Recognizing and Removing Mold

When it comes to problems around the house, few are less aesthetically appealing than mold. Unfortunately, mold is not only unsightly, but unhealthy as well. When exposed to mold, adults and children alike can experience a host of negative symptoms, including nasal and sinus congestion, skin irritation, sore throat, and respiratory problems. For those already suffering from asthma, exposure to mold could even trigger an attack.

So what to do about this all-too-common problem? Homeowners who think they might have a mold problem should ask themselves if their home smells musty. If it does, the culprit is most likely mold. If that's the case, the mold could be in a variety of places about the household.

• Where there's moisture, there might be mold. Mold can grow on moist materials, so anywhere you might have a water leak could have a mold growth. Areas in the bathroom that might have mold include hard to reach spots, such as behind the toilet or sink, where an overflowed or leaky toilet might have left moisture. Such areas, if not cleaned and dried properly, are often home to mold growth.
• Outside walls. Any wall exposed to the outside could be harbor mold. Such walls that are concealed by furniture that is not typically moved are common growth areas for mold.
• Mold has good hiding places. Other common areas where mold can grow are more hidden, such as beneath cabinets, inside walls, behind baseboards, or in materials kept stored in crawl spaces or storage closets.
• The basement. Mold growths are perhaps most common in basements, particularly basements that are not used often.

  Once homeowners have identified where the mold is, the task of removing it is the next step. First and foremost, homeowners undertaking a mold removal need to protect themselves to avoid any health repercussions. Wear a mask when working on mold removal, and protect your eyes as well. In addition, when finished, launder clothes immediately. There are also mold-removal companies to hire if a homeowner has qualms about doing mold cleanup himself or herself.

  Once precautionary steps have been taken, mold removal involves the following steps.

• Dampen moldy materials and surfaces. Do so before removal has begun to minimize the number of airborne mold spores.
• Scrub hard surfaces. Hard surfaces with mold growths can be scrubbed with soap or detergent. But be careful not to scrub with ammonia-based soap and bleach, as the fumes from such a combination are toxic.
• Discard porous materials with mold growth. Porous materials such as carpet padding and drywall that have been infested by mold growth can never be completely mold-free, so discard these items.
• Consider sanding wood surfaces. Structural wood surfaces might need more than a good scrubbing to completely remove mold growth. In such instances, mold can be sanded away.
• Disinfect cleaned areas. Areas from where mold has been removed also need to be disinfected with bleach. The amount of bleach to use depends on the surface area that needs to be cleaned, but the general rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water. Be sure to open nearby windows when cleaning with bleach and wear protective gear as well as rubber gloves.
• Rinse. Once the area has been disinfected, clean the entire area with water and then dry as quickly as possible. Ventilate the area properly once it's been dried.