Molds are beneficial to our environment as it aids in breaking down fallen leaves and dead plants. However, when found in the house, molds can become very harmful to our health. And what’s worse? Mold spores are invisible to the naked eye, hence, you may not even know when they infect your home. Only when they reproduce and spread in large quantities will you be able to notice them. Even right now, molds may be growing in your home, without you even knowing about it.
Apart from being invincible in their early stage, molds naturally grow in dark, moist, and humid areas that are out of sight. Once it starts spreading, getting rid of them becomes a difficult task to achieve. Well, that’s before you found this page. Because in today’s post I’ll be giving you the best home maintenance tips on how to get rid of molds from your home.
Causes of Molds at home
Molds are present in our surroundings and everywhere surrounding our homes. They exist in the atmosphere in the form of mold spores. And as the mold spore is invisible, it is quite easy for them to get into our homes. Although these molds can easily get into our homes, they can’t survive, grow or spread without certain factors, and these factors are the real causes of mold infestation in many homes.
1. Moisture
It is impossible for mold to thrive without moisture. When mold spores get into our homes, they go after the moist and humid areas in the house to grow and expand. Molds can survive in even the smallest moisture content available in the house.
2. Roof and Plumbing leaks
This is one of the major causes of mold infestation in many homes. Molds are usually found around where you have plumbing leaks in the house, like the kitchen, bathrooms, and toilets. Even your leaky roofs can cause mold infestation on your rugs when raindrops enter your home through the leaky roof to provide moisture for molds to grow.
3. Basement and Closed areas
Another suitable environment for molds is a closed-off environment, they love the dark. Moisture can seep through your home’s concrete and get to the basement, to create a perfect habitat in addition to the dark environment for molds.
How to get rid of molds
To get rid of molds from your home, follow these guidelines.
- The first step to getting rid of molds is to first protect yourself from getting infected while trying to remove them. Hence, wear protective gear. Make sure your protective gear or safety glasses do not have ventilation holes, else molds would sneak in through that hole.
- Fix all plumbing issues around the house. If it’s too much to handle alone, get the services of some plumbing professionals to aid you. Also, fix any roofing problems you may have at home.
- Use warm water, detergent, and some elbow grease to wash off hard surfaces like tiles, wall framing, and baseboards.
- Clean your basement thoroughly until it is dry, then use a dehumidifier to remove the moisture from your basement.
- Use white vinegar to clean molds from your kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Do not use white vinegar on granite or marble surfaces.
- Baking soda is another tool you can use to get rid of molds from your home.
- Use Ammonia to kill off molds. Do not mix ammonia with another type of cleaner. The resulting mixture will be toxic to your health.
- Bleach and water solution is another effective means of getting rid of molds. However, it is only effective on non-porous materials like glass and titles.
- Use hydrogen peroxide with a soft-bristled brush to brush affected areas.