How To Get Rid of Mold

No one wants to have mold in their home. Mold might make you think of long-forgotten takeout food crammed in the back of your fridge, or an old decrepit bathtub that hasn’t been used in years. But aside from what might be growing in your refrigerator, household mold is actually very common, and can represent a significant health hazard if left unchecked.

The presence of mold, while unsightly, can lead to ongoing issues, from respiratory distress to property damage. You need to pay immediate attention to any signs of mold, assess the situation and decide on a swift course of action for a mold inspection and removal or remediation. Learn about types of mold, and how to prevent and remove it.

Mold is a fungus that reproduces by expelling microscopic spores into the environment. While mold is most often identified by sight, high concentrations can also give off a musty or mildewy smell. When these spores land in a damp environment, they grow and spread and can potentially cause rot.

Most molds thrive in dampness and dark environments and are deterred by sunlight. This is why you’re most likely to find mold and mildew in areas like garages, basements and windowless bathrooms. Some molds thrive in home environments where moisture is common, such as bathrooms, kitchens, attics, basements and crawl spaces. Homes also have a large variety of organic materials for these molds to feed off of. Ceiling tiles, paints, carpet and fabric are all attractive food sources for different mold varieties.

To get rid of mold stains, a bleach solution, a vinegar solution or other mold-specific cleaning products can work. You’ll need different methods and materials, depending on what surface and type of mold you encounter.

Here are some of the different types of mold you might encounter in your home.

Alternaria

This type of mold, which can cause asthma-like symptoms in the upper respiratory tract, is frequently found in showers and tubs, beneath leaky sinks and in homes that have suffered water damage. It has a velvety texture with dark green or brown hairs.

Aureobasidium

Typically found behind wallpaper or on painted or wooden surfaces, this mold starts as a pink, brown or black hue, then turns to a dark brown as it ages. This type of mold can cause eye, skin and nail infections.

Black Mold (Stachybotrys)

This mold appears slimy and black or dark green, and is commonly found in organic materials such as wood, hay and cardboard. It is also known as “toxic mold” because it releases mycotoxins that can cause a host of medical issues, including difficulty breathing, sinusitis, fatigue, headache, a burning sensation in your airways, a persistent cough, nose bleeds, fever and even depression. Black mold removal is essential when found and should be done as quickly as possible, often by professionals.

Ulocladium

Also black in color, this type of mold is found in kitchens, bathrooms and basements – areas where there are high levels of condensation or where there has been water damage. It can cause severe reactions that include hay fever, skin infections and difficulty breathing.

Pink Mold

While pink mold is referred to as a mold, it’s actually bacteria. It is commonly found in bathrooms, especially showers – particularly on the tiles, in the grout and on the doors – where it feeds on soap scum and shampoo residue. You can identify the bacteria by a colony that appears pink and slimy. While generally harmless, it can cause infections if it gets into your eye or an open wound.

Just as there are many types of mold, there are numerous removal methods. The best option for your situation will depend on what type of mold you’re encountering, the surface that it’s on and the extent to which it has spread.

In some cases, it may be necessary to call a mold prevention and removal expert when it comes to home mold removal. DIY mold removal is only possible depending on the size and impact the mold has made.

If you choose to handle the mold removal yourself, make sure to don adequate protective gear. The CDC recommends that you wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt, protective gloves and eyewear, waterproof boots and a mask rated at least N95 or more to protect your nose and mouth. Note that while these masks protect you from small particles like mold, they are not adequate if you are encountering any sort of gasses, chemical vapors, asbestos or lead.

Removing Mold From Wood

Removing mold from wood is easy if it has not spread far and wide. Before starting, put on your protective wear, especially a mask and gloves. First, vacuum up the area with the mold. This will suck up any loose spores on the surface of the wood. Next, scrub the area with soap and water. On bare, untreated or unpainted wood, you can use bleach. Soak up any cleaner and extra moisture.

If mold is still apparent in the wood, you can try to sand it out. Note that sanding will take off any finish and some of the wood. Since mold can live deep in the pores of wood, you may need to do a lot of sanding to fully remove it.

How To Get Rid Of Mold On Walls

Mold on your interior walls can be a hint that you’ve got a water problem. Behind that wall, you may have a leaky pipe or a drainage issue. Or it could mean you have a ventilation issue. Does the bathroom have a vent? If not, moisture may be building up whenever you shower, encouraging mold growth.

If there is a water problem, any mold you kill by scrubbing is only going to come back. Fix the underlying problems first. If you suspect a leak, clean the area and see how quickly the mold comes back.

To scrub mold off your walls, use a heavy-duty sponge soaked in a bleach/water solution. While wearing a protective mask and gloves, scrub the tainted spot with your solution. For stubborn patches of mold, you may need to let the solution soak in for a few minutes. If that still doesn’t work, you can use specially formulated mold remover and mix it in with your bleach solution. Once done scrubbing, make sure to dry off the area you scrubbed.

Removing Home Exterior Mold

Mold on the exterior of the house isn’t just unsightly – it can also eventually migrate to the interior and cause further damage. A common place where mold may appear on the exterior of a home is a deck, which can be cleaned with detergent or another light cleaning solution and a power washer.

You can clean vinyl or wood siding by power washing or scrubbing it with a brush – hydrogen peroxide is a good solution choice, as it won’t harm your landscaping. For stucco or concrete walls, use a garden hose and sprayer attachment. Rinse the siding first, spray on non-toxic mold remover, allow it to sit while the mold starts to dissolve, then rinse it away.

Bathroom Mildew And Mold Removal

Mildew is a white fungus that is considered an early stage of mold. Mildew grows on organic material that is warm and wet. Bathrooms are often the perfect environment for mildew to grow and reproduce in.

