How to Prevent Mold from Growing

Just imagine the scene: you have a basement at home and on a beautiful day, after months, decide to stop by. What could be worse than finding the walls totally covered with layers of mold, those very disgusting and greenish?

Horror movie backdrop.

You would probably prefer to find a lost soul. Better to think twice, because, although it requires a little effort, getting rid of mold is easier than unsuitable spirits.

Letting go of this conversation from the beyond, I have separated some tips that can help when getting rid of the mold that is ending your peace.

To start the conversation, it is important to get to know your enemy better, the mold. It is a type of fungus that grows in poorly ventilated and humid areas, such as bathrooms, basements, and even in the air vents of a home. It can be quite harmful to health, depending on the amount of mold and how large the area it covers. Therefore, it is very important to detect and get rid of mold to keep you and your family healthy, as it can trigger allergic reactions and harm your lungs if it is inhaled directly.

While some types of mold will require special treatment to be removed from your home, some minor problems can be treated with home cleaning products and methods. Let's go to them!

Finding the mold

This can be an easy job, but it is good to be very attentive, as it can sometimes be difficult to identify where the mold grows, mainly because it tends to grow in hidden areas. So, before you can remove all the mold from your home, you will have to find it.

Inspect every room in your homes, such as the bathroom and the basement, if you have one. It is important to pay attention to these types of environments, as mold usually thrives in humid areas and with little access to natural light, which puts laundries and bathrooms at the top of the list. Look in your home for poorly ventilated environments that tend to get damp or have high levels of humidity.

Carefully check the walls for mold and pay attention to how the air smells. The smell of intense humidity can indicate that you have a mold problem. It is also essential that you check the spaces where you have plumbing in your home, such as under the sink, around the toilet and in the shower area. If these fixtures are leaking, they may be helping to make your bathroom a breeding ground for mold.

If your home is carpeted, try lifting a small part of it and see if there is any evidence of mold growth under the carpet.

Another part that you should look at is the windows. They usually accumulate moisture and, therefore, can be an excellent place for mold to proliferate. Look carefully along the edges of the window frame and across the windowsill.

Pay close attention to areas of your home that appear to be deteriorating. You can find paint peeling off your walls, sills and trim, or areas rotting on your flooring, windows or ceiling. These are the possible signs that you have a mold problem.

Once you find the mold in your home, you should eliminate it as soon as possible to put an end to the risk of it spreading and causing health problems. Finally, let's go to the tips on how to remove it.

How to remove mold from fabric

The good news is that you can remove mold from most fabrics. The bad thing is that many techniques can ruin or remove the color of the piece, as it may be necessary to use bleach. Therefore, it is only worth the trouble to do the procedure below on white cotton fabrics.

You will need:

sodium bicarbonate;
bleach;
an empty spray bottle;
a bowl
an old toothbrush;
a soft brush and protective gloves.

How to make:

Start with the easiest method: Mix a part of bleach to a part of water already inside the spray bottle. Shake and spray on the mold. Leave on for a while and then rinse. If that doesn't work, you will need to use heavier weapons.
The heaviest mixture is one part bleach to three parts baking soda until it forms a paste inside the bowl. Put on protective gloves and use a toothbrush to apply the mixture on the mold. Rub lightly, let it sit for about 30 minutes, then rinse. If that doesn't work, get ready to use even more powerful artillery.
Mix equal parts of bleach and baking soda in a bowl. Put on the gloves and use a soft brush to apply the paste. Put some strength in when rubbing the stain. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes and then rinse. If she's still there, call in the warships.
Mix 3 parts of bleach to one part of baking soda. Put on the gloves and apply with the brush. Leave to solidify and rinse.

Removing mold from the bathroom

Mold is a frequent nuisance in showers and other parts of the bathroom. To remove it from your bathroom:

You will need:

Nylon brush;
Water;
plastic bucket;
and a lot of baking soda.

