What’s that on Our Walls?

Posted on September 3rd, 2010 by Alejo Tenutta

Oh no, you’ve just moved into your brand new home and you discover mold, but how did it get there? Well, usually mold comes from areas where there is a lot of moisture. See, mold needs moisture and food sources, such as leaves, wood, paper, or dirt in order to grow, so eventual sources are leaky roofs, wet clothes, house plants, etc.  In the unfortunate case that you do discover this health risk located somewhere in your home, there are steps you can take to treat problem areas.

Begin by properly drying and cleaning the spot where the mold is growing. Make sure to wear gloves as a precaution and utilize cleaning products, such as non-ammonia soap or detergent, as well as a commercial cleaner. For block walls or uneven surfaces, use a stiff brush or professional cleaning pad for maximum effect. Don’t stop scrubbing until the affected area is thoroughly cleaned; utilize a wet dry vacuum after you’ve completed the scrubbing.

Once you’ve finished cleaning, it’s time to disinfect the spot as well. Don’t remove your gloves and begin the disinfection with a solution of 10 percent household bleach, meaning that you should mix a half cup of bleach for every gallon of water. Remember that bleach straight from the bottle won’t have any more effect than the deluded solution being recommended. For safety purposes, never mix bleach with ammonia because the combination is highly flammable.

When applying the bleach to the affected area, ensure that you’re not using too much because you want to avoid run off bleach. If you’re disinfecting larger, outdoor areas, you can utilize a hose and nozzle. Remember to let the area dry overnight so that the bleach has sufficient time to kill the mold residue.

The final step to take is to simply remove all of the moldy material including ceiling tiles, sheetrock, carpeting, and wood products. Always utilize gloves and masks when dealing with these materials, because you do not want the mold coming onto your skin or into your lungs. Note that carpeting can become difficult to deal with, so you may have to remove it entirely. Once you’ve removed everything, bag and discard them immediately.

Unfortunately, things like mold can become highly dangerous to your health and home, so make sure that you properly inspect your residence before contacting any moving companies. Always double check and even hire professional inspectors before signing any contracts.

Related Articles:

1. Deep Cleaning Your Carpets: Do It Yourself or Hire Professionals?
2. How to Properly Childproof Your Kitchen
3. How to Avoid the Annoyance of Mildew

Tags: mold, new home, removing

This entry was posted on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 am and is filed under Moving Experts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.