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First, the good news.
Mold is not a terribly robust or active organism, and killing it is
easier than you may imagine. General disinfectants and bleach may do
the trick just fine, though you may also want to look into more
advanced biocides to ensure every inch has been covered. Often a few
passes with a sponge or rag are all you need to destroy full
populations, and removing fully infected items such as drywall can
be an additional help. Unfortunately, mold has a tendency to recur –
often within a matter of days. Needless to say, this hardly
represents a satisfactory outcome.
The real way to rid your home of mold is to cut off its supply of
moisture. Too many homes harbor leaky pipes and poor grading that
may contribute to flourishing mold populations. Even simple issues
such as poor ventilation can do the trick in humid climates,
accounting for that unmistakably musty smell you often get in attics
and basements. If you want to rid your home of this dangerous
problem for good, it’s essential that you take some simple measures
to address the root causes of mold, not just the symptoms.
One of the simplest ways to contend with excess moisture and
humidity is with a dehumidifier. Top models may even include UV
cleaning and HEPA filters, virtually ensuring that the air
circulated through that machine remains free of spores. Because
humidity isn’t exactly the kind of thing you can resolve with a mop,
airborne technologies such as these often represent your best hedge
against the kind of soaking construction materials molds love. For
additional support, you may also want to consider getting a fan that
will keep water off vulnerable surfaces and prevent the air from
settling into a toxic stasis.
Of course, all the dehumidifiers in the world will do little if you
have a ready water supply nearby. Consider having a plumber to your
home to look for leaks and ruptures, particularly in walls where you
continue to see mold populations season after season. Mold is an
aggressive and efficient organism, and all it takes to spread the
problem is a single drip from a leaky valve. If your home has a
tendency to flood in the rain, it is also essential that you have
your property graded and the foundation checked – otherwise,
inadequate drainage could provide weekly harvests to breathe in.
The most common mistake once all these concerns have been addressed
is to clean the home without proper safeguards in place. Most
experts recommend sealing every room before you clean it, the better
to prevent errant spores from floating to new homes. You may also
want to wet each surface you wipe down for the same reason – dry
mold tends to release toxic dust you will not get from wet mold.
Finally, ventilation is key, so consider putting a window fan in
place to keep stirred-up debris from making its way elsewhere in
your house.
Ridding your home of mold may be a time-consuming process, but it
doesn’t compare to the amount of dedication required to clean the
same spots year after year. Look into some of the top products on
the Web if you want to make quick work of mold populations large and
small. Often with a combination of organic remedies such as tea tree
oil and major biocides, you can destroy the living mold throughout
your house. Take active preventive measures to avoid this nuisance
in the future and you may rightly expect a future free of spores,
symptoms and discomfort. |
