If you aren’t careful, you can have mold appear anywhere in your house. Whether on clothes, food or in your cabinets, mold’s a pesky thing that’ll try to sprout everywhere. Once you notice any mold within your home, you’ll want to be sure to act fast because mold can leave stains or—worse—cause allergic and respiratory symptoms if it’s an extensive problem. Read more for our mold cleaning and prevention tips.
What Is Mold and How Does It Grow?
Mold is a fungal growth, part of a structure that certain fungi forms. They’re part of the natural environment, helping to break down dead organic matter. Tiny spores help mold reproduce. They’re very small and invisible to the naked eye. So, mold will grow indoors when these spores land on a wet surface. Water and moisture are essential to mold growth.
Mold within Your Home: Have the Right Products
Basically, any surface or item that’s moist for too long can have mold growing on it within 24-48 hours. This can mean trouble for common areas of your house, like the bathroom, kitchen, attic, or basement. If you want to tackle mold, you’re going to have to make sure you have the right products. These are common products that kill mold:
- Chlorine bleach
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda and borax
- Rubbing alcohol
Using the products above will get rid of mold and help to inhibit future growth.
Mold Prevention
The best way to fight against mold is to actively prevent it.
- Reduce humidity levels. The best tools for this are an air conditioner or dehumidifier. Of course, most homes have air conditioners. But a dehumidifier in commonly-moist places, like the basement or attic, goes a long way in preventing mold.
- Check airflow within your home. If air isn’t flowing correctly, mold can sprout up. For example, ensure the dryer vent leads outside your home, or use exhaust fans to move air outside the kitchen and bathroom.
- Repair leaks. Common areas for leaks are your roof, wall, and plumbing. These can accumulate a lot of moisture if they aren’t routinely checked and fixed.
- Look for outside leaks. What’s worse than an internal leak can be one that allows water in from the outside. If you notice any mold, inspect the area to see if you can notice moisture entering from the outside. Or, go safely investigate the outside area to look for holes, cracks, or crevices. (These will also be significant areas of entry for pests.)
- Regularly clean with mold-killing products in more wet areas. A good place for this is inside the bathroom or kitchen sink.
- Inspect ductwork. Mold can also arise from bad ductwork. Moist air can form on ducts carrying cold air through attics or crawl spaces.
- Replace any carpet or upholstery that’s been soaked and not dried. Whether from a leak or spill, carpets and other fabrics might not dry well unless action is taken. These can be good breeding grounds for mold. Plus, it can be smart to not have any carpet in high-moisture areas, like the basement.
- Use mold-resistant building materials. If you want to get a jump on any mold problem from the get-go, just construct walls with mold-resistant materials. This will eliminate anything for mold to feed on and stop its growth.
Get Regular Cleaning with the Pros
Another great preventative measure for fighting mold is to have regularly-occurring cleanings with a professional service. On top of mold prevention, this will also contribute to a safer and more comfortable living environment. Contact Cris’s Cleaning to learn more and request a free quote.
About Cris’s Cleaning
Cris’s Cleaning started back in 2012 when Cris needed to find a new way to provide for her children. Now with over 10 years of service, we’ve grown to be a full-service cleaning company with dedicated business in both the East and West valleys in Arizona. Learn more about why you should choose Cris’s Cleaning.
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