Jun 23 2009
How to Get Rid of Mold: 15 Tips Every Homeowner Should Know
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A few days ago, I wrote an article about the Dangers of Mold, and the response I received was overwhelming. Everybody wanted to know more about mold. In fact, within a few days of publishing the post, I got a couple dozen emails asking how to get rid of mold.
So, I wanted to share my personal tips that I use at my home, as well as here in the office. Please feel free to drop your tips in the comment section below.
How to Get Rid of Mold:
- Investigate your home or office for moisture leakage. If you find any moisture leaks, clean them up with a dry towel immediately and find the source of the leak. Consider hiring a professional if the leak does not stop or if you are dealing with a plumbing issue. Controlling moisture leaks in your home or place of work will reduce the mold’s ability to thrive.
- Mold loves warm and wet places. If you live in a place with humidity levels of 70% or more, you must particularly take heed to prevent toxic moldy air. Invest in a high-quality dehumidifier and test your home for mold over-growth.
- Temperatures above 75° F, as well as poorly lit rooms and unmoving air, can actually create more mold. Keep fresh air moving in your home, as well as bright sunlight coming in through your windows. This will help reduce toxic mold.
- Open a window while you take a shower, if possible.
- Change air filters regularly in heating and air-conditioning vents.
- Invest in a good quality air purification system that employs both a HEPA filter and UV & negative ion technologies. In my opinion, this will give you the best results when cleaning your air.
- Keep your home at a moderate temperature, at around 69-73° F and keep the humidity level at 54% and below.
- Make sure your clothes dryer has an anti-humidity vent.
- Check closets for mold growth. This is especially important if you have ever placed wet or damp clothing in your closets. If you find mold in your closet, wash your clothes immediately to help clean any possible mold spores. I would recommend using Soap Nuts.
- Protect your breathing passages when removing active or dead mold. Wear a mask, eye protection and protective gloves that filter mold.
- When cleaning, slightly wet the mold to lessen the amount of airborne spores in the breathing atmosphere while you are cleaning. This can be done with a wet cloth.
- Scrub hard surfaces infested in mold with a non-ammonia soap. Non-toxic, organic soap is best for the environment.
- Porous surface cannot be cleaned of mold. Things like moldy carpeting, drywall, wall-paper, fabric, or other porous surfaces, must be completely removed and replaced from your home or office.
- If you have mold on the structural support of your home or office building, it may not be cleaned out by scrubbing alone. It may have to be sanded. Don’t forget to wear the appropriate protective coverings.
- Remember, the best prevention for mold is to KEEP THINGS DRY and always use a good air purification system!
Do you of any other ways to get rid of mold? Please add any mold removal tips in the comment section below.
~Dr. Group
July 28th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Greetings!
The two best methods I know of for killing/removing mold is:
1) Use an ionizer (generates negative ions in the air)
2) Hospitals use Chlorine Dioxide (It kills all pathogens, including the deadly MRSA) It kills all molds, etc. with extra oxygen ions.
Make your own Clorine Dioxide:
28% Sodium Chlorite
10% Citric Acid
Perform a search for these words:
Jim Humble
Miracle Mineral Solution
Thanks for being there to serve us Dr. Group!
[Reply to this comment]
William replied on July 28th, 2009:
I just wanted to clarify that negative ions in the air is called ozone. Ozone kills molds, mildew and will remove odors from anything!
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July 24th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
We were told to scrub the window frames and then paint them with a paint that supposedly kills the mold. We have tried it on a few windows but the mold grew back on top of the paint. Also, I am wondering if that paint is really safe to have in the home, but it seems like it must be better than the alternative if that is the only way to get rid of the mold.
Any advice on this (apart from the great tips above) would be great, especially about the paint.
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July 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Thanks for all the info. I was able to correct a mold problem I had last summer using two of these ideas —using a dehumidifier and using a HEPA filter. It really seems to make a good difference. During the time when the mold issue was there, I was getting a lot of colds/flu. This cleared up after the remedies.
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June 30th, 2009 at 7:07 am
My mold-removal tip:
I get my air-ducts in my house cleaned at least once a year, preferably twice a year. Plus I use a HEPA filter for my AC unit, this helps me clean any possible mold spores in the air. I also have numerous air purifiers scattered around my house.
Great article! Glad that somebody is trying to show homeowners how to get rid of mold.
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June 29th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
This is a good list of tips on how to get rid of mold. As a homeowner, I can’t even begin to tell you how often I have run into water damage, that ultimately turns into mold damage.
I never thought about getting a dehumidifier.. That would probably work wonders. Thanks!
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