How to Get Rid of Mold in Your Home
No matter where you live, a bit of mold is always around you. In fact, mold has been living on this planet longer than humans. You definitely don’t want to allow mold to linger and grow in your home. It is not only unsightly, but it also smells awful and can have serious health consequences for you and your family. Thankfully, you can take some simple steps to kill mold before it causes serious damage.
How Do I Know If I Have Mold in My Home?
You may have mold in your home without knowing it. One of the first ways to know if you may have mold in your home is the smell. Mold causes an unpleasant musty, damp smell. If you notice a new smell in your home, inspect areas that often get damp or moist, such as under sinks and in the basement, to see if you can pinpoint exactly where the mold is occurring. You’ll know that you have found it if you see water damage or staining on the surfaces around the area.
Why Is Mold Bad for Humans?
Mold affects everyone differently. While one person may be sensitive to it, another person may not be. Some effects of mold exposure may include throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, nasal stuffiness, eye and skin irritation, and headaches.
For people with allergies and asthma, mold is especially dangerous and can cause serious infections if left untreated. These symptoms are the primary reason why eradicating mold as soon as it appears is important.
How to Kill Mold
You’ll encounter a few situations where you may want to call a professional to take care of a mold problem in your home. For example, the mold may cover a large area, as often happens in a basement or crawlspace, or dangerous black mold may be present. However, you can easily clean and remove small amounts of mold in your home by using a few household items.
Before you begin cleaning mold, you will need gloves, eye protection, and a face mask to protect yourself from the mold spores. You will also need a spray bottle and a sponge.
A number of products can kill mold. Bleach or ammonia are the most common — use one or the other, but never together — but natural products will do the job, such as vinegar, tea tree oil, and vodka. Whatever you use, the material will work much the same way: Dilute the cleaner in water in the spray bottle, spray the cleaning product on the surface, let it sit for at least an hour, and then scrub away the mold.
Preventing New Mold
Finally, once you have killed the mold in your home, you want to prevent it from coming back. To prevent new mold from developing, keep your home dry and clean. In moist areas, you may want to use a dehumidifier or air purifier to help with this process.
These simple steps are ones you can take to rid your home of mold and help your family breathe clean air.
