Mold is a type of fungus that grows on all types of surfaces, objects and structures. The positive role of mold is that it destroys and decomposes dead and rotten plants, but its presence in the house, of course, is highly undesirable. It grows wherever it is humid and warm. It can be found on furniture upholstery, clothing, carpet lint, floors, ceilings, walls and parquet floors. Its visible black, gray and green outgrowths violate the aesthetic appeal of the home.
These outgrowths also affect air quality, filling rooms with unpleasant odors, causing allergies and causing respiratory problems. Prevent mold from spreading in your home. The following methods can help stop and prevent its spread. Also check out the article 10 Ways to Clean Your Home.
Preventing mold
1. Get rid of moisture
Eliminate moisture in the air and get rid of water on surfaces. You can use the dehumidifier in homes located in hot and humid places. A hygrometer will help to measure the level of humidity in the air. Adjust the dehumidifier to keep the humidity below 60% at all times to prevent mold growth. A hygrometer and dehumidifier can easily be found at a hardware store.
Other culprits can mainly be leaking pipes, roof and ceiling. Make sure they are tightly sealed. In addition, after use, all drains, whether in the sink or bathtub, will be clean and dry. For carpets, choose wool or materials that will not retain moisture. It is also not recommended to dry your clothes at home. Hang your clothes on the balcony or outside immediately after washing to dry in the sun.
2. Regulate the heat
Ventilate rooms to allow warm air to escape. To facilitate air circulation, open room doors. To maintain the effect, you can turn on the air conditioner to circulate the air around the house.
3. Light up dark places
Mildew thrives in dark places, so you should open the curtains to allow enough sunlight to enter the room. As mold builds up on surfaces, try to keep the sun's rays on your pillows and blankets all day as well.
Getting rid of mold
1. Vacuum wet surfaces
Sometimes it is not enough just to dry the surface. Some fabrics (such as carpets) absorb moisture. Therefore, to get rid of excess moisture, it is necessary to vacuum, thus, you completely dry the surface. It might seem like overkill, but the cost (from a financial and health standpoint) isn't worth the risk.
2. Cleaning with water and detergent
Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty, for example, when I started cleaning the house. "You won't sweat, you won't earn", as they say. The surfaces on which the mold has settled should be cleaned with water and detergent.
When cleaning the bathroom, use a cotton rag well soaked in the detergent to scrub off the mold. Cotton is smooth and works well for cleaning tiles. After cleaning, wipe the surface clean and dry to prevent the reoccurrence of mold.
3. Get rid of things that have accumulated excess mold
Sometimes cleaning and vacuuming is not enough to completely remove mold growth. To completely stop the spread of mold, you just have to throw out the thing in which it has accumulated. We all have our favorite things, but we do not want this infection to spread to other things and objects that are dear to us. You may need to completely replace your wood ceiling or furniture, burn your clothes, or remove old wallpaper.
Always wear protective gear when dealing with mold.: face mask and rubber gloves. This minimizes contact with mold spores, because if you accidentally inhale or swallow them, it can cause all kinds of diseases. As long as there are no visible signs of mildew, discoloration, and stains on walls or damp surfaces, you are most likely safe.
Mold is not easy to cope with, but it is better to take action and act than to spend thousands (or even tens of thousands, depending on the degree of infection and the area of the house) on specialist services. If you still need help, there are various cleaning companies for this. It's better to get the job done properly, even if it is costly, than to do half the job and thereby risk re-emergence of mold.
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How to get rid of mold in an apartment? Mold is dangerous to human health and causes some diseases. How to remove mold from walls and ceilings, causes of mold, prevention.
