Maybe you’ve noticed a spot on the wall where mold keeps forming. You clean it, but it comes back in a few days. A professional mold inspection may reveal that you have a more serious problem. Before you panic, try a couple of cleaning and preventative steps first.
An Ounce of Prevention
Mold favors humid and warm conditions. Slow its growth by changing a few things at home.
- Dry out all sources of water inside like leaky pipes, bad window seals, and clogged drains
- Check for external problems like roof leaks, filthy rain gutters, or inadequate drainage
- Look over your ventilation system to make sure air is properly circulating
Sop up standing water from spills right away, and avoid leaving damp clothing or towels laying around.
Give Spots a Brisk Scrubbing
Household cleaners remove the surface of the mold, but often fail to kill it at the root. These methods create barriers that stop mold from growing and delay its return:
- Water and borax mixtures leave residues that resist mold growth
- White distilled vinegar safely removes mold from tile and nonporous surfaces
- Baking Soda is a natural deodorizer that also works against molds
- Tea Tree Oil has natural antifungal characteristics and safely prevents mold growth
These techniques are great at remove surface spots, but deep mold still poses a problem.
The Mold Behind the Walls
When a spot persistently returns, a larger colony is beneath the surface. Drywall is a cheap building material, but it’s packed with cellulose. Molds love to feast on the organic compounds. Pockets of humid air get trapped between walls and create the ideal conditions for growth.
When a section of wall is infected, the roots of the mold seep below the surface where they are impossible to kill. The wall must be replaced and only professional mold remediation techniques permanently cure the area.
Mold Masters recommends an inspection twice a year for home owners and land lords to prevent aggressive molds from taking over. If you suspect that you already have a problem, call our office at (800) 371-4199 or send us a quick message online.