Mold In Your Home?


	3/14/2010 8:50:51 PM

Preventing and eliminating mold

San Fransisco Chrinicle

June 5, 2002 - Ridding your home of mold can be a messy mission. The microscopic fungi can pop up any place where moisture or relative humidity levels are high.

They can grow on virtually any organic substance - wood, paper, carpets, food, insulation - as long as moisture and oxygen are present.

How can you tell if the nasty stuff has taken up residence in your house?

Most molds can be detected by a musty odor. Some mold spores are too tiny to be seen with the human eye, but colonies of mold (such as mildew) are sometimes visible on damp walls and musty-smelling fabrics. Mold almost always discolors its host material and ranges in color from white to orange, green, brown and black.

There are many schools of thought when it comes to controlling and removing mold, but three commonsense strategies seem to surface most often: Keep it clean, keep it dry and create good ventilation.

We've put together a basic how-to list below to help you ward off the stuff, and get rid of it where it's already taken root.

Remember to follow manufacturers' instructions when using cleaning products, and wear gloves.

Indoors

Here's how to deal with common mold problems:

1) Painted surfaces

-- To prevent mold, clean surfaces to remove dirt and grease. Use paint that contains a mildewcide.
Use sizing and a paste that is mildew-resistant when installing wallpaper.

-- To remove mold, scrub surfaces with a solution of 1 cup chlorine bleach and 1 gallon water. A detergent - such as trisodium phosphate (TSP), liquid dish-washing detergent or other non-ammonia cleaner - may be added. (Do not mix chlorine and ammonia products!) Rinse with water and allow to dry before painting or papering.

2) Bathroom

-- To prevent mold, use an exhaust fan that ventilates to the outside and not into your attic or crawl space. Wipe down shower walls after showering.

-- To remove mold, scrub surfaces with a solution of 1 cup chlorine bleach, 1 tablespoon non-ammonia detergent and 1 gallon water. Clean grout with a brush. Leave cleaning solution on surface for about 10 minutes, then rinse with water. If your shower curtain is machine washable, add chlorine bleach to the detergent.

3) Laundry rooms, clothing and textiles

-- To prevent mold, vent clothes dryers to the outside of the home. Dry wet fabrics promptly - particularly soiled or damp laundry prior to placing it in a hamper. After washing, remove wet laundry immediately and dry. Clean all textiles before storing in a well-ventilated space. Do not store in plastic bags for long periods of time.

-- To remove mold, brush, shake, air out and sun bleach mildewed textiles. Any microorganisms and stains that remain on washable white fabrics can be removed with chlorine bleach. For colored fabrics, use perodygen bleaches containing sodium perborate or potassium monopersulfate, wash in the hottest water according to the manufacturer's instructions, and soak for up to 12 hours. Non-washable items should be dry cleaned.

Some mildew stains are permanent, and can rot or weaken material. Such items should be thrown out.

4) Kitchen

-- Use an exhaust fan when heating liquid. Clean up cooking spatters and grease film on walls, as they are a source of nutrients for mold.

-- Keep floor-level pans that collect condensation from automatic defrosting refrigerators clean.

5) Basements

-- Seal cracks in basement walls and foundations. Slope the ground away from the house to keep foundation dry. Use downspout attachments to direct rainwater away from the house. Cover window wells.

6) Crawl spaces

-- Install vapor barriers to prevent ground moisture from entering. Make sure crawl spaces have adequate ventilation.

7) Carpets and rugs

-- Choose carpets of man-made fibers. Seal concrete flooring before installing carpeting. In areas prone to flooding or moisture, install carpeting without a pad. Use a dehumidifier. If carpets get wet, clean and dry immediately. Call a professional rug and carpet cleaner for best results.

-- If you are attempting to clean a carpet yourself, place rug and pad face down on a flat, clean outdoor area. Hose down and apply a carpet-cleaning solution.

-- If the carpet cannot be removed, extract as much water as possible using a wet-vac, taking care to prevent electrical shock. If the carpet has a pad, it may be impossible to extract the water and the pad will need to be removed.

-- To remove mold from an unattached rug, apply rug shampoo with an electric shampooer. Remove all detergent. Place item outside and expose any remaining mildew to sunlight. Paint the back of the carpet with a solution of 1 part bleach and 4 parts water, or another sanitizing product. Rinse several times. Dry carpets quickly. Hang rugs outdoors or lay them flat in a warm, dry place. Use electric fans to speed drying.

8) Upholstery, Mattresses

-- Keep upholstered furniture and mattresses away from areas that are damp or dark, or have poor ventilation.

-- To remove mold, move the piece outdoors and brush the surface mold away with a broom. Vacuum using an upholstery attachment to draw out more mold.

-- Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag immediately or empty a non-disposable bag outdoors to prevent the spread of spores.

-- Sponge the item with a thick, dry soap or detergent suds and wipe it with a clean, damp cloth. Avoid wetting the stuffing. Wipe the piece with a cloth moistened with a solution of 1 part denatured alcohol to 1 part water and dry well.

Outdoor mold problems
Here's how to deal with common mold problems outdoors:

9) Painted surfaces

-- To prevent mold, remove damp soil and heavy vegetation along walls and your home's foundation, allowing for adequate air circulation. Commercial fungicidal products will inhibit mildew growth but may be toxic for humans and pets. Scrub mildewed paint with a solution of 1/3 cup nonammonia detergent, 1 quart chlorine bleach and 3 quarts water. Repaint using mildew-resistant paint. 10) Roofs - asphalt, shingles and fiberglass panels

-- Remove vegetation close to your roof. Clean debris from roof using a garden hose and a stiff broom. When installing roofing, consider shingles containing zinc granules. Commercial fungicidal products will inhibit mildew growth but may be toxic.

-- Spray clean the roof annually with a mixture of 1 part chlorine bleach and 9 parts water, at the rate of 1 gallon per 30 square feet.

-- Discolored roofs should be cleaned in strips, starting at the peak and working toward the eaves. Nearby plants should be covered and rinsed to minimize contact with the cleaning solution. Bleach can damage some roofing materials and plants, so check before using.

10) Wood shingles, decks and other untreated wood

-- Seal wood with a commercial sealant. Create adequate ventilation by removing vegetation growing close to the roof or deck. Remove debris with a garden hose and stiff broom.

-- To remove mold, scrub surface with a solution of 1 quart chlorine bleach, 3 ounces trisodium phosphate, 1 ounce detergent and 3 quarts water. If stains persist, increase the concentration of bleach to water and re-treat.

-- For stubborn stains, use 2 ounces of granular chlorine (calcium hydrochlorite, which is used for algae control in swimming pools) to 1 gallon water and apply with a brush or sprayer.

-- Use solution out of direct sunlight and do not allow it to remain on wood for more than an hour before rinsing. Nearby plants should be covered and rinsed.

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