Cleaning Black Mold Out of Your Home
Cleaning your house is probably not at the top of your list of things to do, right? But it is something that needs to be done on a regular basis for a variety of reasons. what does black mold look like put off cleaning the more likely you are to find other issues when you finally do get around to it, like black mold.
Other problems you might encounter in an unclean home include dirt build up, mildew, stains, dust mites, hard water stains, and in more extreme cases insects or small vermin. None of these are desirable and some of them can even cause significant health problems. Black mold leads the list of dangerous substances you don't want in your home. Left to its own devices it can cause significant damage to your home and can be responsible for a whole multitude of health issues, some of which can become very serious or even life threatening.
Black mold sets up residence in the damp and dark spaces of your home. It is not always easy to find and cleaning black mold can be something of a task depending on where it is.
There are two basic options when it comes to cleaning black mold; call in a professional removal service or do-it-yourself. Hiring a professional to do the job is not always necessary but for homes with extensive toxic mold growth it probably a good idea. Just be aware that professional mold removal services can be costly. For easy to reach areas doing it yourself is a good option that is much less costly.
There are a several black mold cleaning products available at either your local home improvement store or that you can order over the internet. Most of them contain a cleaning item that most people keep in their homes; bleach. A simple bleach solution of one part bleach to one part water will kill and sanitize any areas that have mold and mildew growing on them. The sooner you can clean the offending spores the better. Black mold left unchecked will spread rather quickly, causing health problems and damage to your home.
Cleaning black mold takes some preparation as well. You can't just jump in with a bucket of cleaning solution and sponge and start scrubbing. You will need to protect yourself and the rest of your home from further contamination by airborne mold spores.
You will need to wear a mask over your mouth and nose. This will protect you from breathing the toxic spores and from the fumes from the chlorine bleach. You will also want to wear rubber gloves, preferably the longer kind that go up your arm, to protect your skin from the mold toxins and the cleaning solution.
It is also important to protect the rest of your home from the spread of airborne spores. To do this, turn off your central HVAC (furnace/air-conditioning) unit, and open any windows or doors in the room to be cleaned. If possible point a fan facing outward to force the air outside. Black mold spores, if allowed too, will find their way to other parts of your home and wait for any moisture to begin growing again.
Once you have eradicated the black mold outbreak it is important to take some simple steps to prevent it re-occurrence. Excessive moisture levels in your home are the largest contributor to the growth of mold and mildew. Control of excessive moisture is vitally important and steps should be taken to do this. In bathrooms, which are notoriously moist, run the exhaust fan while showering and for 10 or 15 minutes afterwards. Check the basement for water seeping in and excess humidity; if the mold is in a wall or sub-floor check for leaking plumbing.
For most home owners black mold is not something they consciously think about. For most people it tends to be something of a surprise when they do find out it is growing in their home. Once detected it is important to take the necessary steps to clean the black mold before it has a chance to do further damage to home and health.
Other problems you might encounter in an unclean home include dirt build up, mildew, stains, dust mites, hard water stains, and in more extreme cases insects or small vermin. None of these are desirable and some of them can even cause significant health problems. Black mold leads the list of dangerous substances you don't want in your home. Left to its own devices it can cause significant damage to your home and can be responsible for a whole multitude of health issues, some of which can become very serious or even life threatening.
Black mold sets up residence in the damp and dark spaces of your home. It is not always easy to find and cleaning black mold can be something of a task depending on where it is.
There are two basic options when it comes to cleaning black mold; call in a professional removal service or do-it-yourself. Hiring a professional to do the job is not always necessary but for homes with extensive toxic mold growth it probably a good idea. Just be aware that professional mold removal services can be costly. For easy to reach areas doing it yourself is a good option that is much less costly.
There are a several black mold cleaning products available at either your local home improvement store or that you can order over the internet. Most of them contain a cleaning item that most people keep in their homes; bleach. A simple bleach solution of one part bleach to one part water will kill and sanitize any areas that have mold and mildew growing on them. The sooner you can clean the offending spores the better. Black mold left unchecked will spread rather quickly, causing health problems and damage to your home.
Cleaning black mold takes some preparation as well. You can't just jump in with a bucket of cleaning solution and sponge and start scrubbing. You will need to protect yourself and the rest of your home from further contamination by airborne mold spores.
You will need to wear a mask over your mouth and nose. This will protect you from breathing the toxic spores and from the fumes from the chlorine bleach. You will also want to wear rubber gloves, preferably the longer kind that go up your arm, to protect your skin from the mold toxins and the cleaning solution.
It is also important to protect the rest of your home from the spread of airborne spores. To do this, turn off your central HVAC (furnace/air-conditioning) unit, and open any windows or doors in the room to be cleaned. If possible point a fan facing outward to force the air outside. Black mold spores, if allowed too, will find their way to other parts of your home and wait for any moisture to begin growing again.
Once you have eradicated the black mold outbreak it is important to take some simple steps to prevent it re-occurrence. Excessive moisture levels in your home are the largest contributor to the growth of mold and mildew. Control of excessive moisture is vitally important and steps should be taken to do this. In bathrooms, which are notoriously moist, run the exhaust fan while showering and for 10 or 15 minutes afterwards. Check the basement for water seeping in and excess humidity; if the mold is in a wall or sub-floor check for leaking plumbing.
For most home owners black mold is not something they consciously think about. For most people it tends to be something of a surprise when they do find out it is growing in their home. Once detected it is important to take the necessary steps to clean the black mold before it has a chance to do further damage to home and health.
