The Ultimate Guide To Household Mold

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all about household mold

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Mold is a dangerous thing to have in your home. We have the information for you if you want to know everything about household mold. While a mold remediation specialist should handle most mold cases, there are some things that you can do at home.

Many places in the home are susceptible to mold infestations. We've brought a few techniques that you can use to prevent and even remove different types of mold and mildew from your home.

No one wants to deal with mold, but sometimes we don't have a choice. Luckily, some areas are easy to clean, especially with bleach or vinegar. A simple scrub-down can help many cases, so read up on the needed areas.

Each area might need a different technique. From the shower and bathroom to the basement, some of these solutions may not work on the other. Be sure to read up!

What Can Black Mold Do To You?

Mold is bad enough, but a different type of mold can get into your home. This mold is called black mold. Black mold is different because it produces a substance known as mycotoxins. These mycotoxins can make you sick and have been known to give people diseases.

In some extreme cases, it can even cause death. If you find black mold in your home, you will want to evacuate it until a mold specialist can assist you.

Black mold isn’t permanent, though. It can cause damage to you and your family, but it can be removed and killed just like any other mold. It is a rare mold, but it can still appear in the home.

Black mold is not a joke or something to put off. The more of it there is, the more mycotoxins will be in the air. If you find this mold in your home, contact someone immediately.

Does Vinegar Kill Mold?

Like many plants and plant-like organisms, mold is a living thing. Mold is a fungus that can spread on any surface and break down many compounds. Since mold is a living thing, it can be killed.

It can be killed with bleach, but some surfaces may have colors or sensitive areas that need to be preserved. As such, other substances can kill mold. One such thing is vinegar.

Vinegar is a fermented liquid that comes from multiple different sources. It can come from fruit, grains, and more. It is often used in cooking, but it can also be used in cleaning.

It is a liquid that can kill mold. So, if you have something that is colored or sensitive, a bit of vinegar and baking soda can kill it pretty quickly. The effectiveness of acid and alkali mix is powerful. It’s only a matter of spritzing it along the surfaces that have the mold on it. There may be a need for multiple applications, though.

How to Remove Mold from Grout

Grout is a substance that binds tiles together. You will likely find it in bathrooms and bathtubs or showers, but you can also find it in kitchens. It is a porous material that binds the tiles and keeps them connected to the wall they’re pressed against.

Grout also fills any void between them, giving a smooth and uniform look.

Grout is perfect for mold to grow because it is porous and usually near wet areas. It will get into the small holes in the grout, whether silicon or not and grow in it. If this happens, it might take a bit of scrubbing.

You can remove it just as easily. You can use bleach or vinegar. Some grout is colored, so bleach might be a bad idea when it comes to these. In that case, vinegar can make a great substitute to get rid of it.

How to Clean Mold Out of a Refrigerator

The refrigerator is an important place for any home. Being a storage area for our food, we need it to keep things fresh. Because it uses a cooling mechanism, it is possible for moisture to emit along the walls. This happens more when the door is left open, too.

However, if bad groceries are put into the fridge, mold may form on the shelves or along the crevices. It can sometimes be hard to tell, but it can be cleaned like any other appliance.

It may need to be emptied, but getting rid of that mold is important. Since it is composed of hard surfaces, you can use a bit of bleach to kill any mold inside. There are a few ways to prevent mold from getting in, though.

Make sure that the food you put in your refrigerator is fresh and non-spoiled. There are also a few foods that you shouldn’t put in the refrigerator at all. Make sure you read on what not to do!

What is the Difference Between Mold and Mildew?

It can be challenging to distinguish between mold and mildew at first glance, but they are not as similar as they might seem. Both mold and mildew are types of fungi, and they do share some characteristics, such as thriving in moist, warm environments.

However, there are significant differences between these two types of fungi:

1. Appearance:

  • Mold: Mold often has a fuzzy or slimy appearance. It can come in various colors, including black, green, red, or yellow. Some molds may also appear white or gray.
  • Mildew: Mildew typically appears as a white or light gray powdery substance on the surface of materials. It lacks the fuzzy or slimy texture that mold can have.

2. Growth Patterns:

  • Mold: Mold tends to grow beneath the surface of the material it infests, making it more invasive and challenging to remove.
  • Mildew: Mildew primarily grows on the surface of materials and is relatively easier to clean and remove.

3. Surface Preferences:

  • Mold: Mold can grow on various surfaces, including wood, drywall, and fabric. Its growth is not limited to specific materials.
  • Mildew: While mildew can grow on various surfaces, it often appears on organic materials like paper, leather, and plants.

