The appearance of mold is simply and unfortunate and highly unpleasant reality of home ownership. Whether it is caused by poor ventilation of lack of adequate heating, mold can be a serious intrusion into your life, rotting away wood panelling, destroying the appearance of your wallpaper or even adversely affecting your health. Whilst most minor cases of mold can be addressed with little more than household cleaning products, we will show you what to do if ever the problem develops into something more sinister.
- Identifying the extent of the problem
The first suggestions of mold will appear as small black spots around the grout lines in your bathroom, commonly referred to a mildew. Typically these should be of little cause for concern and can we easily eliminated with a quick dousing of bleach. Mildew is purely a surface mold but if you suspect something more menacing lurking beneath your floorboards, gently prod with a sharp metal tool, checking for any softening of the wood. If it crumples, rot has taken hold. It the worst cases however, the first evidence may manifest itself as an unpleasant smell, in which case, it may be time for some serious elbow-grease.
- Prepare yourself
With mold releasing all kinds of potentially harmful spores into the air, the most important piece of equipment you can have when tackling the problem is a mask or some kind of breathing apparatus. Goggles should also be worn to avoid contact with the eyes whilst rubber gloves and perhaps even a full body suit will ensure that the skin will be protected from any kind of infection-causing bacteria.
- Kill the mold
Happily, there is a wide variety of reasonably affordable products that you can use to treat mold (see San Diego mold treatment services). White vinegar, baking soda and even tea tree oil can be used to address the issue and whilst bleach is also effective, this can be abrasive on delicate areas and also to yourself and the environment. With this in mind, perhaps the best option is hydrogen peroxide. 3% concentrations can be bought cheaply from home improvement stores as can the spray can necessary for application. Add generously to the affected area, allowing about 20 minutes for the mixture to take hold before attempting to scrub the surface. Be sure to have a liberal amount of sponges and scouring pad at the ready as it can be a surprisingly messy operation. Be sure to wipe down surfaces well afterwards to make sure any lingering spores have been removed.
- Prevent mold reoccurring
Having gone through this procedure, you will be well aware that you are in no hurry to do it again. To stop the mold returning, it is necessary to alleviate the conditions that brought it about in the first place. AC units and dehumidifiers can increase ventilation whilst placing specialised ornaments containing the drying agent silica gel can be placed in the most persistent of problem areas. Additionally, purpose-specific paints can be purchased to kill any future occurrences of mold although mold-exterminating chemicals can be added to regular paint to achieve the same effect.
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