Mold on bathroom fixtures and surfaces can be removed in a variety of ways: with commercial cleaning products, such as Mildewcide; white vinegar and baking soda; a bleach solution of 1 cup laundry bleach combined with 1 gallon of water; or even plain soap and water.

To prevent mold in the bathroom, make sure to open windows if you have them to improve ventilation and run the fan when showering, shaving or cleaning. Wipe water off hard surfaces, like shower walls and sinks, and fix plumbing leaks as soon as possible. Scrub mold from surfaces as soon as it appears, then be sure to dry the area to prevent it from spreading.

Removing Mold In The Kitchen

To prevent mold and practice adequate kitchen maintenance, open your windows to improve ventilation and run the hood vent when cooking and cleaning. Wipe water from hard surfaces, and fix leaky faucets as soon as possible. Always make sure your tableware and serving dishes are dry before storing them to keep mold from proliferating in cabinets.

Spotted mold in your kitchen? Scrub any hard surfaces with one of the solutions mentioned above, taking care to thoroughly rinse any food prep areas after. You may need to replace porous surfaces, such as wooden cabinets, that are contaminated.

Getting Rid Of Basement Mold

Mold in the basement can be persistent, given the nature of basements – they tend to be much more humid than above-ground levels and typically have poor ventilation and little air flow, a combination that can cause mold to flourish. And of course, basements can be prone to flooding, due to extreme weather or undetected leaks in the pipes or sump pump. In addition, once mold develops, cinder blocks or concrete walls can be difficult to clean due to their rough texture.

To get rid of mold in the basement, scrub the walls using a large brush, and keep in mind that porous surfaces such as ceiling tiles or drywall might need to be removed and replaced if they get moldy. If the basement carpet has become moldy, sweep it (while wearing a mask) to loosen the mold and let it dry in the sun if you can move it, or use high-powered fans to remove moisture if it’s affixed to the floor.

To prevent mold in the basement, you need to alter the conditions that can cause it to grow. First, remove dampness by installing a dehumidifier and making sure the dryer vent exhausts externally, if you use your basement for laundry. Then turn your attention outside: Shore up cracks and other foundation issues, and make sure that your soil is properly graded so that rainwater or melting snow goes away from the house.

Removing Mold In The Attic

Much like the basement, the dark, damp atmosphere of an attic is conducive to mold. You should clean it as you would other areas by scrubbing the walls and making sure it hasn’t permeated porous materials.

To prevent mold in the attic, make sure that the vents are directed completely outside of your house. It’s also important to check the roof to alleviate issues that can contribute to moisture entering the attic, such as roof leaks, raised shingles and gaps in skylights and be sure vents and skylights are well-sealed.

Proper cleanup after mold removal is imperative to avoid recontamination in affected areas. You should seal and immediately dispose of materials that may have contact with mold, like your mask. Rinse off the shoes or boots you wore while cleaning, wash your clothing in hot water, and shower to wash away spores that might have been on your body.

Effective Mold Cleaning Products And Methods

Different types of mold respond best to different cleaning solutions. When in doubt, you can try a few methods to see what is most effective in your space. There are a few common cleaning products that can be used to clean mold.

White Vinegar

Undiluted white vinegar can be used to remove surface-level mold. Don’t use vinegar on stone, aluminum, or iron surfaces as the acid from the vinegar can damage those materials beyond repair.

Be sure that the vinegar is “cleaning grade” or at least 5% acidity. You do not need to mix with hot water – just put the pure vinegar in a spray bottle. Let sit at least an hour before wiping clean.

Bleach solution

You can mix 1 part bleach to 3 parts hot water in a spray bottle, spray that on the mold, let sit for 1 hour, and then wipe clean. Always use a face mask or other protection when working with bleach as it can be damaging to your lungs.

Hydrogen Peroxide

You can use a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water – or even better, hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar – to clean mold. This combination is said to be the best at killing mold’s deep roots.

While spotting mold might make you question your housekeeping standards, remember that the presence of mold spores is inevitable anywhere with the potential for damp conditions – and that, of course, can occur in rooms throughout your home that get daily use, like the kitchen and bathroom, as well as in areas that you rarely visit, like the basement and attic.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to the growth of mold and the subsequent negative effects it can have on your health and home. You can prevent mold by keeping surface moisture and humidity to a minimum, and then tackle spots as soon as they are visible to stop its spread.

Since it’s impossible to get rid of mold in the house completely, it’s important to keep your air clear by regularly replacing air filters. Consider using High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which are designed to trap 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger (mold is usually 3 – 12 microns).

You may also consider an air purifier that will remove mold spores. If you live in a particularly damp environment, find one with an antimicrobial filter to make sure that the filter itself remains free from mold.

Be sure that all kitchens and bathrooms have functioning exhaust fans. Waterproofing your basement is another great way to reduce the chance of mold growing in the future.

The reality of mold is this: Even though some mold can be removed from the home by cleaning thoroughly and taking out rotten materials, it can never be removed completely, which is why getting rid of it is often referred to as “mold remediation.” The important thing is to handle a mold issue promptly to help mitigate the nature of the problem.

Visible mold can be an indication of more extensive mold problems that might have permeated your drywall, insulation, subflooring, studs, ceilings and other hidden areas, so it may be crucial to call a professional to ensure the growth is properly handled and that mold resistant materials are being used properly.

Home mold removal is different case by case, but you should know that you can DIY or have an expert come in. Setting your home up for mold prevention will help to save money and headache in the long term by avoiding needing costly mold removal. By maintaining healthy air quality and mitigating mold as quickly as you can, your home will be healthier and safer. Read more Homeowner Tips on the Rocket Homes^SM blog for additional ideas and advice on how to keep your property in excellent condition!