rugs by laying outdoors in the direct sunlight.

Remember, if you find patches of mold anywhere in your home, it is very important to kill and clean it up quickly to prevent further growth. It is also very important to stop the source of the moisture also, because the mold could return.

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