4. Health Implications:

  • Mold: Some molds, such as black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum), can produce mycotoxins, which pose health risks when inhaled or ingested. The health effects of mold exposure can vary depending on the type of mold, an individual's sensitivity, and the extent of exposure.
  • Mildew: Mildew is generally considered less harmful to human health than certain molds. However, prolonged exposure to mildew can still lead to respiratory issues and allergies in some individuals.

While mold and mildew are fungi that thrive in damp environments, they differ in appearance, growth patterns, surface preferences, and potential health risks. Recognizing these distinctions is important to address mold or mildew issues effectively. If you suspect a mold or mildew problem in your home, consult professionals for proper identification and remediation.

How to Kill Mold on Concrete

People may underestimate the importance of concrete. It is all around us, whether it makes our roads, driveway, or the base of our home. Some people have a basement composed of concrete. Any way you look at it, concrete is porous.

Because it is porous, it makes a good area for mold to grow. Moisture can get into these pores and assist in mold growth, which will discolor the concrete and possibly spread to other home areas.

However, you can scrub it without worry because it is such a hard surface. Depending on where the concrete is, you can pour or spritz bleach onto the concrete. If it is in your basement, you should ensure proper ventilation before you start cleaning it.

Using a broom or a hard-bristle brush, you only have to scrub it down. Find out more about preventing mold from getting into your concrete.

What Happens if You Paint Over Mold?

Mold is a terrible thing to have in your home. However, rather than removing it, you might think that painting over it is a good idea. Since paint is made up of chemicals, you might think it can kill the mold.

While some mold-killing paints exist, you don’t want to cover it up. Covering the mold with paint is only temporary and may do more harm than good.

Paint can only cover the mold for a little while. Mold will eventually show through the paint job. It won’t remove the spores from the air, either. Legal action could also be sought if someone tries to paint over mold and keep it away from potential home buyers.

Mold is a health hazard; painting over it will not prevent mold from harming people. If you have a mold problem, contact a mold remediation specialist.

How to Prevent Mold in the Shower

The shower is an important place in the home. Usually in the bathroom, this is a place where we clean ourselves and wash away the grime we’ve collected over the day. However, since we shower there, there will be a lot of moisture. As such, there is a high possibility you could get mold there.

Mold loves moisture and warmth, making the shower a perfect place to thrive. If you see black between the tiles or along the edges, you could have mold.

It doesn’t have to be like that, though. One of the best ways to prevent mold in this environment is to get a proper ventilation system. Most bathrooms have a fan in their ceiling, which pulls the steam and other bits of moisture from the bathroom after a shower or bath.

You can find one at a home improvement store if you don't have one. It could take a bit of time to install, though. If you need help, you can find a local carpenter or bathroom maintenance professional to install it.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold in Shower Caulk

If you’ve ever done bathroom maintenance, you might know what a caulk gun is. They are devices full of a binding fluid that you apply to crevices along a bathtub or shower. It can also be used to bind cabinets and other things to walls.

However, since there may be some in the bathroom, it could lead to a mold problem. Caulk is a porous material. Like grout, black mold can get into the pores if you aren’t careful.

There are a few ways to get rid of the mold, though. The caulk can be removed with a proper knife. At that point, you can reapply fresh caulk to it. However, you can always use bleach or vinegar if you don’t want to go through that mess.

Bleach is the stronger option because it can penetrate the caulk to kill all of the mold, and vinegar will be somewhat weaker. Spritz the liquid along the caulk like grout and scrub it down with a thick, hard-bristled brush.

After waiting around 10 minutes and scrubbing afterward, you’ll see the mold visibly coming off.

What Conditions are Best for Mold Growth?

Mold is a dangerous thing to have in your home. It is a fungus that can spread along any sort of surface if the conditions are right. Mold needs three specific things to grow. These things are moisture, warmth, and sustenance.

The food is usually readily available, considering bacteria coats most of the surfaces it will grow on. Moisture and warmth can be naturally provided, especially if your home is not well-ventilated.

Older homes and homes along the coastal regions will find that mold is more likely. They have to deal with a lack of ventilation or humidity. Sometimes, it’s both. If your home is a bit muggy, you may want to invest in a dehumidifier.

Monthly home maintenance is a good way to prevent mold from cropping up, considering you can clean odd areas where mold might grow. Be sure to check the attic and basement often!

 

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