As we emerge from winter’s snowy, wet grip, we may be thinking about a spring refresher for our home. A good place to start is with mold patrol. Look around. Has winter’s wetness left basement walls dank and moldy? You don’t need a special test to check for mold; simply sniff the air. Or perhaps your watery eyes and congested sinuses are telling you something.
While bigger mold control jobs might require some expert help, many household mold issues can be resolved with bleach and water, as well as some repair know-how. Here are some how-to’s on ridding your home of mold and getting it smelling and looking fresh again.
1. Find the source
While you might be anxious to quickly clean up any mold you see, it’s important to find the source of the mold and eliminate it, advises the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. To grow, mold needs a combination of a source of moisture and organic matter, and proper temperature (between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit). That means moist, poorly ventilated areas likely will see mold growth. And when they do, any affected materials like carpeting or drywall should be replaced, the moisture source eliminated by perhaps repairing a leak, and the area ventilated, mold experts advise. Otherwise, the mold, a living organism, may return.
2. Dehumidify
Using a dehumidifier is a good way to control moisture because it helps prevent mold spores from being released in the air. Keeping dehumidifiers in high-moisture rooms such as the bathroom or basement will help keep mold in check, as will hanging bags of volcanic rock, available in hardware stores, according to natural health writer Dr. Maoshing Ni’s blog.
If you use a dehumidifier, empty its water tray daily and soak and clean it weekly with a combination of a cup of apple cider vinegar and one gallon of water, he advises.
3. Lighten up
The sun’s ultraviolet rays kill most mold species so draw curtains and blinds to let the sun do its work. Mold breeds in environments that are dark and damp; southern exposure works best to counter this, Dr. Maoshing Ni writes. If your home lacks southern exposure, install full-spectrum light bulbs. Also, an air purifier or air filtration system powered by ultraviolet technology can eliminate mold, he says.
4. Set out plants
Plants help balance and maintain proper humidity in the house, so use them in your effort to control mold and to keep your home from becoming too dry or too moist. What’s more, plants can clean the air, filtering out indoor toxins such as benzene in pesticides, plastics, and synthetic fibers, formaldehyde in carpets and upholstery, and trichloroethylene in paint removers and rug-cleaning solutions. Good choices include English ivy, Boston fern, bamboo, and palm.
Healthline.com recommends using 15 to 20 plants in 6-inch pots or larger in a 2,000-square-foot house. Display the plants in groups rather than scattering them throughout the house for maximum effect.
5. Don’t forget the bathroom
Mold that grows on bathroom ceilings can be especially difficult to get rid of because the area is frequently wet. Increasing ventilation with an exhaust fan, repairing any water leaks, and wrapping pipes prone to condensation are critical to keeping mold from coming back.
To clean your ceiling and prevent mold’s return, follow these tips from Cleaning.LovetoKnow.com:
• Open a window and close off vents to prevent any spores from spreading to other areas.
• Use mild detergent and water to wash the area and let dry.
• Apply a solution of ¼ cup of bleach and one quart of water and let sit for 20 minutes. Apply a second time and let dry another 20 minutes.
• Next apply a borate-based detergent such as Borax and leave on. Its mold-fighting properties will help prevent future fungi and bacterial growth.
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