How to make:

Apply hot water to the grout - or the part that has been affected - and scrub vigorously with a nylon brush with stiff bristles trying to remove as much surface mold as possible.
Fill a plastic bucket with a liter of hot water and incorporate about 3/4 cup of baking soda.
Sprinkle baking soda directly over the mold.
Soak the nylon brush in the mixture of water and baking sponge and scrub vigorously to remove the mold. Alternate the movements, varying in the direction of the rub and varying with circles, to help remove the mold. Allow the baking soda to sit on the mold for two to three hours before continuing.
Finally, wash the baking soda off the surface thoroughly with hot water. Use more baking soda and rub it again if necessary.

How to remove wood mold

Mold grows easily on damp wood. This can include wooden baseboards behind furniture, windows, and cabinets.

If your pieces of wood have been dominated by mold and you have a thirst for revenge, you will need:

trisodium phosphate or sodium bicarbonate;
Water;
nylon brush;
Sanitary water;
sponge;
oxalic acid;
hairdryer (optional).

How to make:

Increase the temperature and air circulation around the surface of the wood. Moist wood is a breeding ground for mold. Drying the wood will make the mold easier to remove and prevent future mold growth. You can use a hairdryer to heat the wood.
Mix 8 to 10 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate (or baking soda) in a bucket with 1 liter of water. Soak the brush in the solution and rub the mold off the wood. For soft or delicate wood surfaces, use a sponge to scrub.
Wash the solution left on the wood with cold water and place the piece in a heated and ventilated area. Allow the wood to dry completely. It is recommended that you paint the wood with a mildew-resistant paint to prevent future mold growth. Follow the paint instructions that correlate with the type of wood.
Remove the mold that has grown under the paint using a paint remover. Make a solution of 8 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate, 1 cup of bleach, and 1 liter of water in a bucket and rub well with a sponge or brush.
Eliminate extremely difficult mold stains with oxalic acid. Mix three tablespoons of acid with a liter of water in a clean bucket. Rub the stain a lot and wash well with cold water. Allow drying in a well-ventilated, well-ventilated room before applying a paint or coating.

How to remove mold from walls

The favorites of mold, you need to have some tricks up your sleeve for when it appears. Remember when you are going to remove mold from the wall it is important to cover your face with a cloth or mask.

You will need bleach, a spray bottle, chlorine gel, sponge, bucket, and water.

How to make:

Protect the floor in the area you are about to clean, using a thick plastic tarp on the floor.
Use bleach with a spray over the affected wall area and wait for about 10 minutes.
Using a bucket of clean water, wash the wall to remove the stain and all the bleach. Most of the stain should come out at this point.
Use a sponge to apply chlorine gel to all remaining mold spots and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then wash the wall thoroughly.
You will need to paint the wall next. Be sure to use a sealing product that prevents mold from returning.

Don't let the mold come back

After you've lived through that real battle with mold, of course, you won't want to go through it all again. But you can only guarantee that if you prevent it from coming back. Therefore, it is necessary to decrease the humidity in the environments that were affected by it.

If your bathroom has frequent problems with fungus growth, and you don't have a vent, consider installing one for when using the shower or bath and for properly ventilating the room. Also, leave the door open or semi-open. This will help prevent your growth.

For a room or other environment that seems to be constantly humid, use a dehumidifier, they are usually quite effective in these cases.

If you have already removed the mold, but your clothes have that musty smell, see these tips to eliminate the smell.

Remember if:

If you cannot find the mold in your home accurately, contact a professional, he will come to your home with tools designed especially to locate the mold in areas that you cannot see;
Never - never - touch the mold without wearing gloves and protection over your mouth and nose. If mold spores are released into the air and you breathe them in, you can become very sick;
Always make sure that there is adequate ventilation in the room where you are working;
Never mix liquid chlorine with ammonia or products that contain acids, such as bathroom cleaners, rust or vinegar removers, as this can generate dangerous gases;
Don't just try to paint over the mold. It will cause the paint to peel, and will continue to grow and spread.
Be careful when dealing with old and old books with chemical solutions.
Oxalic acid and trisodium phosphate can be purchased at cleaning stores. Baking soda can be used in place of trisodium phosphate.
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling chemicals.

Now, say, did you find the information useful? Do you have any more mold removal techniques? What has already worked for you?