Mold is a persistent problem in many a modern dwelling, thanks to better insulation, combined with stable temperatures and high levels of humidity. These conditions provide mold with a perfect habitat, allowing it to flourish. While mold spores are a common particle in household dust, should their concentration reach high levels, they can have ill effects on our health, so getting rid of mold should be a priority.
What is mold?
Mold is the name for a large group of fungi, characterized by discoloration of a surface, followed by a fuzzy-looking growth over the affected area. Mold causes biodegradation in organic material, causing food to spoil and wood to rot, among other things. Mold can also be beneficial for producing antibiotics, enhancing the taste of certain kinds of cheese, and serving in the production of drinks and food. The kind you usually encounter in your home is the unwelcome kind.
Health risks:
Mold exposure in infants can lead to respiratory problems, and studies have shown a direct correlation between high levels of mold exposure and the development of asthma. People with higher sensitivity to mold can develop chronic lung illnesses. Mold can also cause allergic responses in children and adults.
Symptoms of mold exposure:
How to get rid of mold:
First, we need to find it - search the house for mold, starting with the most likely places:
Look for discoloration, black or white spots, fuzzy-looking spots, and a musty smell. Check walls, floors, and ceilings.
Measure the area the mold covers – if the area is greater than 10 feet (3 meters) across, you will need a professional cleaning. If the area is smaller than 10 feet, you can take care of it yourself.
If water damage caused the mold, make sure that the leak has been fixed, otherwise, the mold will simply return.
Move furniture from mold-infested rooms to mold-free rooms, and then cover any air vents with plastic sheets. We do this to prevent mold spores from spreading to uninfected areas, then open the windows in the room to reduce humidity and temperatures.
Prepare by wearing safety goggles, a dust mask, gloves, and clothes you wouldn’t mind throwing away once you’re done.
Prepare a solution that kills mold
Borax and vinegar: Add one cup of borax per one gallon (3.5 liters) of water, and then add a cup of vinegar to the mix. The combination of these two natural cleaners will kill most kinds of mold, thanks to the vinegar overlapping the mold borax can’t kill and vice versa.
Baking soda and vinegar: Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda to 4 cups of warm water, then add one cup of plain white vinegar. Like the borax, the baking soda overlaps the vinegar’s mold-removing abilities.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle, and spray the affected area. Wait for about 15-20 minutes and then scrub the area thoroughly until there are no more signs of mold, and allow to dry. (Food preparation areas must be rinsed afterward)
Prevention:
Mold loves to be left undisturbed in an area with humidity and darkness. These are the most effective prevention methods. Fix any and all water leaks. Areas that can’t get enough sunlight (like ceilings) or have high levels of humidity (like showers), should be checked for new signs of mold and treated as soon as they appear. Using dehumidifiers and air-conditioning also reduces the likeliness of mold forming in your home.
No More Rice Bowls! Four Ways to Salvage a Wet Phone
Getting your phone wet can be stressful, so here are four tips on how to save it from water damage, from tech experts (there is no rice involved...)
7 Items You Should Never Clean with Paper Towels
As useful as they are, paper towels are not fit for any task. Here are 7 items you should never clean with paper towels.
Is Your Dog Afraid of the Vacuum? These Tips Might Help
If the vacuum sends your dog into a tailspin, don’t worry, you are not alone. Follow these steps to reduce your dog's dislike of the vacuum cleaner.
Mince Garlic Like a Chef With These Techniques
In this video, a culinary expert shows three recommended methods to mince your garlic, depending on what you need it for.
Don’t Toss Old Garments: Here Are 7 Better Ideas
Not all the cast offs from your closet are destined for the trash. In fact, there are plenty of better things you could do with your old clothes. Here are 7 examples.
Avoid These Pork Cooking Mistakes!
As versatile and delicious as pork may be it there are a lot of potential errors when it comes to cooking it. Here are the 12 most common mistakes to avoid.
DIY: Make Your Own Wall Stencil in 8 Easy Steps
Get a designer look for half the price. This easy DIY guide will show you how to make a beautiful wall stencil in 8 easy steps.
How Many Times You Can Wear Clothes Before Washing Them
Are you re-wearing your clothes more often than you should? Follow this guide.
Keep the Bedroom Cool in the Summer Heat with These Tips!
Getting a good night's sleep during the hottest summer months doesn't have to be a challenge. With these clever easy tricks, you'll sleep like a baby!
These 12 Colorful Fish Can Be Easily Kept In Your Home!
Whether you've always wanted to raise fish in your home aquarium or you already have one and you're looking for new varieties to add, this is the article for you!
Incredibly Simple Homemade Rust Cleaner for Your Bathroom
Rust stains on porcelain surfaces can be a real pain, but they're easily removed with material you probably have in your kitchen.
8 Best 'Cheesy' Tips For Your Home Cheese!
Cheese is a must in any kitchen, but did you know these eight cheese life hacks?
These 20 Awesome Tool Hacks Will Make Your Life Easier
These awesome tool hacks will make your life so much easier!
14 Surprising Uses for Binder Clips You've Never Thought Of
Binder clip – most people wouldn’t think this handy little clip can do more than just bind paper, but, as you’ll see below, it has many other uses.
