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How To Recognize And Remove House Mold


by DoItYourself Staff

what you'll need

  • Respirator
  • Pair of gloves
  • One part bleach
  • Eight parts water
  • Protective eye wear
  • Dishwashing detergent

You do not need a lot of tools if you want to remove house mold, but first, you have to discover the exact areas around the household effected by mold growths around the household. Mold usually grows in damp places where there is either little or no light at all; therefore you may find a lot of mold in the bathroom. You can find mold growths in the tub, on the tiles or even on the walls of the shower. But remember that mold does not grow only on surfaces. It can grow also in hidden locations, so it will be harder to get rid of it. In order to prevent mold from returning, you should fix any water leaks as soon as you find them.

Step 1 – Wearing Protective Clothing

Before you start, make sure you are wearing protective clothing i.e. gloves and eye wear. This is because in order to clean away the mold, you will be handling a dilution made from bleach, a chemical which is dangerous for you. You may also need a respirator. After you finish the job and remove your safety clothes, remember to wash them separately in hot water and bleach.

Step 2 – Cleaning the Area

You can make a home-made mold cleaner by diluting one part bleach with eight parts water. Use this dilution to clean the areas which are infested with mold growths. If you want, you can add some dishwashing detergent to the dilution to make it smell a bit sweeter. Doing this is not essential, however, because it is the bleach that will help you remove the mold, not the detergent.

You must be very careful if you want to remove mold that has grown behind drywall or under a carpet. Keep in mind that mold produces spores and discharges them into the air. They can cause respiratory problems to you and other people who live in the house. In case you are an asthmatic or suffer from any particular respiratory condition, you are recommended to leave the job in the hands of someone professional. You may also need to call professional help if you have a weak immune system.

Step 3 – Avoiding Further Contamination

You must remove mold growths as soon as possible. If you fail to do so, the mold will contaminate other areas of your house and therefore it will be a much more difficult job to do.

Step 4 – Removing Mold-Infested Drywall

If you want to clean away mold from behind drywall, you need to first cut off the part of the wall that is infested by the mold. You may recognize the mold behind the drywall because when you touch it, it is soft and forms black stains on the drywall. Pay a lot of attention to the electrical wires located behind the drywall so that you avoid cutting them. You should throw the drywall away at once after cutting it off.

After you remove the drywall, there is a great probability that the wooden wall studs are also affected with the mold. Clean them with the dilution of water and bleach and make sure that they dry completely before you fix the damaged drywall.

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