Mold spores are airborne and can be inhaled by people, causing respiratory problems. To limit your exposure, take precautions. Wear gloves and a mask during the removal process. Isolate the work area to prevent mold spores from spreading.
Rodriguez recommends scrubbing nonporous surfaces like counters and vanities with a scrub brush and store-bought mold killer. For more porous materials like drywall, spray and scrub the surface with a 50/50 white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide mixture. Contact Ace Mold now!
Moisture is a prerequisite for mold growth. It’s the reason you see a little bit of mildew or mold on your bathroom mirror, sink, or window sill — and why you have to worry about black mold growing in your basement, around a leaky pipe, or in the corner of your attic. Mold grows because it has moisture and organic material to eat. Once it has a foothold, the mold releases spores into the air, where it can find a new place to grow. This is why you need to locate and fix the moisture source, even if you’ve already removed the mold. Otherwise, the spores will simply find another place with an abundant supply of oxygen and moisture, contaminating a new area.
Identifying the source of moisture isn’t always easy, especially in older homes with insulation that may have become damaged. However, a simple examination of your home’s insulation should be done to ensure that no cracks or holes allow water and condensation into the house. Also, check for leaky gutters and roofs. The best way to avoid leaks and condensation is proper insulation, as well as a properly sealed and ventilated attic space.
After identifying the moisture source, a professional remediation company can apply antimicrobials to prevent future mold growth until the source is fixed. This is typically a part of the cleanup process and a required step for a complete mold remediation. If you’re performing the mold removal yourself, be sure to isolate the work area with plastic sheeting and cover all air supply and return vents in the work zone to keep spores from spreading throughout the house. It’s also a good idea to wear gloves, safety glasses, and a mask to protect against any inhalation of the mold spores that will be stirred up during the cleanup process.
The next step is to clean the affected surface. This will vary depending on the type of surface or material contaminated. For nonporous materials such as counters, cabinets and vanities, you can use a damp sponge or cloth to wipe down the surfaces with a solution of one part vinegar to three parts water. For porous materials such as drywall, carpeting and paper or materials contaminated by sewage, you will need to scrape off the mold growth, bag it and dispose of it accordingly. After the surfaces and materials have been cleaned, they need to be thoroughly dried out to prevent additional mold growth. This can be done with the use of fans and dehumidifiers.
Clean the Surface
The physical process of mold removal involves scrubbing and cleaning surfaces and fabrics that have become infested. Standard surface cleaners and even homemade solutions like white vinegar and water can be used to remove mildew and mold spores from nonporous surfaces such as tile, glass and walls. However, specialized antimicrobial cleaners may be needed to penetrate porous materials such as drywall and wood to kill mold roots and remove hidden spores.
In some cases, a professional will need to take a more hands-on approach to the cleaning process. This can be especially true when dealing with Stachybotrys, a toxic black mold that produces mycotoxins that can cause a range of health issues including achy joints and muscles, eye irritation, nosebleeds and a tightening sensation in the chest. A pro who is trained to deal with this type of mold will typically start by placing protective sheets over the affected area and then HEPA vacuuming everything in the contained space. The specialized vacuums will prevent the microscopic spores that are sucked up from being re-distributed throughout the home.
While it is important to clean mold stains and prevent them from returning, it is equally as crucial to fix the moisture problem that caused the initial growth. This can be as simple as fixing a leaky pipe or more involved, such as replacing drywall and installing fans to reduce humidity levels in the affected areas.
It’s also a good idea to routinely clean and dust your home to limit the buildup of organic material that provides an ideal environment for mold to grow. In addition, if you have a history of allergies, it’s a good idea to regularly use an encapsulation cleaning method that seals allergens in the air.
Depending on the extent of the contamination, it could be necessary to remove furniture, carpets and other items from the affected area. This can be a difficult and time consuming task, but it is essential to ensure that all of the mold spores are eliminated from the premises before moving any contaminated materials back in.
Disinfect the Surface
Mold is a fungus that thrives in high moisture areas. There are many types of mold, some harmless like the green mold on grass clippings or the white mold on cheese, but others can be quite toxic to humans including black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum), which has been known to cause respiratory illness such as bronchitis and extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
The first step in a proper remediation is to clean the area of all visible mold growth. This is done by scrubbing surfaces with soap and water. After the surface is cleaned it should be wiped down with a disinfectant to kill any remaining mold spores. Disinfectants such as bleach, distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can be used, but a natural solution such as tea tree oil is also effective.
If the mold is caused by a leak or excessive condensation, this should be fixed immediately. Leaks can usually be fixed by fixing the leaking pipe, while condensation problems may be solved by adding fans or dehumidifiers.
Once the contaminated area has been cleaned, it should be sealed off to prevent cross-contamination and further spread of mold spores by uninfected surfaces. This can be done by covering the area with plastic sheeting and using a commercial mold remover or home-made one made from a mixture of bleach, vinegar and baking soda. It is best to use rubber gloves, goggles and a face mask with particle filter when performing this part of the process.
Any items that cannot be cleaned must be removed and thrown away. This includes porous materials such as drywall, carpeting and fabric-covered furniture as well as absorbent items such as insulation and cellulose from wood. This is because it is almost impossible to remove all the mold spores from these absorbent materials without causing them to bleed and crumble. If these items are not removed they will continue to re-grow and create new mold infestations.
An EPA approved biocide is sometimes used in this stage to kill the mold and make it sterile so that it will not grow back, especially on nonporous surfaces such as metals or ceramic tiles. Professional mold removal and remediation companies often use this method of preventing future outbreaks of toxic mold.
Clean the Air
Do you have a musty smell in your home? Are you constantly running a nose or throat? These symptoms are caused by airborne allergens, or more specifically mold spores. Mold spores are tiny, invisible fungi that are present in every household, and they can cause irritation when inhaled. Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce their presence in your home and prevent them from spreading.
The first step in the mold remediation process is to identify and fix the source of moisture that allowed mold to grow. This could be a leak, condensation, or high humidity levels. Once the source of moisture has been addressed, the next step is to clean the contaminated surface. This may involve wet wiping, sanding, or abrasive blasting. Once the surface is cleaned, it must be thoroughly rinsed to ensure no residue remains. Finally, the area must be dried using fans or dehumidifiers. This is a time-consuming process, and it can be challenging to control the spread of spores.
Once the surfaces are clean, the professionals will seal off the work area and use plastic sheeting to contain any remaining spores. Then they will spray the area with an EPA-approved biocide, which makes mold spores sterile so that they can’t spread. This step is especially important for porous items, such as wooden wall studs.
In the final phase of mold remediation, a technician will perform a final inspection and determine whether the mold has been completely removed and the space is safe for habitation. This includes repairing or replacing any materials that were contaminated by the mold, as well as performing a thorough cleaning of the entire space.
The most common way to reduce the likelihood of a mold infestation is to keep the area as dry as possible. This is particularly important in areas that are prone to mold growth, such as the bathroom and basement. Make sure to always use exhaust fans in your bathrooms and dehumidifiers in your basement. Also, regularly clean and dust your home to reduce the amount of organic material that mold can grow on.