Step-by-step Guide for Removing Scratches from Wood
Use this handy guide to restore hardwood floors and wooden furniture to their former glory.
9 Uncommon Ways to Use Oatmeal in Your Home
Oats are so useful outside the kitchen too!
9 Facts You Didn’t Know About In-Flight Food And Drinks
Airplane food is notorious, but since we don't have any other options, the following 9 tips will make the culinary experience that much more enjoyable.
Do You Know How to Use a Tape Measure? Are You SURE?
The humble tape measure is a more sophisticated tool than you thought...
15 Differences between Men and Women That Explain a Lot
Discover surprising biological differences between men and women, which can explain many things you thought about both sexes.
Before You Throw Old Books Away, Read THIS
In this article, we'll explore 7 solutions for reusing old books and turning them into useful objects that can upgrade your life and home.
The Best Plant Milks For Every Task
Different plant milks work best for various tasks, which can be tricky. This culinary guide will help you choose the best ones for you
6 Great Benefits of Waking Up Early
Do you promise yourself that you'll wake up early the next day, but at the moment of truth you hit the snooze button? Stop this with these 11 tips!
8 Pressure Points for Improving Memory and Concentration
Whenever you feel stress starting to affect your concentration, or if you just want to improve your memory, try these 8 points ...
Why You Shouldn’t Use Olive Oil To Fry Or Braise Food
Stovetop cooking is very versatile, but most people are disappointed with this cooking method because they make one of these 10 mistakes...
Solve 18 Cooking and Food Storage Problems With These Tips
These 18 food tips will teach you how to prevent food from spoiling and will show you how to save time and effort in preparing certain foods
NEVER Do These 7 Things When Using a Power Strip
These are 7 safety tips you should always follow when using a power strip to avoid disaster
Cream Of Tartar Will Do Wonders For Your Health and Home!
If you've never heard of cream of tartar, you should find out how many different health benefits and uses this wonderful powder has!
11 DIY Lamp Shades That’ll Brighten Up Every Home!
Lighting makes all the difference in a house's atmosphere but is usually super expensive. now you can make your own lampshades at a fraction of the cost!
The Genius Ways to Wrap Awkwardly Shaped Gifts
To save yourself a little money, and to help you get a tad more creative this festive season, we've got the perfect solution for you.
Alka Seltzer Makes a Surprisingly Helpful Cleaning Tool
Read on to find out how you can clean with this medicine cabinet staple.
These Uses For Yogurt Will Leave You Very Surprised
Yogurt can do a whole lot more than just taste nice. In fact, it has many different uses. Here are 10 alternative uses for yogurt.
20 Great Kitchen Tips That'll Save You On Money and Effort!
Make your kitchen that much more efficient and less time consuming with these 20 great tips that might change your kitchen experience forever.
Most Plant Owners Ignore This Crucial Plant Care Detail
Successful houseplant owners always pay close attention to their plants’ light needs. Let us teach you to do just that in this brief but informative guide.
Video Turorial: How to Unclog the Toilet Without a Plunger...
Unclogging the toilet is never a happy task. I was happy to discover this easy method of unclogging the toilet without having to use one.
The Art of Persuasion: How to Be More Convincing
Learn the basics to becoming a more verbally persuasive person.
Where is YOUR Dog From? The Full Dog Breed Compendium
The complete guide to dog races by country!
Scratched Furniture or Shoes? It's Pretty Simple to Fix...
Here's how to get scratches out of any surface in your home.
Waste No More: 6 Great Ways to Use Fruit & Veggie Peels
If you want to save both money and reduce your waste, remember these 6 practical and delicious ideas for what you can do to utilize your fruit and vegetable leftovers to the max.
Sustainable Innovation: A 7-Seater Solar-Powered Bike
Now here is an example of sustainable innovation. This guy built a seven-seater solar bike bus from scrap.
The Smart Weight-Loss Tips No One Ever Told You
These simple daily changes can bring an avalanche of goodness to your body. I'm sure you've never heard at least half of these tips, but each and every one of them will have a small and meaningful effect on your weight loss.
Ten Golden Mantras for Growing Old with Grace
Ten golden mantras for those who wish to grow older with style and dignity to make life after retirement more pleasant, to enjoy and treasure the elder years of wisdom and intelligence..
DIY Corner: A Cool Technique for Christmas Decorations!
This is how you can use packing tape to make a sticker out of anything. Sounds too easy? It truly is!
Bored of the Outlet Covers? Here's How to Paint Them Well
In this article, we'll learn how to paint and wallpaper plastic or metal outlet covers effectively and professionally.
These Pots and Pans Storage Solutions Are an Absolute Must
If you have a small kitchen or if your cabinet space is limited, then you need to read this.
5 Different Christmas Plants and How to Care for Them
In this guide, you'll find some tips on how to keep it alive throughout the season, and how to maintain it for next year.
This Common Item is More Helpful Than You Ever Guessed
Binder clips are a very common item at every office and in most houses. But did you know how many functions this simple-looking tool is capable of?
The 7 Best and 7 Worst Foods to Buy Canned
Not all canned foods are made equal, and in this article, we'll discuss those you should invest in, as well as those to definitely avoid.